What are the best ways to use your network and stakeholders to achieve your leadership and change goals?

Recognizing where the leverage is among your stakeholders is a key to successful change. As I learned from Fred Smith at FedEx, it is often among the informal frontline leaders and employees, as they can create the critical mass required for change to gain credibility and momentum through small wins. John Rowe also demonstrated the power of an informal frontline network in one of the most successful change efforts in U.S. business history (Aetna, early 2000's). He avoided the egregious mistake of trying to change the entire culture in one major initiative, and never even announced a "change effort," knowing employees typically interpret this message as "we need to change" and of course resist that effort.

It is crucial to have a strategic approach. Start by identifying the key stakeholders who can positively influence the desired change. Engage with them individually to build relationships, understand their perspectives, and gain their support. Foster open and transparent communication, ensuring that everyone feels heard and valued. Collaborate on setting clear goals/objectives, ensuring they align with the overarching vision. Regularly involve stakeholders in decision-making processes, seeking their input/feedback. Empower and motivate them to take ownership of the change, promoting a sense of collective responsibility.

Last week, I wrote about how important it is to recognize the needs, wants, and interests of your supporters. These are the people who care about what you do and who want to see you succeed. They are your stakeholders. One way to identify them is to host engagement events. They are a great opportunity to meet your supporters in person, get to know them better, and hear their thoughts and ideas. Ask questions and really listen to their answers. Make time to speak with each of them 1-on-1 but spend more time listening than talking. This is the best way to build relationships and get to know them on a personal level. Showing them that you care about what they have to say will make them more likely to support you and your work in the future.

When it comes to change management, Aristotle hit the nail on the head when he said, "The whole is greater than the sum of its parts." This is gold for anyone leading a change initiative. Here’s my go-to, simple but powerful tactic I’ve learned from my years in leadership: Pose the same question you are trying answer to a variety of stakeholders. You'd be surprised at the breadth of insights you'll get. Sometimes simple is smooth, and I think that’s true for seeking change, especially as an initial step. The power of a direct question asked multiple ways to multiple experts can't be overlooked. It really helps distill collective wisdom into actionable strategy. Happy changing y’all!

With a background in marketing and now supporting leaders to achieve performance breakthrough, there's a profound realisation: People buy into change just like they buy into brands. Your network and stakeholders: They're your 'audience'. Awareness: Just like in marketing, first make your goals visible. Use your network to amplify your message. Connection: Relationships matter. Understand the needs and desires of each stakeholder. Tailor your approach, just like targeted marketing. Engagement: Foster two-way conversations. As in social media marketing, let them feel heard. Feedback Loop: Analyse responses and tweak your strategies. Harness the power of stakeholder 'brand loyalty'. Turn stakeholders into your champions!

I think before you can engage them in a meaningful way you need to engage them casually. No one wants to be blindsided with some wonderful vision and strategy. Start with a cup of coffee and learn what they are up to. Be genuinely interested in their work before talking about your own.

The key to engaging your network & stakeholders to achieve leadership & change goals is authenticity. When you've cultivated organic relationships with others - sharing information, showing up, and leading with empathy, getting behind causes that you care about goes without saying. In many cases, they may reach out first & ask how can they help you - which is an opportunity to "pitch" what you need & how they can support. If that doesn't happen, don't hesitate to shoot your shot and initiate the conversation - forget being that person who doesn't like to ask for help. Having that foundation of trust not only forges stronger connections but also transforms your network into allies who will gladly cheer on your leadership and change efforts.

The fastest and easiest way to engage, from my perspective, is to be the first to offer help or "give" to your network. I find people are attacked to people who offer their services and support first. It can be simple and easy to give. It does not need to be, though can be, offering a meal or a ride; but it can also simply be referring a friend or sharing an article. One could argue that those sharing their thoughts here we are giving to the community. It is amazing how often doing so the community gives back to me. Of course, the simple act of asking your network, by tagging the individuals in a post like this, is a way of engaging as well. The goal of engaging is to keep you on top of mind with the people in your network.

You need to be completely transparent about your goals, objectives and vision. This drives collaboration, mutual respect and trust. Once you establish these as the cornerstones of your relationships then it becomes much easier to garner commitment to your cause or business case. This will require confidence and excellent interpersonal skills on your part. It is a beautiful thing to experience when people freely want to engage with, and build, what is now, a mutually beneficial project. Don't be afraid to talk about your values and use that as both a strategy and opportunity to learn more about others in your network. Mutually shared values only strengthen relationships and facilitate project buy-in.

Don't be afraid to ask for feedback! It can be positive but also negative. Both can help you improve the way you work and the way you interact with others. One of the easiest ways to do this is to connect with others on platforms like LinkedIn and solicit their feedback both publically through posts and privately in messaging systems.

People like to be sought out for the skills they have invested in developing. It affirms their value to the project, innovation, and change, and to the organization. Letting someone know that they have what is needed goes a long way to foster collaboration and strengthens the potential for change sustainability.

