{"id":1585,"date":"2022-02-26T09:14:49","date_gmt":"2022-02-26T02:14:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/?p=1585"},"modified":"2022-02-26T09:14:49","modified_gmt":"2022-02-26T02:14:49","slug":"identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Identify Stakeholders Who Matter Most in Your Project"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Why_Knowing_Your_Stakeholders_Defines_Project_Success\" >Why Knowing Your Stakeholders Defines Project Success<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#What_Is_a_Stakeholder\" >What Is a Stakeholder?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Step_1_Define_Your_Projects_Core_Purpose\" >Step 1: Define Your Project\u2019s Core Purpose<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Step_2_Identify_All_Potential_Stakeholders\" >Step 2: Identify All Potential Stakeholders<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Stakeholder_Categories\" >Stakeholder Categories:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Step_3_Analyse_Their_Interests_and_Influence\" >Step 3: Analyse Their Interests and Influence<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Use_a_Stakeholder_Matrix\" >Use a Stakeholder Matrix:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Step_4_Understand_Their_Needs_and_Expectations\" >Step 4: Understand Their Needs and Expectations<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Step_5_Define_Engagement_Strategy_for_Each_Stakeholder\" >Step 5: Define Engagement Strategy for Each Stakeholder<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Build_an_Engagement_Plan\" >Build an Engagement Plan:<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Step_6_Monitor_Reassess_and_Adapt\" >Step 6: Monitor, Reassess, and Adapt<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Real-World_Business_Case\" >Real-World Business Case<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/identify-stakeholders-who-matter-most\/#Summary\" >Summary<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 data-pm-slice=\"1 1 []\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_Knowing_Your_Stakeholders_Defines_Project_Success\"><\/span>Why Knowing Your Stakeholders Defines Project Success<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>In project management, there\u2019s a truth that never fades: <strong>no project succeeds in isolation<\/strong>. Behind every deliverable, timeline, or milestone is a network of people whose needs, expectations, and influence shape the outcome. These individuals or groups are known as stakeholders.<\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m Steven Sondang, a <strong>Seasoned Digital Marketer and Business Strategy Specialist<\/strong> with 15+ years of experience managing digital transformations, campaigns, and cross-functional initiatives. I\u2019ve learned that the earlier you identify and engage stakeholders, the smoother your project journey will be.<\/p>\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019ll explore how to identify the people who matter most in your project and manage their expectations to keep your strategy on track.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Is_a_Stakeholder\"><\/span>What Is a Stakeholder?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>A stakeholder is anyone who can impact or is impacted by your project.<\/strong> This includes people who fund the project, approve decisions, complete work, or are affected by its outcome.<\/p>\n<p>Stakeholders may include:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Project sponsors<\/li>\n<li>Customers or end users<\/li>\n<li>Project managers<\/li>\n<li>Team members<\/li>\n<li>Department heads (functional managers)<\/li>\n<li>External vendors<\/li>\n<li>Regulatory bodies or legal teams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Understanding stakeholder influence and interest helps you prioritise where to focus communication, decision-making power, and risk management.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_1_Define_Your_Projects_Core_Purpose\"><\/span>Step 1: Define Your Project\u2019s Core Purpose<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Before identifying stakeholders, clarify what your project is trying to achieve.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong> Let\u2019s say your company is implementing a new CRM system to improve sales conversion and client retention.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Write your goal in one clear sentence. This helps you frame stakeholder identification around who will care most about the impact of this goal.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_2_Identify_All_Potential_Stakeholders\"><\/span>Step 2: Identify All Potential Stakeholders<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> List every person, team, or department that touches the project in any way.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Stakeholder_Categories\"><\/span>Stakeholder Categories:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>Primary Stakeholders:<\/strong> Directly affected by the project (e.g., customers, project sponsors, core team)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Secondary Stakeholders:<\/strong> Indirectly affected (e.g., HR, finance, legal)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Key Influencers:<\/strong> Individuals whose input or endorsement affects decisions (e.g., department heads, executives)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Support Functions:<\/strong> IT, facilities, procurement\u2014groups that may not drive but enable your success<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Real-Life Example:<\/strong> In a hospital scheduling system project:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>Customer:<\/strong> The COO who funds the initiative and defines outcomes<\/li>\n<li><strong>Sponsor:<\/strong> A senior executive who champions the project<\/li>\n<li><strong>Team Members:<\/strong> Engineers, designers, admin staff implementing new workflows<\/li>\n<li><strong>Departments:<\/strong> Facilities impacted by layout changes; IT supporting the software<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_3_Analyse_Their_Interests_and_Influence\"><\/span>Step 3: Analyse Their Interests and Influence<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Understand what each stakeholder cares about\u2014and how much power they hold.