Stakeholder Engagement and Empowerment Options

 

Policy advocacy

In helping my clients to develop advocacy campaign plans and stakeholder engagement strategies, I often find the assumption we start with is that the client has ‘the message’ and everyone else with an interest is seen as ‘the audience’.

Discussion inevitably ensues about the focus on ‘public interest’ versus a possible perception of ‘vested interest’. The framing of the message is one issue, but the medium is also the message, so the selection of the communication vehicle, who the organisation chooses to partner with, who acts as spokesperson, and what mechanisms will work best to achieve the desired policy outcome, all require careful consideration as well.

The header chart above draws attention to four models of participation in policy and service design:

• Arnstein’s Ladder of Citizen Participation identifies the options available to governments seeking to engage with citizens on public policy issues;
• The Stakeholder Matrix approach suggests options available when campaign coordination committees are planning engagement with parties known to have an interest in an issue;
• The RASCI project management approach offers a mechanism for project managers to assign one or more roles to project team members and stakeholders; and
• The Co-Design Process model describes major steps or stages in the process of solving a problem or developing a product or service with a focus on user experience and requirements

These four models are generally used for different purposes at different times. Consequently, their common elements are not necessarily drawn to attention. The light blue horizontal bars in this chart highlight elements which could be considered similar, or comparable, across all models. They speak to the degree of empowerment available to those ultimately affected by decision-making processes, ranging from passive audience to empowered co-design partners. Of course, with greater involvement comes greater responsibility and accountability, and that too needs to be recognised by all participants.

Polarity or Partnership

The choices available when considering other stakeholders (who may have an interest in your advocacy issue) are broadly outlined in the schematic below. You can see the other parties as having no overlapping interest, having a broadly aligned interest, being allies with some shared interests, or as partners with mostly a common interest. In my experience, the closer you can come to an alliance or partnership, the more you will be recognised as acting in the ‘public interest’.

Stakeholder Analysis

The well-known stakeholder matrix divides interested parties into four groups according to the extent of their interest and influence in the matter. The chart below re-orients the usual quadrant chart to emphasise the vertical axis, and the hierarchy of choices in the level and types of stakeholder engagement available to you.

Stakeholder Proximity and Engagement

The chart below overlays the traditional onion diagram, showing internal, external, and public interest rings, with characterisations of stakeholder dispositions, whether they be supporters, opponents, bystanders, or undecided on the issue. For each of these groups, different types and frequency of engagement are suggested. This chart draws heavily on excellent material developed by Dr Mike Clayton, author of The Influence Agenda.

Effective advocacy

Advocacy campaigns which seek public benefit will usually be more effective if they engage and involve the group for whom improved outcomes are sought. Advocates who provide services for needy client groups may only be seen to be promoting their own business interests if their bids for additional resources (to meet special needs in the community) do not involve the ultimate stakeholders.

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Communication strategy for stakeholder engagement

 

Stakeholder consultation and engagement typically follows a recognized three-step process: notification, consultation, and participation.

The public has the right to be concerned about your project, to ask questions about it, and even to oppose it. But every person should have the correct information to form her or his opinion.

Meaningful consultation that involves ongoing two-way communication with a project representative increases understanding, clarifies the community’s preferences and values, and allows the proponent to understand how the public’s views can and should lead policy decisions. However, organizations often struggle with communication with their stakeholder groups.

Factors that negatively influence communication include:

• Not understanding how to set up a stakeholder engagement project so it effectively communicates the organization’s intentions
• Suffering from a lack of focus when engaging stakeholders – and failing to define the 5 W’s (who, what, when, where, and why)
• Having the wrong person representing the organization. This can be someone who is inexperienced or whose strengths lay outside the field of communication
• Company and stakeholder groups involving multiple representatives that change over time. Relationships get lost and communication history, or commitments that were made can be forgotten.

5 tips for an effective communication strategy for stakeholder engagement

1. Make sure all information regarding your project is presented in a transparent way. The more you share in an honest, factual and easy to comprehend format, the more likely it is that stakeholders will take the time to comprehend your intentions, what their role is, and how it may affect them.

2. Communicate with stakeholders in the manner that works best for them. Recognize that each person or community is different and select the most suitable communication channel – email, online platforms, social media, phone, or in-person group meetings . People should be offered a variety of options to communicate with you and provide their input.

3. Do not judge what your stakeholders value, instead seek to understand why. Keeping an open and curious attitude will help your team understand the history and concerns of your stakeholders. This open, curious attitude will help both sides reach creative solutions to overcome roadblocks, aligning values and interests in the process.

4. Provide feedback to stakeholders on how their interests and issues are addressed and resolved. Track commitments made to them and ensure project team members coordinate consultation events, share information, and assign tasks and follow-up actions.

5. Keep a careful record of all aspects of stakeholder communications that occur over time. This includes meetings, phone calls, emails, and commitments made. Misunderstandings and delays can be prevented if you can easily demonstrate the history of all aspects of communication with your stakeholders – which is especially challenging with multi-year projects that where representatives change over time. A tool like StakeTracker helps organizations stay on top of their projects by centrally managing all communications regarding the potential impacts of initiatives on the communities in which they operate.

The value of information, and how it’s tracked and reported, is of paramount importance during the consultation process. Missteps with respect to stakeholder information management can put the success of your project in jeopardy.

Detailed consultation will identify a community’s views on your project and how this perception changes over time. It will allow you to anticipate issues and develop ways of addressing them. Ultimately, it will help develop trust and generate solutions with your stakeholders and rights-holders.

Image: Pranav under Creative Commons 2.0

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How To Communicate Effectively With Your Stakeholders

BY HANNAH STACEY

Learn how to properly communicate with all of your stakeholders enmasse and individually

Let’s face it – marketing can seem like a bit of a minefield when you’re a busy entrepreneur. When you’re occupied with new business meetings, dealing with suppliers and the other hundred and one things on your to-do list, embarking on a marketing campaign can seem like opening Pandora’s Box.

But getting your offering in front of the right people is integral to its success, and a cleverly-crafted marketing campaign can help you achieve just that. Strapped for time? Here’s a cheat sheet to creating a good marketing strategy.

What Are Your Marketing Aims?

Before you start thinking about who you want to get in front of, you must seriously consider what you want to achieve with your marketing efforts. This can be more than one thing, but remember to be reasonable with your expectations. For example, you might be:

Trying to get your product or service in front of potential customers

• Trying to get your product or service in front of potential customers

• Wanting to generate interest in your business amongst potential investors

• Get potential business partners involved

Figure Out Who You Need To Get In Front Of To Fulfil Your Aims

The scattergun approach to writing a press release, paying a questionable newswire service to post it on a few websites that nobody reads, and then sitting back and hoping for the best will not cut the mustard if you’re serious about getting in front of the right people.

If you’ve created a sound business plan, you’ll know who your various stakeholders are. Let’s use an example. I’ve just set up a great new education tech company that teaches Swedish to secondary school children using a revolutionary method (over-dubbed One Direction songs) outside of class. I’m also looking for more investment. I’ve got loads of different stakeholders, and the message that I want to relay to each of them is slightly different. These stakeholders could be:

• Secondary school pupils themselves
• The parents of secondary school pupils
• Decision-makers in schools
• Potential investors

Once you’ve come up with an exhaustive list of stakeholders, make sure you’ve recorded them in a spreadsheet to keep track of your activity.

Think About What You Want To Say And What They Want To Hear

If you get into the mindset of your potential stakeholders and what drives them, you’ll be able to craft messages that appeal to them more. Create personas by asking yourself the following questions:

• What demographics do they fall into? How old are they? Where do they live? What is their income?
• What is their part in the buying process?
• What does a day in their life look like?
• What are their pain points? What issues in their job or day-to-day life bother them?
• How can your product/service help them address these problems?

Let’s take the parents of our secondary school pupils in my example. They’re likely to be between the ages of 35 and 50 and will be the ones buying the product for their beloved children. They probably don’t speak Swedish personally but are keen to see their child progress in their Swedish lessons at school, however, they are having problems convincing their troublesome teenager to do their homework (because they would rather swoon over Harry Styles on Twitter).

How does my product help address their pain points? It makes their life easier and helps them feel like good parents when their kids ace all of their Swedish exams at school. In this case, my marketing message might be: “My product makes learning fun, so your kids succeed without you having to moan at them.”

Track Down Where They Hang Out

You may have your marketing messages sorted, but if they’re not reaching the ears of your target audience, you’ve wasted your time. It’s important to think carefully about the types of places that each of your stakeholder groups goes to for information. Here are some of the biggies and how you might use them in your marketing efforts:

• National newspapers and their websites – creating newsworthy PR stories and targeting them at relevant journalists in the national press.
• Trade press – tracking down any trade press and placing articles (interviews or opinion pieces, for example) in them.
• TV and Radio – again, using PR to generate newsworthy angles that get covered in the broadcast press (easier said than done, though!)
• Social media – using marketing techniques like social media advertising (on Facebook or LinkedIn, for example) to target your chosen demographic. Many social networks have advanced targeting options for advertisers so you can get the message across.
• Google – optimising your website for certain search terms to rank higher.
• Blogs – contacting bloggers and trying to persuade them to write about your product or service.
• Outdoor advertising

So if I’m trying to get in front of parents, the best course of actions is probably a PR campaign that gets attention from the national and broadcast press (unless they’re incredibly keen, parents are unlikely to reach any education trade press.) I would also make sure that I had ads on social networks targeting my chosen demographic with my key messages, and also make sure that my website was keyword optimised so that for any parent searching ‘how to get my child to do their Swedish homework’, my product would be the first thing that pops up in Google.

