How do you plan and monitor stakeholder interactions?

I agree. Often the most impactful stakeholder engagements are the corridor conversation or dropping by a key stakeholder’s office for a quick chat. I find that a lot of insight & perspective can be gained from these conversations had outside of the formal governance processes. It’s so much harder to have this type of interaction virtually (though not impossible) & is one of the key reasons that face-to-face interactions are so powerful.

From the smallest event to the biggest project it is imperative to know who all are the impacted and how. Understanding the level of involvement and interest is beneficial in expectation setting and goal achievement. Although tools and techniques play a big role, nothing can match the one on one interaction to understand perspectives. This might be time intensive initially, but helps in a smooth running and targeted completion of the project.

In my experience identifying right stakeholders is one of the key foundational activity of any business transformation initiative regardless of the scope and complexity. If not done right potentially various unknown risks manifest throughout the project execution impacting the project outcomes, timeline and budget. There may be multiple tools and techniques for identifying right stakeholders but having a cross functional business process leader or SME in the PMO during early states of the project help evaluate the project scope , what it entails from cross functional impact standpoint , identify internal and external touch points and the associated stakeholders.

Relationships with stakeholders is imperative to ensure everyone can effectively collaborate and get the work done. I love connecting with stakeholders and also make sure they have what they need to get the work completed on time.

In my experience, identifying the stakeholders, and maintaining the relationship with stakeholders is paramount to any project’s success. That is if it’s your customer, vendors or your own company’s internal leadership team, the key is to be transparent and to open to avoid any issues. The projects success is based on these key factors.

Whenever you are driving in a new city, the best way to arrive at your location or to guide yourself through that new environment is through a map and a compass, ok, a GPS maybe, but it is still a map and a compass with a microchip and voice. The same applies to politics/programs. If you have little or no understanding of the human system in your organization, the best way to navigate successfully through the political environment is through developing a map.

Mapping your stakeholders and understanding their interpersonal and power dynamics is essential for program success. For instance - some stakeholder may lack decision making authority but influence others through their experience or professional relationships. This is often missed during stakeholder analysis and mapping

Salience Model: The Salience Model considers stakeholders based on their power, legitimacy, and urgency. Stakeholders can be categorized into three primary groups: dormant, discretionary, and dominant. This framework aids in identifying stakeholders who have a significant impact on the project and deserve more attention due to their high salience.

To analyze and prioritize stakeholders, begin by creating stakeholder profiles that detail their roles, interests, and influence levels. Utilize a Power-Interest Grid to categorize them based on their power and interest in the program. Additionally, assess the potential impact each stakeholder could have on the program's success. This strategic approach allows for tailored engagement strategies, ensuring effective communication and alignment with stakeholders who wield significant influence and possess a high interest in the program's outcomes.

Project: Development of "FinTrack" personal finance app. Strategy: Objectives: Align app features with stakeholder needs. Scope: Engage from concept to post-launch. Methods: Surveys, focus groups, feedback loops. Roles: Users provide feedback; developers iterate features; marketers assess market fit; investors oversee ROI. Tools: Engagement Plan: Timeline for touchpoints. Communication Plan: Monthly updates, milestone reports. Influence Diagrams: Visualize key stakeholder impacts. Goal: Continuous alignment, ensuring "FinTrack" meets all stakeholder expectations.

Mapping the territory requires us to be aware of, and rate, five key aspects of the political environment. These aspects may not be completely objective, in fact, they are mostly subjective, when trying to answer these questions, you may not only want to consider your own perceptions but others’ as well: - Identify Key players. - Measure their power and influence - Determine their position (against or for) - Rate the possibility of changing position. - Identify the credibility (relationships among them).

Use Contextual Approach: The contextual approach involves analyzing the specific context of the project and its environment to identify stakeholders. It takes into account the unique circumstances and dynamics that may influence stakeholder engagement and management strategies.

When considering how to engage, and specifically what to communicate to stakeholders, I try to put myself in their shoes. I try to consider what interests they have what types of decisions they need to make, and what time constraints are they under? This gives me insight into what info I need to provide and the timing I need to provide it in. It takes time and effort to gain this understanding, but pays great dividends in the long run. You can plan your information gathering cycle (meetings, reports, etc.) in a way to meet the needs of your stakeholders. This takes not only helps those you report to, but takes strain off you and the team to support short-notice requests for information.

