What's the most important thing when communicating with stakeholders?

Active listening, let them finish, and even when they finished, wait like 4-5 seconds so you make sure they are finished with what they had to say.

Hey Mark! Here's what helps me out in my role: - Clarity of thought and having written material to share with them to help them navigate the discussion after the meeting ends. - Give them the space needed to voice their objections or concerns. - Make sure you're taking feedback and implementing relevant concerns, reiterate on the feedback in follow up meetings so there's a chance for further discussions and resolutions.

I think this is a banal benefit and respect for each other.

Confidence, as stakeholders they look to you to solve the problems the business is facing. Addressing their concerns and making sure their viewpoints are validated is essential but secondary to showing that any obstacle can be addressed and overcome. This may be a somewhat undervalued behavior in the recent startup climate, and very few problems age well. So it is essential to be transparent while doing your homework and always having a plan.