Stakeholder management for successful projects

Stakeholder management is one of the most critical processes for any successful project in any organisation. The stakeholder analysis activity is the first step in this important process. Failing to define and interact with the key people, your project will probably fail. By defining the key people and how to interact with them you can make a big difference in your chase for excellence.

The stakeholder analysis in seven steps

1. Identify your stakeholders
2. Define how they are impacted of the change
3. Define the gap in support
4. Identify any concerns
5. Identify any wins
6. Define who can influence the stakeholder
7. Define influence strategy

1. Identify your stakeholders

The first step is to identify who the stakeholders are for the project or change that is going to happen:

- Who are affected by the change?

- Should we add any new stakeholders or remove existing ones?

- Create a list of possible stakeholders

2. Define how they are impacted of the change

Analyse and discuss how the stakeholders are impacted of the change: Low, Medium or High.

- How big impact will the change have on each stakeholder?

3. Define any potential gap in support

What gaps are there for each stakeholder in terms of support:

- How supportive are they to the change?

- How supportive do we need each stakeholder to be for the change to become successful?

The level of support can be classified into: Resistant, Neutral, Accept, Supportive or Committed

4. Identify any concerns

By talking to your stakeholders and other people you need to understand:

- What concerns does each stakeholder have to the change?

- What issues do they see?

- Why could the act resistant to the change?

5. Identify interests and wins

- What interests could each stakeholder have to the change?

- What wins and benefits could the stakeholder have – “what’s in it for me”?

6. Define who can influence each stakeholder

- Who would the stakeholder listen to?

- Persons you listen to are not only your boss, it can also be peers and other colleagues that could have big impact on a stakeholders mind-set

- Who has good relationship with the stakeholder?

7. Define influence strategy

- How can we influence the stakeholder

- In what way do we need to communicate with the stakeholder?

- Who will do it and who is responsible?

- When will the communication be done?

Here is a template that you can use when performing your stakeholder analysis: