Stakeholder Management Carl Block 23 Nov 2011

 Without satisfying the business need and being accepted by stakeholders, a project is worthless, even if it is completed on time and on budget Who Cares?

Why do it? Obtain buy-in and consensus for change Minimize the “Lows” Get to the “Positives” sooner Project Start Project Complete Stakeholder Reaction

The story of Xerox PARC

Identify Stakeholders Assess Stakeholders Manage Stakeholders How do you do it?

Executives Project Teams Project Managers IT Managers PMO Stakeholder Identification The Enterprise

Assessment Methodologies  Power Mapping (PUL)  Power / Clout  Urgency  Legitimacy  Grouping  IT delivery organization  Direct internal customers  Senior executives  The external community  Degree of Support  Oppose  On-the-fence  Support

Weak Supporters Influential Supporters Weak Opponents Influential Opponents Assessment Map LowHigh Degree of Political Influence (Pull) Degree of Support Oppose Support

Weak Supporters Influential Supporters Weak Opponents Influential Opponents Management Plan LowHigh Degree of Political Influence (Pull) Degree of Support Oppose Support

 Recruit persuadable opponents to your cause  Restrict your influential opponents  Retain your influential supporters  Seek their suggestions  Include their concerns  Recognize your weak supporters  Align them with stronger groups  Review your weak opponents  They might become stronger  You may be able to recruit them to become supporters Basic Tactics

The story of boiling water

 Diffusion is a process which  The innovation  Is communicated through certain channels  Over time  Among members of a social system  Who make a decision Advanced Tactics

Communication Channels Mass Media  Posters   Web-Ex  Training Sessions  Videos  Newsletters  TV  Radio Interpersonal Channels  Meetings  Opinion Leaders  Discussion with friends  Discussion with managers  Early adopters  Discussion with strangers

Adoption Over Time Project Start Project Complete Percent Adoption Early Adopters Take-Off Late Adopters

 System Norms – how people interact  Innovators  Sometimes perceived as deviant by average members of the social system  “Too far out in front”  Opinion Leaders  Not always a function of formal position  Serve as a model of behavior for their “followers” Among Members of a Social System

 In the end, people make decisions  Positive reinforcement helps people adopt  Incentives help people adopt  The ability to “reinvent” the system to their needs helps people adopt Who make a decision

Discussion