042 How to use stakeholder analysis

Stakeholder analysis is a good tool to have in your tool belt because it can be used to solve a lot of different problems. Stakeholder analysis is the process of identifying your stakeholders and analyzing them to understand their unique position.
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The value of this tool is that it walks you through the process of identifying your stakeholders and their positions in order to make informed decisions. It helps you open your eyes to the different actors in the play and forces you to think about each one as a separate, unique person.
 
Who are stakeholders?
For any given situation, stakeholders are anyone who has a vested interest, or a stake, in your process.
 
When you want to get something done, you need to have your stakeholders onboard. In order to do that, you need to understand who they are and how you can best influence them. To do that, you should understand:

• Their key characteristics
• Whether they are a supporter, champion, or detractor for you. This helps you understand their level of resistance, and you can tailor a resistance plan accordingly
• How they prefer to communicate so that you can develop a communication plan that will improve your ability to influence them (for more, listen to Episode 7: Influencing Others)
• The level of influence that stakeholders have to help you prioritize

 
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