Stakeholder Management -a facet of Product Inclusivity

Imagine a world where everyone around you understands your vision and strategy execution and fully supports what you do and always eager to support your work? Imagine a world of products where everyone's interests and influence is aligned to what you are doing? Yep - that world doesn't exist, never will!

The Power of Adapting

So, what then? #Adapt right? Adapting comes in many ways, and those who are able to quickly adapt to the changing landscape are some of the most advanced and resilient people in what they do.

But - how do you adapt to what you don't know? Adapting has a lot to do with understanding and knowing the other side or the new side to blend in. Adapting has a lot to do with understanding that everyone has an interest! I have this secret sauce - I like asking or sometimes secretly try to figure out people - what keeps this person awake at night? Everyone has that thing or things that from time to time stays on top of their mind - very human nature. I'm not a physiologist but here's the reality - that thing or things greatly influence people's behaviour around us. That thing is the foundation to the background conversation in a meeting - what people are saying to you without really saying - that always matters more than what you hear when they unmute to speak;

• They influence how people show up to your product agenda for those in products.
• They influence how a developer in your squad handles tasks and the momentum around that.
• They influence how a colleague in enterprise risk department interfaces with you as a product guy. To them every new product out is a potential risk to the organisation and as such - their KPIs are tied to securing the platforms. This is a personal lesson that you've got to help them and give them confidence in your product that its not a risk, and if there are identified vulnerabilities, collaborate to resolve them - while you interest (of product launch) is met, their interest (of enterprise cyber security) is met - you'll be friends.
• They influence how a new team member shows up when they join, the secret fear of "do I fit in?", "do they care about what I bring on board?" etc. will dictate how someone shows up from day 1. As a lead, make them comfortable, create an inclusive environment for all - old and new.

• They influence how a vendor/partner (existing or potential) should align with the contact person within the client organisation. I was once in Business Development and Sales (B2B model) in my early career days (lol lately I feel old) - and one of the biggest mistake I made for 3 years was showing up to client offices and going deep into the pitch of what I think is the solution they need. I rarely took time to even understand what their current strategy and targets are. I didn't pay much attention to the internal contact guy - what are their KPIs? Am I helping them to achieve them with my proposal? Because if not - you will be super frustrated. Its just another meeting to another guy trying to work with us - reality is, that solution you think is world class - if it doesn't help achieve the organisation's goals according to the organisation (not you) - its just noise to their ears. Very direct but I wish someone told me this back then, I'd have made more commissions and got richer in my mid 20s. Learn to ask - "how can I be of help to your mission" - it's so underrated but will help you.

• They influence the leadership above you and how they perceive you. Do you make their work easier or harder? Do you add value to their mission or take away? If they think of you, do they smile or do they get frustrated? Are you just full of BS and stories and excuses in your updates? Tough right? I know, but these are realities of stakeholder management and we learn everyday.

Perception becomes reality

The funny thing is on the other hand we interpret what we perceive to our own reality - this guys doesn't like me, he misses our meetings, this lady is a blocker to our product, ooh the security guys never like approving our products, ooh this and that - all aligned to what we conclude to fit our view of what we receive from these stakeholders. And we attach the person to the issue - yooh it takes courage to separate the two, trust me I'm still figuring this out too. Sounds familiar?

So what? - "Critics have no historical statues in their name"

What's the magic - well I can only speak based on my few years of experience so this might change in 10 years time and I'll be happy to say I was wrong to think so back then. But for now, here's the thing. If you can understand the interests of your stakeholders, their most important goal, the worry that makes them freak out from time to time (yeah don't be deceived everyone has that in their careers) - and most importantly try to help, then you'll slowly have that stakeholder as one who supports what you do. Its human nature, even the most hard core criminals crave to belong. We want to identify with something. Be a part of.

Nobody wants problems (don't we have so many around us in the world?), or people who bring problems, we all want people who bring solutions. My former boss would say - come to me with the problem, it's fine, BUT most importantly show me the solution options you have then I will guide on the decision as your leader. We all know guys who are great at explaining the problem (lol), bringing out how bad the issue is but they never offer solutions. Some of them are the most critics of what you do but they don't offer a solution. Don't be that guy! I love how Vusi Thembekwayo says - no statue has been erected for the most critic person in history because they don't build anything (ouch). Builders have statues in honour of their work so why don't we all endeavour to offer up solutions and less of painting how bad a problem is. Be a solution provider to your stakeholders and they will start to see you as someone they can support.

The Balance of Influence and Interest

Google looks at it from a product inclusion and equity point of view. That is everyone important and critical to this conversation included on the table in the room? Are we addressing all facets of the conversation be it a product or strategy or risk mitigation to achieve the most value from the conversation? I dare say this is definitely one of the most critical facet of managing products and by extension most crafts if you think about it. Not about definitions but when you think of stakeholders you think of people you interface with of different interests and influence to what you do. Their influence can mean you progress or stay blocked, turbocharge or totally close down what you do. Do you know them? In another world we call them stakeholder mapping - a visual, four-quadrant influence-interest matrix used in project management to identify stakeholders and categorize them in terms of their influence and interest in the project.

Google goes further to look at product inclusion from a point of age, culture, disability, education and literacy, ethnicity, geography and global relevance, gender, physical attributes, race, religion, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status and technology proficiency. Involving all these facets and people significantly shapes the finished product in an inclusive manner. A lot of products out in the market today are not inclusive and have been designed within the limits of the few boardroom guys who think they know what the end users needs. Need I say how important design thinking and the whole world of UI/UX is to your product creation? If this is not an iterative process from the beginning and constant UX audits and usability testing to revalidate the features you have put out then you are getting it all wrong.

Influencing without Structural Power

Stakeholder management is a never ending journey. Strive to offer up solutions, let your face be that of a solution provider. Don't always be the stakeholder who needs to be supported, sometimes simply help another because you can - and walk away. Good stuff will come back to you - nature principles. You'll start learning the critical art of influencing the masses without structural power. Moving heavy stuff around without necessarily using power or escalations because of your growing social capital. At the beginning of this year I believed the opposite, I was so wrong. I have seen people help me when they didn't have to. I know better. Strive to improve your fighting position by knowing better, everyday.