This process should be repeated for each of my target stakeholders. It may seem like a complex process, but refining your messaging to the key needs of stakeholders means that your precious time is not wasted in the long run.

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The Importance of Communicating With Your Stakeholders

Introduction

Understanding your stakeholders is vital in modern-day business. This includes listening to the views and beliefs of stakeholders as well as seeking their feedback. After all, these are the people who will shape and influence future successes (or failures).

A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in the business, either having an effect on the business or being affected by it. Typically, stakeholders can be categorized into two groups; internal and external stakeholders. Examples of internal stakeholders are employees, managers and directors. External stakeholders include customers, suppliers, shareholders and funders. Keeping every stakeholder on-side can be difficult, but can be hugely beneficial.

What is it?

The key to keeping stakeholders on-side is consultation. This involves the development of constructive and productive long-term relationships. Stakeholder consultation aims to build relationships based on mutual trust and benefits. Listening to and understanding the views and feedback from stakeholders can help shape and improve the overall operations of a business.

Stakeholder consultation can be project-based or on-going. Specific project-based consultation is generally used for the development of new products and services. For example, a company may consult with customers to establish specific needs of the target market. On-going consultation, however, is generally used to track the progress of a company in regards to stakeholder expectations and to maximize buy-in. For example, a company may consult with stakeholders regarding changes to the company’s direction or its branding.

What are the benefits?

The benefits of stakeholder consultation are clear, with some of the most significant reasons listed below:

• Enable more informed decision making
• Lead to greater stakeholder satisfaction
• Improves chances of project/initiative success
• Promote open, two-way communication

The 4-step process

The stakeholder consultation process is an opportunity for key groups to be kept informed, and for their views and feedback to be heard. It is important that any consultation is thoroughly planned with clear objectives set at the beginning.

Regardless of the aims and objectives of the stakeholder consultation, the process typically consists of four steps: Planning, Process, Presentation and Promise (the 4Ps).

Planning

The “planning” stage is where the aims and objectives of the stakeholder consultation are discussed and agreed upon. After the aims and objectives have been determined, the “planning” stage is used to discuss how the process will be carried out. Process owners allocate resources and select an appropriate consultation method. Several questions need to be asked at this stage to ensure every facet of the process is considered.

• Why do we need to consult?
• Who are we consulting?
• What resources do we have?
• How are we going to do it?
• What materials will be needed?

Process

The “process” stage is where the stakeholder consultation is actually carried out. It is important at this stage to develop effective two-way communication with the stakeholders in order to promote open and honest sharing of views and beliefs. The process and data will then need to be accurately recorded for the final stages.

Presentation

The “presentation” stage is where the data gathered is analyzed and reported on. The aims of this stage are to ensure the data is an accurate representation of the stakeholder views, and to prepare the report ready for presentation. The report is typically presented to the process owners, such as the company itself or policy makers. However, feedback will also be provided to those who took part in the process.

Promise

Lastly, the “promise” stage is where actions are put in place in response to the information gathered. The ‘promise’ of action on the back of the stakeholder consultation process helps drive the development of a long-term relationship based on transparency and collaboration.

How is it done?

Methods of stakeholder consultation are largely the same as those used for market research. The key question is whether the consultation requires depth of knowledge or breadth of knowledge. The answer generally determines which method will be chosen.

If depth of knowledge is required, a qualitative study is usually appropriate. These are studies which encourage open styles of discussion and debate. The most common methods used to gather depth of information are focus groups, individual depth interviews and observation (or ethnography). If breadth of knowledge is required, a more quantitative study is usually appropriate. These are studies which encompass large number of respondents but are restricted to closed style questions, aimed at providing generalist viewpoints. The most common methods used to gather breadth of information are online surveys, telephone surveys, and short street interviews.

Concluding thoughts

As understanding stakeholders becomes more and more important for businesses, stakeholder consultation will become a vital process to maximize success. Stakeholder consultation can be used to evaluate reactions and to track the perceptions of a company’s activities, and ensure collaboration and partnership with all stakeholders. The long-term effectiveness of an organization can depend on its relationships with stakeholders, ensuring commitment and buy-in to any future strategies and challenges. This makes for a more informed organization that is responsive to the needs of all its users and stakeholders.

