Buyer Analytics

A seagull manager comes swooping in at the last minute, squawk orders at everybody and offers a significant amount of advice before abruptly taking off.  You may have experienced a “seagull like” stakeholder if you are buying services for IT, parts for manufacturing or temporary services for HR.

Travis Bradberry, president of consulting firm TalentSmart, and author of the book is called Squawk! How to Stop Making Noise and Start Getting Results offers advice on how to deal with seagull managers. This same advice can easily apply to managing change resistant stakeholders through Bradberry’s three surefire strategies:

1. Problem: Your seagull stakeholder swoops in at the last minute and bosses your procurement team around. Strategy: Communicate with your stakeholder early and often. If you keep your stakeholder in the loop, he or she won’t have a chance to swoop in later. This includes daily communication on routine matters, and at minimum a weekly check in on the status of projects.
2. Problem: Your seagull stakeholder thinks there is one way of doing things: his or her way. Strategy: Build support for your ideas by explaining the rationale and benefits up front. Then explain the process. Even the worst stakeholder will be more apt to listen when he or she can see the benefits of a new way of doing things.
3. Problem: Your stakeholder lets procurement have it when they make a mistake and he or she says little or nothing when you’re doing well. Strategy: Let your stakeholder know you need both positive and constructive feedback. After completing projects, approach your stakeholder and ask him or her both what went well and what you can improve upon in the future.

This is good advice, so give it a try.