What's the best way to identify and manage stakeholder interests and influence in your program?

Understanding the historic and organisational construct is key for stakeholder analysis. Especially in protected, monolithic organisations resistance to change is endemic at all levels, so needs to be unlocked at various levels and various stages of work. Transformational change leads to amended Org design, structures and role shifts - that becomes the resistance, rather than the regular technology / change delivery challenges

In my experience, dynamic stakeholder management is vital. 🔍 Stakeholder maps should be frequently updated to reflect evolving relationships. 📈 The power-interest grid categorizes stakeholders based on their potential impact and concern for program outcomes. 🔧 The salience model adds depth by considering power, urgency, and legitimacy, targeting stakeholders scoring high in all parameters. 📊 A continually updated stakeholder register ensures open communication and current feedback loops. 📌 Adopting an agile approach to stakeholder management, prioritizing open dialogue, and adjusting to changes are crucial for preempting challenges.

In my experience the best approach to managing stakeholder interest and influence in your program involves a multi-faceted strategy. Effective communication is the cornerstone; keep stakeholders well-informed, address their concerns, and actively seek their input. Engaging with them is equally vital, ensuring they feel valued and heard, even participating in decision-making processes. Analyse each stakeholder's influence, interest, and potential impact on the program to prioritise your efforts. Be adaptable and flexible, recognising that different stakeholders may have unique needs and communication preferences.

In my experience, stakeholder analysis and subsequent grouping helps in stakeholder management and communication throughout the life of the project. I have found a few groupings to be useful - influencer (this group can possibly have a huge impact on the success of the project); noisemaker (this group tends to be self focused and contrary to the project objectives) and silent (don't like to weigh in and they go with the flow). Communications with all these groups is important, but the communication strategy, messaging and the frequency/ mode of engagement throughout the project varies across each group. It is important to note that a stakeholder can move across the groups as the project evolves, so it's important to keep a watchful eye.

While working with different organisations I have found out that ego need of stakeholders supercede the actual end requirement most of the time. Stakeholders mostly want things to be done by the way they seem it to be done even if the way you working is yielding same results. So most often than not you have to tow that line forgoing your way of working or standard way of working. As customer is king so better bite that bullet and enjoy managing stakeholders this way.

I connect with people by being genuine, interested, and supportive. I also stay in touch and build trust over time. Strong relationships help me get things done, find support for my ideas, and build a successful career. The power-interest grid is a valuable tool for relationship building. It helps me understand my stakeholders' power, influence, and interest in my program. This information allows me to engage with each stakeholder in the most effective way. For example, if a stakeholder has high power and interest, I keep them closely informed and involve them in key decisions. If a stakeholder has low power and interest, I keep them updated on my progress and provide an opportunity for feedback.

“The key to successful leadership today is influence, not authority” says speaker Ken Blanchard— but the thing that sets successful program managers apart is methods to achieve influence. The Power Interest grid is a visual method we can use to assess stakeholders based on their power and interest in a project. It helps prioritize engagement efforts, with high-power, high-interest stakeholders requiring the most attention. Using structured methods like the Power Interest grid help us to better connect with individuals in globally diverse teams systematically, leveraging cultural nuances and personal motivations is vital. Building personal relationships, authenticity, diverse perspectives, and active listening can foster trust and rapport.

I've never gotten in a situation to create a model like this for my programs. However, I think this is the kind of mind map we create as we engage with stakeholders and which guides our subconscious behaviours when interacting with them. Often the good old RACI is my first tool for stakeholders.

1) Identify program vision 2) Create a list of stakeholders 3) Do stakeholders analysis to determine how they are impacted by the project, their influence in the project 4) Step 3 can done through stakeholder interviews, talking to different teams, referencing previous program materials etc 5) Based on step 3, determine who needs to be influenced 6) Draw a plan of influence, primarily highlighting their importance to the program and what program can deliver for them 7) Have a regular catch up