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The Complete Guide to Stakeholder Management

 "Successful projects have support from stakeholders across the organization. That’s why stakeholder management is essential for any initiative." 

Stakeholder management allows you to identify and meet leaders’ needs while keeping communication open.

In this article, you’ll learn what stakeholder management is, why it's important, and how to create a stakeholder management plan.

Table of Contents

• What is stakeholder management?
• Why is stakeholder management important?
• Benefits of Stakeholder Management
• Inside the Stakeholder Management Process
• Tips for Stakeholder Management

What is stakeholder management?

Stakeholder management is the process of identifying, assessing, and managing the interests and needs of stakeholders. An effective stakeholder management strategy should be backed by data and paint a clear picture of everyone involved.

Why is stakeholder management important?

Projects fail when the interests and needs of stakeholders are ignored. This leads to a lack of buy-in from key stakeholders, which can jeopardize the success of the project.

When stakeholders feel their needs are being met, they're more likely to support the project. On the other hand, if their needs are not met, they may try to block your initiative. Stakeholder management helps build positive relationships that keep your project running smoothly.

An effective stakeholder management strategy can help you:

• Avoid or resolve conflicts between stakeholders.
• Secure buy-in and support from key stakeholders.
• Communicate effectively with stakeholders.
• Manage expectations of stakeholders.
• Monitor stakeholder engagement throughout the project.

Benefits of Stakeholder Management

There are many benefits of an effective stakeholder management strategy, including:

• Improved communication. By identifying the interests and needs of stakeholders, you can tailor your communications to their specific needs. This ensures that your messages are received and understood.
• Increased buy-in. According to KPMG, 61% of projects have highly involved sponsors. When stakeholders feel their interests and needs are being considered, they're more likely to support the project.
• Reduced risks. By engaging with stakeholders, you can identify potential risks early and take steps to avoid or mitigate them. This can help reduce the overall risk of the project.
• Improved performance. An effective stakeholder management strategy can help you optimize resources and align project activities with stakeholder interests. This can lead to improved project performance.

Inside the Stakeholder Management Process

While stakeholder management may seem intuitive for some, you can start building trust systematically with a more formal roadmap.

The following six steps can help you understand stakeholder priorities and how you can address these needs.

1. Identify stakeholders.

Stary by identifying all the individuals and groups who can impact your project, both positively and negatively. This includes internal stakeholders (such as team members) and external stakeholders (such as customers or suppliers).

To identify your stakeholders, ask yourself the following questions.

• Who will be impacted by your project?
• Who has an interest in your project?
• Who has the power to influence your project?
• Who wants your project to fail?
• Who wants your project to be successful?

2. Prioritize stakeholders.

After you've identified all your stakeholders, the next step is prioritization. This will help you focus your attention on the stakeholders most important to your project's success.

You should identify where their expectations lie, their level of influence, what information they will want from you, and how often they want reporting from your team. You can use stakeholder mapping to help you prioritize key leaders.

Run a Stakeholder Mapping Exercise

The above stakeholder mapping exercise asks you to plot leaders on a two-by-two grid. One axis is labeled power and the other interest.

On the power axis, you rate each stakeholder on their ability to influence the project. On the interest axis, you rate each stakeholder on their level of interest in the project. This will give you a clear picture of which stakeholders are the most important to engage with and how best to do so.

There are several different ways to map stakeholders, including:

• RACI matrix. This is a popular stakeholder mapping method that uses the letters R (responsible), A (accountable), C (consulted), and I (informed) to rate stakeholders on their level of involvement in the project.
• Power/interest grid. This is a simple way to map stakeholders that can be used to prioritize engagement. It is also known as the Salience model.
• Influence/impact matrix. This is a more detailed stakeholder mapping method that can be used to assess the potential impact of each stakeholder on the project.

3. Assess stakeholder needs and interests.

The key to a successful stakeholder management plan is understanding your stakeholders. This will help you assess what they want from the project and how best to engage with them.

At this stage, ask yourself the following questions.

• Do you understand their needs, priorities, and issues?
• Do they have the power to influence the project?
• What financial or emotional interest do they have in the outcome of the project?
• What motivates them?

By understanding the answers to these questions, you can better develop a stakeholder management plan that fits each leader.

4. Define stakeholder motives.

Once you've identified and assessed your stakeholders, you can begin to define their motives. This will help you understand what they want from the project and how best to engage with them.

