The Gold Sheet Series: Maximising Internal Stakeholder Engagement - Part 1

Intro

In my role as a national account manager for Programmed, I am constantly challenged to secure buy-in from within our organisations. Managing key accounts on a national scale poses various challenges, and one way we address these challenges is through strategic account management plans. Whether it’s an upcoming project or day-to-day business, organisations that can effectively analyse, develop strategies, and align organisational resources aim to build long-term relationships that create value for both the client and the organisation (Leischnig et al., 2018). The Miller Heiman Large Account Management Process (LAMP) is a strategic framework designed to help organisations manage and grow their most important customer relationships. The LAMP focuses on identifying opportunities within key accounts, developing tailored strategies to address customer needs, and fostering long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships. This series presents eight key areas to help you better understand and engage with internal stakeholders to help you and your team achieve project, customer, or organisational goals.

Part 1

Welcome to the first instalment of my three-part series designed to transform how you engage with your internal stakeholders. Are you ready to elevate your internal communication and collaboration? In Part 1, we’ll dive into why understanding and valuing your internal stakeholders is crucial. We'll explore practical strategies for engaging your team and share tips on effectively communicating your vision.

But that's just the beginning. In Parts 2 and 3, we'll go even further. You'll learn how to clearly define roles, foster a culture of collaboration, and implement feedback that drives improvement. We'll also cover training strategies and ways to celebrate your team's successes.

Join me on this journey to revolutionise your internal stakeholder engagement. Let's get started!

Understanding and Importance of Internal Stakeholders

In the LAMP process, a crucial step is to identify internal stakeholders. Buy-in from internal stakeholders is crucial for delivering the brand promise and means to align employees’ attitudes, values, and behaviours to ensure a consistent brand experience (Cox et al., 2014). These stakeholders are located throughout the organisational chart and play a vital role in providing valuable insights, identifying obstacles, and supporting the goals of the project or organisation. The first question we need to ask is, have you identified or are you able to identify your internal stakeholders? Internal stakeholders encompass a wide array of roles and departments within an organisation. These may include sales teams, account managers, human resources (HR), operations, finance, marketing, and senior management, among others. Each of these groups plays a pivotal role in the organisation's success and has unique insights and needs.

However, this list is not exhaustive and can vary greatly depending on the specific structure and nature of your organisation. The influence and importance of these stakeholders can differ based on your company's goals, industry, and internal dynamics. To fully understand their impact, it's crucial to delve deeper into who they are and what they do.

If you were tasked with identifying the key decision-makers within your organisation, where would you start? Would you consider mapping out your organisation’s structure? Would you look at each department and ask yourself:

• Who holds the authority to make critical decisions?
• Which teams are essential for driving the company’s strategic objectives?
• Who influences the direction of projects and initiatives?

Engaging Internally

Identify Internal Key Stakeholders

• Identify: According to Freeman's Stakeholder Theory, it is crucial for organisational success to identify and understand the needs and interests of all stakeholders, including internal stakeholders. It is important to understand the driving factors of internal stakeholders as without sound relationships it is impossible to operate a business efficiently and provide customers with value (Freudenreich et al., 2019). To understand these relationships better, map out all internal stakeholders who influence or are influenced by the LAMP process. Are you able to adopt their perspective to gain an understanding of their needs, interests, requirements, and perceptions? Ask yourself:?Who are the key players? How do their roles impact the organization's goals? What are their primary concerns and motivations?
• Influence and Interest Matrix: Ever wondered how to prioritise your stakeholder engagement effectively? Enter the Influence and Interest Matrix, a powerful tool that categorises stakeholders based on their level of influence and interest. Use the Influence and Interest Matrix to categorise stakeholders based on their level of influence and interest, as shown in Figure 1. This helps in prioritising engagement efforts and customising communication strategies. Power ranges from low, with minimal influence, to high, where stakeholders significantly shape decisions (Olander & Landin, 2005). In static environments, power dynamics remain stable, while dynamic environments involve frequent shifts in stakeholders' power bases, requiring continuous adaptation (Olander & Landin, 2005).

Figure 1: Influence and Interest Matrix

Source: Olander & Landin (2005, Fig.1.)

But why is this important? Understanding where your stakeholders fall on this grid helps you tailor your communication strategies and engagement efforts. High-power, high-interest stakeholders need to be closely managed and kept in the loop with detailed updates, while low-power, low-interest stakeholders might only require periodic information.

So, are you ready to master stakeholder management? Use the Influence and Interest Matrix to ensure you’re engaging the right people, in the right way, at the right time.

