Devoted to how insight is developed, shared and acted on

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Do You Know What's At Stake?

Are you inundated with requests for information and insight from all quarters? If you try to be all things to all people then you will just end up running around in circles. Before you even reach this stage, you need to step back and start prioritising. In particular, you need to ask, “Who are our key stakeholders?”

Informed is prepared
Make a list of the candidates and then start grouping them, identifying those that have similar goals and interests. Which business areas do they come from and where do they sit within the organisation? Cross check these details with information about how they are using your resources – does this fit in with the key needs of the business?
 
To maximise your impact and effectiveness, you need to: 
  • Be inclusive – Make sure that your key stakeholders include the senior team. If resources are tight, you need to ensure that you are focusing on the requirements of senior managers so that you have their support.
  • Be aware – Know the main issues and challenges that your key stakeholders are facing. This will enable you to anticipate their needs and be more proactive.
  • Delegate – You can't do everything yourself, so allocate a member of your team to each key stakeholder. It's a bit like ‘man marking’ in football. These ‘stakeholder managers’ should be responsible for building the relationship and making sure that the stakeholders’ insight needs are met.
The all-important delivery
Don't forget that it's not just what you deliver, but how you deliver it. Make sure that you know your stakeholders’ communication preferences (probably short and sharp for the more senior members). A few quick wins will make all the difference to them – and to you and your team.
 
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