Remember to go beyond the basic activities of regular check-ins, or friendly outreach emails. Program managers are expected to have advanced stakeholder and customer satisfaction skills. They are expected to lead by example in this space and give their customers and stakeholders a reason to come back as new opportunities arise.

"I use the typical outreach methods that are standard relationship development tools. However, I use intuition and empathy to go beyond what is customary. I like to work with each stakeholder as an individual. I get to know them, their working style, and a bit about them personally. I cater my approach to their personality and their needs. When they need more attention because we are in a critical phase, I reach out more. When they indicate they need to vent, I listen. When they are busy with other things, I give them space. Essentially, I follow the platinum rule which states that you treat others the way they would like to be treated.

The other thing I do regularly is work incredibly hard to meet the commitments my teams make, be as transparent as possible, and demonstrate integrity at all times. These behaviors are critical in establishing the trust with stakeholders and clients that I am known for in my current role."