| When we manage, we all need a sense of who our | | | | By having your team along with you as you work to |
| stakeholders are. These key 'influencers' are vital | | | | make the best relationships with your key |
| components of our business development and need | | | | stakeholders, you gain in 5 easy ways: |
| care and attention. | | | | 1. You have more physical time to apply to the |
| As we learn to recognize the values of stakeholders, | | | | activities that you want to get into with those who can |
| we also understand better just what it is that we need | | | | impact on your project. |
| to nurture in them so that they are aligned with the | | | | 2. With your team, you bring in a number of different |
| outcomes that we are striving for that will often - | | | | characters with varied behaviors and attitudes who will |
| though not always - be in their interests too, especially | | | | resonate with the different people you need to |
| in the longer-term. | | | | influence. |
| Of course not all stakeholders are on our side. You | | | | 3. You bring into play new skills that will complement |
| can imagine if an airport needs an additional runway, | | | | your own efforts, because, when all's said and done, |
| they will are unlikely to have any positive things for | | | | you aren't perfect at everything. |
| those who will at best suffer from additional noise. | | | | 4. You build the self-confidence and belief in your |
| Whilst these are unlikely to be the friendliest of | | | | people that, because they have been included, shows |
| stakeholders at any time, in many others situations, the | | | | that you trust and value them and their capabilities to |
| adversary will be a lot more amenable to what you do, | | | | raise their bar as they work with you in new areas. |
| so there will be great value in working more closely to | | | | 5. There will be an enhanced sense of 'team' between |
| them. | | | | you all, as you purposefully strive to this goal. |
| To do this, you need interactions. You need | | | | Developing the opportunities for the project to |
| conversations. Above all you need the best | | | | succeed by helping each other out in whatever way |
| relationships to be created and for this it's unlikely that | | | | you can. |
| one person will have either enough time, nor the right | | | | The best managers work with their people as they |
| attributes, to get on well with everyone they need to. | | | | drive stakeholder management within the project or |
| In such situations, it's time to bring in the reinforcements | | | | activity they are involved in, pooling efforts to |
| that you need to make this work - and this is the team | | | | communicate with those who are important and |
| of people you have around you who will support this | | | | building a broad base of stakeholders which can be |
| adventure into stakeholder management. | | | | utilised profitably. |