People want to feel like they belong and be valued so don't hesitate to look at moving them from being just a network to more of a "community". This will require creative thinking and innovative ways of engagement. For those who lag behind your expectations, have a development and encouragement plan in place so they don't become derailers of your objectives. Just because you are excited about the change process don't assume everyone else will be as well. People are often threatened by change and they may also lack confidence in your leadership skills so be mindful of that. Don't just focus on the technical side of change such as a clear strategy but invest time in better understanding how humans are motivated and engage as a community.

Building off what Nicole shared, I think that nurturing professional relationships might seem “forced” or “less authentic” is dependent on your personality/your values. Personally, I genuinely look for ways to celebrate and congratulate others, and aim to stay away from envy because I know that we all bring something unique to the table; keeping that perspective helps keep my authenticity grounded. I also value encouragement, giving and receiving but more on the giving.

Many people say this part of networking feels "forced" but it doesn't have to be. Aside from asking for help, the nurturing piece of networking can be tricky because this seems harder than it really is. It can be as simple as congratulating someone on a new role or promotion, sending a message to check in and see how they're doing, or sharing an article or resource that might be helpful for them. Little acts go a long way and set the stage for deeper conversations and connections.

Whenever you read an article, watch a video or read some news story that you think might be interesting to someone in your network, take the extra 1 minute to send it to them and add a little 'this made me think of you because...' comment to it and simple acts like that will keep your relationship warm and keep your network thinking of you too.

Cultivating your network is vital; it's about more than one-time requests. I've developed a personal CRM tool using Trello, where I leave comments on cards and set reminders with the calendar power-up to consistently engage with people. It's user-friendly, streamlines the process, and can also be managed using a calendar alone. Every morning, I look at the people I have to engage that day and simply contact them

Your change plan should accompany a development plan for your community (network) so both you and they are clear and open about expectations now, in the mid-term and the long-term. People want a sense of predictability of the future so they can stay in control and you as the change leader should provide such a pathway with milestones not just for the change project itself, but also for individuals and or cohorts. Grow your network not just quantitatively but also qualitatively.

Asking individuals in your network for advice is a powerful way to engage them and learn from them. Reaching out to individuals and letting them know the path you're considering and your admiration for their success with a request to set up a brief meeting to ask for guidance on how to make a change or advance is one of the best ways to learn. Informational interviews are also excellent ways to learn from others and make decisions for your own career.

You need to be curious and ask questions, put yourself out there to seek perspective, know that you don’t know everything. Additionally, share your experiences and perspectives, LinkedIn is a great place to learn from each other. Many times people may not ask you for perspective or insight, so you may need to carefully knit it into the conversation as encouragement vs. ‘dos and donts.’

To continually and fruitfully learn from your stakeholders (internal), establish a feedback process for your key initiatives, such as strategic/annual planning, policy development, and employee benefits. Ensure that everyone knows how and when to engage. Consult your network (external) on a routine cadence based on your own ideas and the ideas from your stakeholders. Share the feedback you receive and what you plan to do with it at least annually so your network and stakeholders can see the value they are contributing. Your transparency and respect for their ideas will benefit your continuing relationships.

Lifelong learning is not just a catchphrase. It happens whether you like it or not. For years, I have followed different people across an array of careers. Many without their direct knowledge of my observations (ie: highly famous professionals). Just because you don't have a personal relationship with someone in your industry doesn't mean you cannot include them in your network or learn from them. Take every opportunity to learn, no matter the source of inspiration and education.

Really feeling this one! ?? “They deserve your appreciation and gratitude for their support, involvement, and contribution to your change initiative. “ I’ve seen so many leaders forget this.

Having spent years as a consultant for small businesses and a recruiter, I've come to appreciate the impact of stakeholder networks. Your network is not just a list of contacts—it's a dynamic ecosystem, and tapping into it effectively can yield surprising benefits. Start by really listening. Whether it's an informal coffee chat or a formal meeting, take the time to understand your stakeholders' needs and challenges. It's not just about who they are but what they bring to the table and what they seek. As a recruiter, I've often found that the key to the perfect match isn't always in the Resume or CV but in the story behind it. The same goes for stakeholders. Look for patterns, overlaps, and opportunities that take time to be apparent.

In our post-COVID, hybrid/remote business work, my husband devised an important technique to keep in touch with his network. I love it so much that I share it frequently with my clients or during speaking engagements. Simply - Create a list of the 50 people you most want to keep in touch with. Then every Mon reach out to 5 of them via email, text, or IM inviting them to a virtual or in-person cup of coffee. The message: "Hi, thinking of you. Let's chat." By the end of the week, at least 2 or 3 will have reached back to have the chat. Next week take the next 5 names on the list. Rinse. Repeat. Watch how your network grows and becomes more valuable to you and you to them!

Don't start a change project unless you are prepared to finish it to it's planned end. False starts, delays, scope creep and such only disenfranchise people including your core stakeholders. Better not to start then to abandon a project when you have raised expectations.