How to manage your project’s reputation in this social media age

Every project will face challenges, even if there has been detailed planning and management at the outset. Things do not always align as we would want. This is why risk management and crisis preparation are so important and need to be part of project development.

Losing the trust of people who are involved in developing a project or who will be on the receiving end of the change will make the introduction more problematic. The starting point needs to be to understand the risks connected to the project and to use them to prepare effective communication. The approach has to recognise the details: what do people feel now? How will the change impact on them? Who are those people who will be affected? Understanding those details will improve the communication.

People have to accept the outcome that is being sought, which means understanding why the project is underway. Any concerns need to be identified and heard to help improve the communication and to track any changes to those views. Communication is not just about saying things; it is critical to listen to feedback. Understand the concerns people have before the project gets underway and invest in communication from the consideration of establishing a project.

Monitor social media channels closely

In this hyperconnected world, if you don’t listen to people, they will quickly make their views known through social media channels. As X (formerly Twitter) is losing its position, TikTok is growing, Bluesky has appeared and channels such as Nextdoor and Glassdoor give people many opportunities to speak out and be heard.

Making effective connections to those linked to the project will help to minimise the potential for a social media challenge. But we should never lose sight of the role social media plays in driving conflict and increasing polarisation. Monitor social media channels and use the feedback to inform the communication and approach.

If things go wrong, own it

Whether a project is going well or not, it is vital to be open and honest about what it means and any challenges. This helps to build trust and confidence in the team driving the project management.

If things go wrong, own it. People will forgive a genuine error or something that has gone wrong, but they will not forgive attempts to cover up or hide issues. It is essential to recognise what people are seeing to maintain credibility. If you fail to acknowledge a problem, it means you either don’t know about it, which casts doubt on your ability to implement the project, or you have seen it but don’t care about the impact, which is a fatal flaw.

Accept and validate how people are feeling before working on how you can move things forward with open, honest and clear communication. Never appear to gaslight people by diminishing their concerns or how they feel. It is happening more and more and will be called out quickly.

Be empathetic

At the heart of all effective communication is a human approach with empathy and understanding. You may need or want to see the project embedded, but it needs to be done with people rather than to them. The practicalities of introducing it are important, but so is how people feel about the project and what it means to them. Take a step away from the systems and processes and understand the real human impact and feelings about the situation and the project.

Reputations are built not just on what you say, but also on what you do. If the two are brought together in the communication approach, it can increase credibility.