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Project managers don’t just manage timelines and deliverables, they drive business outcomes. The key to influencing stakeholders? Understanding what matters to them and speaking their language.

Here’s how you can sharpen your business acumen and build stronger relationships with executives and decision-makers:

Understand what matters to Key Stakeholders

Every stakeholder has different priorities, but most executives focus on:

• Financial Impact: How will this project affect revenue, costs, or profitability?
• Risk & Compliance: Are there potential legal, regulatory, or security concerns?
• Operational Efficiency: Does this improve processes or reduce waste?
• Strategic Alignment: How does this support the company’s long-term goals?

Before your next stakeholder meeting, put yourself in their shoes and question:

• What does success look like from a business perspective?
• What challenges or pressures are they facing?
• How can you connect your project’s outcomes to their goals?

Communicate in Their Language

Executives don't need to know every project detail. They need a clear, concise business case. When giving updates, frame your message using these three pillars:

• Why It Matters:
  Instead of: "We're implementing a new task management system."
  Say: "This system will reduce project delays by 20% and save the company $200K annually."
• Key Business Metrics:
  Focus on numbers that resonate with leadership (e.g., cost savings, efficiency gains, risk reduction).
  Use visuals (charts, dashboards) to make data-driven insights stand out.
• Decisions & Next Steps:
  Keep it actionable: What do you need from them?
  Provide options with implications: “If we delay this, we risk losing X amount.”

By aligning your communication with business priorities, you’ll gain stakeholder buy-in and position yourself as a strategic leader.