Communicate the Vision and Goals

• Vision Alignment: Imagine your organisation as a ship, and the LAMP initiative as your journey's destination. To navigate successfully, everyone on board needs to understand not just their specific duties but how those duties contribute to reaching the destination. To achieve this clearly articulate the vision and strategic objectives of the LAMP initiative. Ensure that all stakeholders understand how their roles contribute to the broader goals. Transformational Leadership Theory emphasises inspiring and motivating stakeholders by clearly articulating the vision and strategic objectives of LAMP (Shi & Zhou, 2022). Are your leaders able to create a compelling narrative that connects stakeholders to the broader organisational goals?

When stakeholders see the impact of their contributions, their engagement and commitment soar. So, paint a vivid picture of the future, show them the path to get there, and watch as your team aligns their efforts with the organisational vision, driving the LAMP initiative forward with passion and purpose.

• Regular Updates: Imagine a thriving, interconnected team where everyone feels informed, valued, and heard. This starts with a solid communication plan that includes regular updates across various channels. Establish a communication plan that includes regular updates through emails, meetings, and collaborative platforms. Keep stakeholders informed about progress, challenges, and successes. Hold interactive sessions such as town hall meetings or webinars to allow stakeholders to ask questions and provide feedback. Establish robust communication channels and feedback loops to ensure transparency and continuous dialogue fostering a culture of openness and inclusion (Miller, 1995).

Establishing robust communication channels and feedback loops is key. Ensure there are clear pathways for stakeholders to voice their thoughts and concerns. By keeping the conversation flowing, you create an environment where stakeholders are engaged, informed, and motivated to contribute to the organization’s success. Ready to build this culture of openness and inclusion? Let's start communicating!

The Conclusion - Part One

In wrapping up Part One, it's clear that engaging effectively with internal stakeholders is not just important but pivotal to the success of initiatives like the LAMP process. Understanding the roles, needs, and motivations of your internal team members forms the foundation of building strong relationships and ensuring alignment with your organisation's overarching goals.

We've explored how to identify key stakeholders, understand their influence and interests, and use tools like the Influence and Interest Matrix to prioritize engagement efforts. Clear communication of your vision and regular updates are critical for maintaining transparency and fostering a collaborative environment.

As we look forward to Parts 2 and 3, get ready for an even deeper dive into defining roles, fostering collaboration, implementing feedback mechanisms, and celebrating successes. These insights and strategies will empower you and your team to achieve exceptional outcomes. Stay tuned as we continue to revolutionise your approach to internal stakeholder engagement. Together, let's propel your organisation towards greater success!

The Share

Share your experiences and tips on engaging internal stakeholders in the comments. What strategies have you found effective in your organisation? Follow and share my LinkedIn page for more insights and articles on LAMP and other business insights.

References

Cox, N., Gyrd-Jones, R. and Gardiner, S. (2014) ‘Internal brand management of Destination Brands: Exploring the roles of destination management organisations and operators’, Journal of Destination Marketing & Management, 3(2), pp. 85–95. doi:10.1016/j.jdmm.2014.01.004.

Freudenreich, B., Lüdeke-Freund, F. and Schaltegger, S. (2019) ‘A stakeholder theory perspective on business models: Value Creation for Sustainability’, Journal of Business Ethics, 166(1), pp. 3–18. doi:10.1007/s10551-019-04112-z.

Klingenberg, T., Schenkel, M. and Draba, T. (2024) What is The raci matrix? - smartpedia - t2informatik, t2informatik GmbH (EN). Available at: https://t2informatik.de/en/smartpedia/raci-matrix/ (Accessed: 28 May 2024).

Leischnig, A. et al. (2018) Mind the gap: A process model for diagnosing barriers to key account management implementation, Shibboleth authentication request. Available at: https://www-sciencedirect-com.aib.idm.oclc.org/science/article/pii/S0019850117305369?via%3Dihub (Accessed: 28 May 2024).

Love, K. and Goffnett, S. (2012) ‘Upper and Lower Level Business Courses and Adult Learning Theory: Application Exercises in HRM, SCM, Marketing, and Finance’, Journal of Human Resources Education, pp. 21–52.

Miller, K. (1995) Organizational communication: Theory and practice. Belmont, Calif: : Wadsworth Pub. Co.

Mora Cortez, R. and Johnston, W.J. (2020) ‘The coronavirus crisis in B2B settings: Crisis uniqueness and managerial implications based on social exchange theory’, Industrial Marketing Management, 88, pp. 125–135. doi:10.1016/j.indmarman.2020.05.004.

Olander, S. and Landin, A. (2005) ‘Evaluation of stakeholder influence in the implementation of construction projects’, International Journal of Project Management, 23(4), pp. 321–328. doi:10.1016/j.ijproman.2005.02.002.

Shi, S. and Zhou, M. (2022) ‘Servant leadership, transformational leadership, and customer satisfaction: An implicit leadership theories perspective’, Business Ethics, the Environment & Responsibility, 32(1), pp. 371–383. doi:10.1111/beer.12489.