There are several ways you can define stakeholder motives, including:

• Interviews. You can interview stakeholders to get their views on the project. This can be done in person, over the phone, or via email.
• Surveys. You can send out surveys to stakeholders to get their feedback on the project. This is a quick way to gather data from a large number of stakeholders.
• Focus groups. You can hold focus groups with stakeholders to get their input on the project. This can be used to generate ideas and identify issues.

By understanding stakeholder motives, you can develop an effective stakeholder management plan that meets their needs and interests.

5. Develop a plan for engagement.

The goal of stakeholder engagement is to manage expectations and build relationships. This can be done through several different methods, including:

• Frequent communication. This is the most important aspect of stakeholder engagement. You must regularly communicate with stakeholders to update them on the project and get feedback. This can be done through face-to-face meetings, phone calls, emails, or online tools like a project management software. Each stakeholder may need their own communication strategy.
• Consultation. This involves consulting stakeholders in decision-making. This can be done through meetings, surveys, or focus groups.
• Collaboration. This involves working with stakeholders to complete tasks or achieve objectives. This can be done through co-creation, joint planning, or shared decision-making.

The best way to engage with various leaders will depend on the stakeholder and the project. You should tailor your engagement plan to each individual.

Stakeholder Management Plan Templates

After you’ve identified stakeholders, it’s time to develop management plans for each group.

The below templates can help you create engagement plans and organize your stakeholder communication.

Asana

If you’re new to stakeholder management, this template from Asana offers a simple way to stay organized. In this plan, you write down each stakeholder, their level of interest in your project, and how influential they are to your work.

Then, you can check a box to identify their communication preferences. That includes how often they want to hear from your team and how they want you to get in touch.

What we love: With this template, you know which of your leaders prefer a quick Slack versus a formal email at a glance.

Project Management Docs

If you’re looking for a more detailed engagement plan, consider this option from Project Management Docs. With this document, you can fully lay out the vision of your project and which departments your initiative will affect.

What we love: This template includes charts and tables that you can use to determine each stakeholder's level of importance to your project. You can use this document to brainstorm and outline your final draft.

KnowledgeHut

If you’re looking for a complete guide to writing an engagement plan, KnowledgeHut is here to help. This template includes sections that help you identify stakeholders and create a timeline for each person’s involvement. You can also keep track of costs and human resources involvement.

What we love: This template features charts that you can fill out with stakeholder data. If you get stuck, each section comes with helpful questions for self-reflection to guide you along the way.

PM-Training

If you’ve been searching for a simple spreadsheet to manage your stakeholders, look no further. This template from PMTraining offers a straightforward approach to managing stakeholders.

What we love: This template lays out who is involved, what they need to do for your project, and how you plan to keep them engaged. If you’re looking for a quick way to develop a one-page stakeholder management guide, this is it. Plus, everything can be edited in Google Docs.

Tips for Stakeholder Management

Formalizing stakeholder management can feel like an overwhelming process. Whether you’re just getting started or have years of experience, the following tips can help you ensure successful stakeholder management.

1. Define the purpose of the project.

According to PMI, 44% of projects fail because of a lack of alignment between business and project objectives.

Before you begin engaging with stakeholders, it is crucial to define the purpose of the project. This will help you identify who you need to engage with and their objectives.

2. Define roles and responsibilities.

At the start of a project, clearly define each stakeholder's roles and responsibilities. This will help ensure that everyone is clear on their involvement in the project.

3. Communicate regularly.

Regular communication is essential for successful stakeholder management. You should update stakeholders on the project regularly and solicit their feedback.

Your strategic objectives should always be clear in stakeholder communication. This allows your team to manage stakeholder expectations and create positive relationships.

4. Be transparent.

It is important to be transparent with stakeholders about the project. This will help build trust and ensure everyone is on the same page.

5. Seek feedback.

Feedback is essential for successful stakeholder management. You should seek feedback from stakeholders at every stage of the project.

Keep track of their suggestions and implement their insights. You can then report back on how you implemented their solutions to further gain their support.

6. Choose the right software.

Today, only one in four teams uses a project management software. Implementing one of these tools can help you keep organized.

That ranges from project management software, like Basecamp or Asana, to collaboration software, like Google Drive or Trello. Choose a tech stack that best fits the needs of your project.

7. Be flexible.

Stakeholder management is not a one-size-fits-all process. You should be flexible and tailor your approach to each individual you work with.

Create an Effective Stakeholder Management Plan

Stakeholders hold the power to influence your project, so engaging leaders while keeping their needs at the forefront will help keep things running smoothly.

Keep these tips in mind as you develop your stakeholder management strategy to stay on track.

Stephanie Trovatohttps://cutt.ly/R2pQUV