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Use_a_Stakeholder_Matrix\"><\/span>Use a Stakeholder Matrix:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Map each stakeholder by:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>Level of Interest:<\/strong> How invested they are in the outcome<\/li>\n<li><strong>Level of Influence:<\/strong> How much decision-making power they hold<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Categories:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>High Interest \/ High Influence:<\/strong> Manage closely (e.g., project sponsor)<\/li>\n<li><strong>High Influence \/ Low Interest:<\/strong> Keep satisfied (e.g., CFO who signs off budget)<\/li>\n<li><strong>High Interest \/ Low Influence:<\/strong> Keep informed (e.g., daily users of the system)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Low Interest \/ Low Influence:<\/strong> Monitor (e.g., distant departments)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Don\u2019t underestimate low-influence stakeholders who may become blockers later. Early conversations build trust.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_4_Understand_Their_Needs_and_Expectations\"><\/span>Step 4: Understand Their Needs and Expectations<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Get clarity on what stakeholders expect\u2014and what they fear.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How to Uncover This:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>1-on-1 interviews<\/li>\n<li>Kickoff surveys<\/li>\n<li>Past project feedback<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Example Questions:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>What does success look like for you?<\/li>\n<li>What\u2019s your biggest concern about this project?<\/li>\n<li>How often would you like updates?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Real-Life Example:<\/strong> During a digital marketing platform rollout, product managers wanted speed, while legal required extended review windows. Balancing both helped avoid future conflicts.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Document expectations and get sign-off where appropriate.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_5_Define_Engagement_Strategy_for_Each_Stakeholder\"><\/span>Step 5: Define Engagement Strategy for Each Stakeholder<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Create a customised approach for keeping stakeholders involved and satisfied.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Build_an_Engagement_Plan\"><\/span>Build an Engagement Plan:<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>For each stakeholder or group, define:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li><strong>Communication channel<\/strong> (e.g., email, Slack, meetings)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Frequency<\/strong> (e.g., weekly check-ins, monthly reports)<\/li>\n<li><strong>Level of detail<\/strong> (e.g., dashboards for execs, detailed status reports for team leads)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Example:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>COO (Sponsor): Monthly impact summary + critical risks<\/li>\n<li>Dev team: Daily Slack check-ins + sprint reviews<\/li>\n<li>Facilities team: As-needed updates tied to system setup<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Consistency builds trust. Don\u2019t let high-influence stakeholders go dark for too long.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Step_6_Monitor_Reassess_and_Adapt\"><\/span>Step 6: Monitor, Reassess, and Adapt<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Goal:<\/strong> Stakeholder needs evolve. Keep your strategy flexible.<\/p>\n<p>Track:<\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Changes in stakeholder roles or influence<\/li>\n<li>New stakeholders joining mid-project<\/li>\n<li>Shifts in attitude or resistance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Tip:<\/strong> Conduct a stakeholder review at key milestones to reassess alignment and engagement.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Real-World_Business_Case\"><\/span>Real-World Business Case<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><strong>Project:<\/strong> Launching a new patient intake system at a healthcare provider<\/p>\n<p><strong>Key Stakeholders Identified:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>COO (customer)<\/li>\n<li>IT Director (technical delivery)<\/li>\n<li>Nurses (end users)<\/li>\n<li>Legal (compliance)<\/li>\n<li>Front desk staff (daily workflow)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Engagement Strategy:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Bi-weekly steering meetings with COO<\/li>\n<li>Pilot testing with front desk team<\/li>\n<li>Regular walkthroughs with compliance for regulatory assurance<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Outcome:<\/strong> The team pre-empted resistance by involving end users early, aligning tech rollout with regulatory timelines, and getting high-level buy-in that unblocked budget hurdles. The result: a smooth go-live and higher adoption.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Summary\"><\/span>Summary<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Stakeholder management isn\u2019t just about avoiding conflict\u2014it\u2019s about <strong>creating champions.<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul data-spread=\"false\">\n<li>Define your project purpose clearly<\/li>\n<li>Identify every person who touches or is touched by the work<\/li>\n<li>Understand their goals, fears, and expectations<\/li>\n<li>Prioritise based on influence and interest<\/li>\n<li>Craft communication that makes them feel heard and empowered<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Because when your stakeholders win, <strong>your project wins.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>And if you&#8217;re building your next roadmap, stakeholder strategy, or digital execution plan, I\u2019m ready to help bring structure, clarity, and impact to the journey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Why Knowing Your Stakeholders Defines Project Success In project management, there\u2019s a truth that never&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1626,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","meta_keywords":"","rank_math_focus_keyword":"Identify project stakeholders"},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"newstopic":[],"class_list":["post-1585","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-practical-management"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1585","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1585"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1585\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1585"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1585"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1585"},{"taxonomy":"newstopic","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stevensondang.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/newstopic?post=1585"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}