stakeholder-management

name	Stakeholder Management
description	Map stakeholder influence, plan communication strategies, manage expectations, and handle resistance across complex organizations.

Purpose

Navigate the human side of projects. Identify who has power, who has interest, what they care about, and how to move them toward support. This skill is about influence without authority.

Steps

1. List all stakeholders affected by or able to influence the project
2. Map each stakeholder on the Power-Interest Grid:
   • High Power + High Interest: Manage Closely (frequent, detailed engagement)
   • High Power + Low Interest: Keep Satisfied (periodic updates, escalate issues)
   • Low Power + High Interest: Keep Informed (regular newsletters, dashboards)
   • Low Power + Low Interest: Monitor (minimal effort)
3. For each "Manage Closely" stakeholder, build a profile:
   • Name, role, decision authority
   • Current position: supporter, neutral, or opponent
   • Key concerns and motivators
   • Communication preference (email, 1:1 meeting, Teams message)
   • Strategy to move them toward the desired position
4. Create a RACI matrix for key decisions (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed)
5. Draft a stakeholder communication plan:
   • Who gets what information, how often, via what channel
6. Create a Word document with the stakeholder map, profiles, RACI, and communication plan
7. Send targeted communications to each stakeholder group via Outlook

Stakeholder Communication Cadence

Stakeholder Type	Frequency	Medium
Executive sponsor	Weekly	1:1 email or brief meeting
Manage closely	2x/week