Leading Project Stakeholders with Grace

Leading Project Stakeholders with Grace

Velma Jackman | 2019

Abstract

Grace, as defined by Merriam Webster, is the state of acting and thinking with kindness, courtesy and thoughtfulness. For project managers, grace relates to quiet confidence, calm demeanor under pressure, and the ability to bring many work streams and diverse audiences together for a successful outcome. Grace encompasses the importance of adopting a transformative servant leadership mindset which engages stakeholders in projects using the stakeholder perspective along with the project leadership’s perspective. Grace also supports project leaders who must tenaciously work towards a project’s outcome while facing obstacles, setbacks, human transition and change.

This course explores the theory and practical application of grace-based stakeholder engagement and advocacy-based leadership specifically for projects that are transformative, complex, and have lasting impact on society or the environment. Participants will explore theories of stakeholder management, human transition, and the impact of culture, power and systems to stakeholder engagement. They will also examine advocacy-based leadership methods and how they align to inclusive stakeholder engagement and transformative project management.