How can you identify and manage program coordination stakeholders' expectations?

1 Why are expectations important?

Expectations are the beliefs or assumptions that stakeholders have about the program, its outcomes, and its performance. They can influence how they perceive, evaluate, and support the program, as well as how they interact with you and other stakeholders. Expectations can also change over time, depending on the program context, progress, and feedback. Therefore, it is essential to understand and align the expectations of your stakeholders, especially those who have a high level of influence or interest in the program.

2 How to identify expectations?

The first step to managing expectations is to identify them, which can be done through a stakeholder analysis. This is a systematic way of mapping out who your stakeholders are, what they want, and how they relate to the program. Doing this can help you to identify the key stakeholders and their roles, responsibilities, and expectations; assess the level of influence and interest of each stakeholder; understand the sources, drivers, and indicators of expectations; identify any gaps, conflicts, or risks related to expectations; and communicate and engage with stakeholders to validate and clarify expectations. There are different tools and methods that you can use to conduct a stakeholder analysis, such as stakeholder matrices, power-interest grids, surveys, interviews, focus groups, or workshops. Additionally, existing documents like program plans, reports, contracts, or agreements can be used to extract information about expectations.

3 How to manage expectations?

Once you have identified the expectations of your stakeholders, it is important to manage them throughout the program lifecycle. This includes aligning expectations with objectives, scope, and resources; negotiating and documenting expectations in a clear manner; monitoring and measuring expectations against performance and deliverables; communicating and reporting progress regularly and transparently; managing any changes or issues that may affect expectations; and evaluating and reviewing outcomes. Managing expectations is not a one-time task, but an ongoing process that requires communication, collaboration, and adaptation. To do this, you can use tools such as expectation management plans, RACI matrices, SMART goals, dashboards, scorecards, or feedback loops.

4 How to deal with unrealistic or conflicting expectations?

At times, you may encounter unrealistic or conflicting expectations from your stakeholders, which can present difficulties and risks for your program. Unrealistic expectations are those that are impractical, attainable, or at odds with the program reality. Conflicting expectations are those that are incompatible, contradictory, or in competition with each other or with the program goals. Examples of such expectations could include expecting more benefits from the program than originally planned or agreed; expecting the program to be completed faster or cheaper than realistically possible; expecting the program to address or solve issues outside of its scope; expecting the program to meet the needs of one stakeholder group at the expense of another; and expecting the program to follow different standards than those established. To address these expectations, you should identify their root causes and sources, communicate and educate stakeholders about the program's rationale and scope, negotiate and compromise with stakeholders to find a common ground, manage any risks that may arise from the expectations, and escalate to senior management if necessary. Dealing with unrealistic or conflicting expectations can be arduous but is also an opportunity to build trust with stakeholders and show off your leadership and problem-solving capabilities.

5 How to improve your expectation management skills?

Expectation management is a key skill for program coordination, as it can affect the quality, efficiency, and effectiveness of your program. To improve this skill, seek feedback and learn from your experiences and best practices of other program coordinators. Regularly update and refine your stakeholder analysis and expectation management plan to accommodate the changing program environment and needs. Appropriate tools and techniques should be used to identify, manage, and communicate expectations as well as measure and report program performance and outcomes. It's also important to build positive relationships with your stakeholders and foster a culture of collaboration and transparency. If you face challenges or difficulties with expectation management, seek support from peers, mentors, or coaches. Ultimately, improving your expectation management skills can help you to enhance your program coordination competencies and deliver more successful and sustainable programs.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?