FAQs

Identifying and engaging with stakeholders is crucial for the success of any project.

Here are the steps to identify and analyse stakeholders:

1. Identify: Begin by brainstorming all possible stakeholders. This includes internal stakeholders (employees, managers) and external stakeholders (customers, suppliers, regulators, community members).
2. Categorise: Group stakeholders based on their relationship to the project. Common categories include internal vs. external, direct vs. indirect impact, and primary vs. secondary stakeholders.
3. Analyse: Assess the impact of the project on each stakeholder and their level of influence over its outcome. Their interest and attitude towards the project – are they supportive, neutral or opposed – is also valuable.
4. Prioritise: Determine which stakeholders are most critical to the project’s success. Focus on those with high influence and who are highly impacted.
5. Engage: Create tailored engagement plans for different stakeholder groups. High-priority stakeholders may need regular, detailed updates, while others may only require periodic communication.

Stakeholder identification and mapping is an ongoing process. Regularly review and update the stakeholder list as the project progresses and new stakeholders emerge.

This strategic approach not only mitigates risks but also leverages stakeholder support for the project.

A lack of communication – or poor quality communication – is a major risk to change projects.

Good communication brings employees and other stakeholders along on the change journey. It helps people understand what is changing and why, and it builds trust and confidence in the project.

Consider these five essentials to communicating change projects well.

1. Understand the stakeholders: Take time to understand who will be impacted by the change and how. With more knowledge, you can tailor messages about what’s changing and why.
2. Explain the need for change: Communicating a clear reason for change is key to building support. Explain how the change project links with the organisation’s strategic goals. Will it improve efficiency? Will it solve a ‘pain point’ for front-line employees or improve employee wellbeing?
3. Embrace questions and feedback: Engage regularly with those on the front line of the change to understand people’s thoughts, feelings and concerns. Use questions and feedback to ensure your communications respond to uncertainties and anxieties.
4. Help leaders inspire others: Employees want to hear from leaders during change, particularly their immediate supervisors, who are often the most trusted. Create a communication toolkit to help leaders deliver messages and answer questions from staff.
5. Reinforce progress: It takes consistent reinforcement to achieve lasting change and your communications should continue long after the rollout. Too often communication ends up being little more than a short burst of information at the launch of a new structure, process or strategy.

Effective change communications is a continuous process. It changes as the project matures, moving stakeholders from awareness to engagement to support.

Consider these five communication essentials as stepping stones to give your change project the best chance of success.

Here are some effective techniques to ensure meaningful and productive stakeholder engagement:

Surveys and questionnaires are efficient when you need input from a large number of stakeholders.

Focus group discussions allow for in-depth dialogue with a group of stakeholders. This technique is useful when you need detailed feedback.

Workshops and seminars provide a platform for stakeholders to engage collaboratively, and can foster mutual understanding and consensus-building.

Public meetings allow community members and other external stakeholders to voice their opinions. They are particularly important for projects with significant public impact.

Stakeholder interviews offer deep insight and is effective for understanding individual concerns and expectations.

Advisory committees are beneficial for maintaining continuous engagement and addressing issues promptly.

Digital engagement platforms, such as social media, webinars, and dedicated project websites, can engage stakeholders who might not be reached through traditional methods and can facilitate real-time interaction.