Establish a unified communication plan, leveraging technology tools and regular check-ins, to ensure transparent and consistent engagement with stakeholders, fostering collaboration and aligning efforts throughout the program.

One of the most critical steps here is to find a time that works for everyone. If only 40% of your stakeholders show up to the meeting, you won't progress the project quickly enough. Be aware of time zones and double-check with Executive Assistants if needed. The kickoff meeting is most critical so make sure 90% of participants attend.

Project: "CloudSecure" data protection software. Execution: Actions: Conduct bi-weekly webinars, user-testing workshops, online surveys, and monthly progress reports. Communication: Utilize Slack for daily updates, email for weekly summaries, and video conferencing for in-depth sessions. Techniques: Leverage active listening during feedback sessions and tailor communication for each stakeholder group. Feedback Mechanisms: Integrate an in-app feedback form and host quarterly review forums. Goal: Foster trust with stakeholders, ensuring "CloudSecure" evolves with consistent alignment to their needs.

Once you have obtained all the information, you will have to draw a scheme of it. This will be our map, and over this map we will be able to develop our strategy. The map shows: - The Key players (names), the organizational Influence (in the Y axis), the applied influence (in the X axis), the changeability of applied influence (with geometrical forms) and the credibility or trust paths (straight lines) or conflicts among them (dotted lines) The map shows you who is involved in the political landscape of your project.

In executing stakeholder engagement for complex projects, prioritize clear communication, tailored to each stakeholder's interest. Regularly update stakeholders on progress, addressing concerns promptly. Utilize advanced collaboration tools and establish feedback loops for agile adaptation. Personalize engagement strategies to resonate with high-tech stakeholders' expectations and goals.

Technology Tools for efficient manage engagement Collaboration platforms like Slack, Microsoft Teams, or project management software. Social media channels for sharing updates and engaging stakeholders.

Creating the right mix is everything. When you notice that key issues raised over IM and email aren't being openly addressed in All Hands Meetings, read the room carefully. Hesitancy and conflicts may be part of your Stakeholder community. Strive to navigate these wrinkles wisely. Use huddles and 1:1 discussions to check your understanding of the Body Politic. We can't deliver success with agility while getting mired in Stakeholder positions, but we can improve our insights and approach. Lean into moments of "storming" behavior in these exchanges. Never underestimate your ability to add value in the course of listening. Using quantifiable metrics and logging to track satisfaction is always worthwhile. Simple surveys are most successful.

list of various tools and techniques to execute stakeholder engagement effectively: Stakeholder Analysis: Power-Interest Grid Salience Model Influence-Impact Grid Communication Plans: Identify key messages and channels for each stakeholder group. Regular newsletters, email updates, and project websites. Stakeholder Mapping: Visual representations of stakeholders' relationships and interests. Mind maps, influence diagrams, or stakeholder matrices.

During my recent engagement as Global Program Manager our end-to-end Stakeholder map was complex and hybrid. The All Hands approach of blending all program issues provided insight for Stakeholders but also wasted their time. The solution was to realign B2B, Vendor and Internal engagements. By creating new Tech, Business and Lab centered cadences we moved faster with each Stakeholder group and produced more. There quickly emerged a freedom to reflect on other aspects of the program. People offered insights which they'd withheld in the All Hands setting. The truth of human tribes persists even in the Fortune 100 world. We developed trust, dismantled politics and promoted frank, direct communication between the Client organizations.

I add a fourth side to the iron triangle constraints of schedule, scope, and cost: stakeholder perception. I've seen projects that were technical successes yet viewed as failures by stakeholders (and vice versa). Projects involve people, and interpersonal relationships are a critical success factor.

Effective stakeholder management is crucial for project success, and using software tools can greatly enhance this process by streamlining communication, tracking engagement, and maintaining a clear overview of stakeholder interactions. Here are five software tools that can facilitate effective stakeholder management: 1. Microsoft Project 2. Trello 3. Stakeholder Circle 4. Asana 5. Monday.com

In my experience, templates are useful not to miss any stakeholder who has an interest or is impacted by the project. However, the key is to consider every one of them as a critical person for your success. This might go against the power matrix but this will help to avoid a lot of noise down the line. Also, with any impediment coming into play, there is a possibility of RACI getting changed. How soon you get the expectation aligned can make or break the project.