ChangeMethod
Smart Engagement & Communication
Best Practice Area 03

Mastering stakeholder dynamics: smart engagement and communication.

Build understanding, inspire action, catalyze change.

The Key Question
"Who do we need to take with us on the journey, where are they now and how do we get them to where they need to be?"
Best Practice 03

Ensure the right message is delivered by the right people at the right time and using the most appropriate method.

Communication, as a central part of change management, has almost become something of a cliche.

Strip it all down to the bones, though, and we see identifying, communicating and ‘managing’ the commitment of key project stakeholders is a critical component to the success of any project.

The processes here aim to ensure the right message is delivered by the right people at the right time and using the most appropriate method.

Smart stakeholder engagement and communication makes clear what is happening, what is expected, how to get involved and can removes otherwise many unavoidable obstacles to change.

01

Stakeholder Analysis

Purpose
  • Identify and segment change sponsors, advocates, agents and targets of the change
  • Understand stakeholder wants and needs as well as where they are on the change commitment curve and where they need to be for change to happen
Step 1

Identify and classify key stakeholders

Step 2

Investigate stakeholder influence and commitment

Step 3

Map current and desired stakeholder commitment

Step 4

Establish stakeholder management plan

Benefits
  • Map varying levels of stakeholder commitment and willingness to change
  • Focus effort and energy on ‘mission critical’ stakeholders
  • Guide stakeholder groups and individuals towards the desired commitment for change necessary for the success of the program
Risks If Ignored
  • No basis upon which to develop change strategy
  • No basis for understanding where and how to target change management interventions
  • Resistance to change unchecked, costs increase, change program aborted
Templates
Stakeholder Analysis & Map Stakeholder Management Plan
Tools
Change Commitment Curve
02

Build Change Agent Network

Purpose
  • Establish a network of motivated and competent change sponsors, agents, advocates, targets
  • Support, evaluate and fine-tune performance of change network throughout program
  • Provides linkage between change program leadership and impacted stakeholders
Step 1

Assess change network requirements

Step 2

Design and deliver change network training

Step 3

Co-ordinate on-going change network activities

Step 4

Evaluate effectiveness of change network

Benefits
  • Increased stakeholder engagement and communication effectiveness
  • Smarter, better and faster implementation through close knitting of senior leadership, change team and impacted stakeholders
Risks If Ignored
  • Loss of key communication and control mechanism
  • Reduces effectiveness of change leadership investment and activity
  • Increased risk of project failure
Templates
Change Agent Network Plan Change Agent Roles & Responsibilities
Tools
Change Agent Network Material
03

Stakeholder Communication

Purpose
  • Develop and implement a change-specific communication strategy and plan
  • Create engaging communication and dialogue to move stakeholders along the change commitment curve
Step 1

Develop stakeholder communication strategy

Step 2

Define stakeholder communication plan

Step 3

Deliver stakeholder communications

Step 4

Evaluate stakeholder communication effectiveness

Benefits
  • Fosters understanding, acceptance and ownership of the change within organization
  • Increases accuracy of transmitted information, reinforces organization’s vision and positively sustain morale
  • Enable people to understand what they need to do differently in the new organizational model
Risks If Ignored
  • Need for change never fully recognized or embraced
  • Little or no behavior change, business readiness activities frustrated, delayed go-live or project shut-down
Templates
Stakeholder Communication Strategy Stakeholder Communication Plan Stakeholder Communication Roadmap Stakeholder Communication Survey
Tools
Communication Models

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