How do you adjust your airport stakeholder engagement strategy to different contexts?

1 Identify your stakeholders

The first step in any engagement strategy is to identify who your stakeholders are and what their interests, expectations, and concerns are. Stakeholders can include internal and external groups, such as airport staff, airlines, passengers, regulators, contractors, local communities, media, and environmental groups. You can use various tools and methods to map and analyze your stakeholders, such as stakeholder matrices, power-interest grids, or SWOT analysis. By understanding your stakeholders, you can prioritize and segment them according to their level of influence and interest, and design appropriate engagement activities for each group.

2 Define your engagement objectives

The next step is to define what you want to achieve with your engagement strategy and how you will measure its effectiveness. Your objectives should be SMART: specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, your objectives could be to inform stakeholders about a new project, to consult them on their preferences and feedback, to collaborate with them on finding solutions, or to empower them to make decisions. Your objectives should also align with your overall airport goals and vision, and reflect the context and scope of your engagement. You can use indicators and metrics to track and evaluate your progress and outcomes, such as stakeholder satisfaction, participation rates, feedback quality, or decision impact.

3 Choose your engagement methods

The third step is to choose the most suitable methods and tools to engage with your stakeholders, depending on your objectives, context, and resources. There are many types of engagement methods, ranging from low to high levels of interaction and influence, such as newsletters, surveys, focus groups, workshops, forums, or advisory committees. You should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each method, as well as the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of implementing them. You should also consider the preferences and needs of your stakeholders, such as their availability, accessibility, language, culture, or technology. You can use a mix of methods to reach different groups and achieve different purposes.

4 Communicate effectively

The fourth step is to communicate effectively with your stakeholders throughout the engagement process, from planning to implementation to evaluation. Communication is key to building trust, rapport, and understanding with your stakeholders, as well as to managing their expectations and resolving any issues or conflicts. You should communicate clearly, consistently, and transparently, using simple and respectful language, and avoiding jargon or technical terms. You should also communicate frequently and timely, using various channels and formats, such as emails, phone calls, social media, websites, or reports. You should also listen actively and attentively to your stakeholders, acknowledging their views and feedback, and responding to their questions and concerns.

5 Adapt and improve

The final step is to adapt and improve your engagement strategy based on the feedback and results you receive from your stakeholders and your evaluation. You should monitor and review your engagement activities regularly, and identify any gaps, challenges, or opportunities for improvement. You should also seek and incorporate stakeholder feedback and suggestions, and demonstrate how you have used them to inform your decisions and actions. You should also celebrate and share your achievements and successes, and recognize and appreciate your stakeholders' contributions and involvement. By adapting and improving your engagement strategy, you can enhance your stakeholder relationships and outcomes, and foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

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?