4 ways to build influence and trust with your stakeholders as a comms pro
We all know that working with others isn’t always smooth sailing, especially during times of change. Tensions rise, pressures mount, and people don’t always see eye to eye. Ironically, in the world of communication, it's often communication itself that creates the friction… yep, even among communicators. So, we’re unpacking some of the common breakdowns between communicators and business representatives (think HR, IT, Project teams and more) while giving you four practical ways to rebuild, or build, trust, influence and create alignment. Let’s get your messages heard.
1. Co-create your strategy
Often, the issue is a lack of mutual understanding, or ego. For example, internal comms teams can feel overwhelmed and protective of their channels and project teams can feel dismissed and unheard. A co-creation workshop is a way to bridge that divide.
How to do it:
Before the workshop, share a one- to two-page briefing document with key information: the change, audiences, impacts, key dates, and your initial ideas (labelled “to discuss”).
During the workshop, bring both internal and project comms teams together to:
Define shared objectives
Map out audiences and timing
Understand the role and governance of key channels
Agree on how you’ll work together moving forward
This not only improves your comms strategy but builds a solid, respectful relationship across teams.
2. Collab your planning
The truth? Comms can’t work without clarity. For example, if a project is vague or directionless, messaging will be too. And if project plans are missing or constantly shifting, your comms strategy will be built on sand.
A solution: co-create a leadership engagement workshop.
This forces workstream leads to get clear on their deliverables so they can explain them to leaders. As the comms person, you guide the messaging, support the presentation structure, and advise on delivery, positioning yourself as a trusted advisor in the process.
Bonus: the content from this workshop can be repurposed across channels, and it reinforces that change requires more than emails; it needs active leadership and stakeholder engagement.
3. Find your common ground
This technique is key when you're dealing with stakeholders—especially HR or leaders—who don't seem to value your expertise. Communication isn't about pushing out content, it’s about achieving business outcomes. The way to reframe the conversation is to keep everything anchored to strategic goals.
Try this approach:
In early conversations, visually map how your comms strategy supports business objectives.
When disagreements arise, bring the discussion back to shared goals:
“I think we both want to achieve [goal]. That’s why I’ve approached it this way, because it aligns with what the research and best practices show to be most effective.”Offer trials: “Let’s test this approach with a small audience segment and see how it lands.”
Use empathy: “Let’s put on our employee hat. Would you read a jargon-heavy email, or a clear, concise one?”
This positions you not as a copywriter or order-taker, but as a strategic partner.
4. Measure your value
This is the most important technique of all.
If you want people to listen to you and value your input, you need to build trust, and trust is earned. Not through your title, but through evidence and reliability.
Here’s how:
Measure impact, not output. It's not about how many emails you sent, it’s about what changed as a result. Did awareness go up? Did behaviours shift?
Use data to back your decisions. When you can point to past results or industry benchmarks, your advice carries more weight.
Be proactive. Don’t wait to be asked—share what’s working and what’s not. Provide insights, not just reports.
Be consistent and reliable. Trust grows when people know you’ll do what you say, and that your advice is grounded in evidence, not opinion.
At the end of the day, communication breakdowns are human issues. People get busy, stressed, protective, or simply unaware. As professional communicators, it’s our job not just to craft messages, but to create understanding, foster alignment, and build trust.
