Knowing who your Stakeholders are and how to manage them is a vital part of any project.
It is all too easy to identify those who are actively involved in your project but there will be stakeholders who are not so obvious or who have yet to participate.
These groups can be overlooked with disastrous results.
Stakeholders belong in two main categories: Those who contribute to, or have influence in, the delivery of your project and those who have an interest in it's deliverables. Many stakeholders will naturally fall into both categories.
The relative importance of stakeholders can easily be undervalued. e.g., During a new software project, designers and developers demand attention: Yet it is the support and operations teams who will be responsible for making it work and their input can greatly enhance a project's ultimate value.
A successful project will usually have one or more key Stakeholders.
These may be be people who appear to have only a peripheral interest in the stated or implied benefits. They may otherwise be contemplating or preparing for a similar change to yours and hope to learn from your efforts.
The value of positive influencers should not be underestimated and you should seek to identify these hidden beneficiaries at the earliest stage.
If you are implementing a new system in a regional office, for example, where would the next installation be?
If you demonstrate that your project will smooth the way for later phases and that your success is entirely in their interests; then you may have an influential new ally taking on a surrogate Sponsorship role in another part of your organization.
This concept of shared purpose is vital to a successful project. Most of us are suspicious of change and need to be conviced that we will not be disadvantaged when it happens.
When processes and procedures are in flux, you need solid leaders throughout your organization who will actively sponsor these changes and reinforce business commitment.
Most projects encounter resource conflicts at some stage and budgets are often curtailed. These are the times when Stakeholders support is vital to ensure that your project is not depleted to a point where success is no longer assured.
Unfortunately organizations tend to pay scant regard to proper stakeholder engagement and there is an almost universal commitment to keeping people in the dark.
This behaviour may stem from monopolistic corporations and governments whose attitudes to communication and engagement are well known - one only needs to think of what the term 'public consultation' conjures up in the imagination.
I'm sure that most city dwellers will have noticed the small, letter box style, spy holes that construction sites now put in their protective hoardings and this is a fine example of practical Stakeholder Management.
The notion that casual passers-by are stakeholders in a construction site is not at all intuitive, yet without providing these observation ports people would stand by entrances to get a glimpse of the site, causing safety and access problems. Loose boards would be pulled back to facilitate peering into the work area, causing damage and security issues and public relations would have an unnecessary 'us and them' dimension.
The effectiveness of this pragmatic solution to people's natural curiosity is also testament to the value of communication and transparency.
Many project managers have a problem understanding that Stakeholders need to be engaged before, during, and after their actual involvement in the project.
It is not enough to simply call on someone when they are needed and expect them to immediately fall into line with the rest of your team as if they had been with you from the start.
This applies to individuals and to departments alike. Remember, when you need support it is welcome, whatever quarter it comes from.
All the people or groups who are impacted by your project or who can contribute to its success are stakeholders in it. This can range from peripheral observers to key participants.
Do not assume that everyone in your organization is as committed to your project as you are and will run when you call. You may need testers or operators and support staff for a weekend roll-out and they are far less likely to respond favourably if they are informed just a few days or even a week or two in advance.
Your relationship with Stakeholders should therefore start at the earliest date possible.
Identify - how do you identify stakeholders? Effectively anyone who touches or is touched by your project or it's outcomes can be regarded as a stakeholder and should not be ignored.
The level and frequency of their involvement will be a matter of judgement but it's always better to start with more and scale down than to risk alienating a valuable supporter.
Engage - stakeholders can have very different levels of interest in your project but they should all have, or feel that they have, real involvement.
This might be as minimal as receiving the odd email or even text message but it should aim to transfer a sense of ownership and participation. If you wait until you need someone's input or support before you involve them, you should prepare for disappontment.
Relax - some of your stakeholders will be very senior and include budget holders and project sponsors but whatever problems you may have with stakeholders they could always be worse.
Don't be afraid to ask for help, remember that communication is a two-way street and as stakeholders share involvement, so they should also share responsibility.
It's far better to give a warning of what might go wrong in advance, than to report on what did go wrong afterwards.
Other people and departments have their own priorities and the sooner you place your project on their radar the better for all concerned.
Stakeholder communication is a primary facet of your Communications Plan and while you will need to prioritize, you should be wary of neglecting the seemingly less important.
It is easy to dentify many stakeholders but those who are not so obvious need also to be considered.
Demonstrate the value of shared benefits within your organization and keep everyone commited to your success.
There is no point in delaying Stakeholder engagement. Keeping people well informed will allow them to plan and prepare for their participation in your project and impart a sense of constructive involvement.
Never underestimate the value Stakeholders can bring to your project or the obstacles they can place in your way.