In this post, I will outline a process to help a Project Meeting Facilitator work with a group to identify, map and create a management plan for dealing with Project Stakeholders.

Meeting Outcomes:

• Stakeholder identification
• Stakeholder mapping
• Stakeholder management plan

• Stakeholder Brainstorming

• The first step in Stakeholder Analysis is to get the group to identify as many of the project stakeholders as possible. In order to do that we first need the group to have a single understanding of what we mean by “stakeholder.”  For the purposes of this post, we will use the PMI PMBOK definition which states, “Stakeholders are persons or organizations (e.g., customers, sponsors, the performing organization, or the public), who are actively involved in the project or whose interests may be positively or negatively affected by the performance or completion of the project.”
• For larger groups, split the group into smaller teams of no more than 6 individuals. Each group should have a flip chart, markers and post-its.   Post-its are recommended for flexibility at a later step.
• Instruct each group to take 5-10 minutes to brainstorm who they see as stakeholders for the project. Remember, during brainstorming the goal is to generate ideas, not to debate the quality of the ideas. Each stakeholder idea should be written separately onto a post-it and placed onto the flipchart.

• Stakeholder Mapping

• The second step in Stakeholder Analysis is to subjectively have the groups map the stakeholders onto a chart to prioritize them based on how influential they may be to the project and/or how impacted they may be by the project. Each group should draw out the 4-block below onto a flipchart sheet:

• Each group will then work within their groups to discuss each stakeholder and place the post-it with their name within one of the blocks based on that stakeholder’s level of influence (high or low) on the project – Can he/she/they influence resources, solutions, decisions on the project? – and the impact of the project on the stakeholder (high or low) - To what degree will the change/solution/output of the project change how the stakeholder works/behaves/interacts?
• As a facilitator, instruct the groups that it doesn’t matter where in the block the stakeholder is placed. This exercise is not a granular one and it does not matter how close along the impact|influence axis the post-it is placed. The goal is to answer whether the influence and impact is high or low and place the post-it accordingly into a block.
• After each group has completed the Stakeholder Mapping they can report back to the full team. As facilitator, you can work with a larger 4-block and collect the stakeholder post-its in a central location.  This process will allow for the consolidation of duplicate stakeholders across groups. As a group reports back and another group has that stakeholder on their chart they can just remove it and place it to the side.
• Once all groups have reported out, the central 4-block will have a complete listing of stakeholders and their location on the Stakeholder Mapping.
• Ask the full group the following questions based on the C.O.C. model:

• Clarification – Is there anything on the board that you don’t understand that needs clarification?
• Omissions – Is there anything that you believe is missing from the board?
• Challenge – Is there anything you want to challenge on the board – something you disagree with.

• Stakeholder Management Plan

• Stakeholder Management Planning is quite easy at this point since the group has done the major lifting.
• Based on the location of the stakeholder post-it on the 4-block we have a plan as to how we will handle the particular stakeholder.

• Manage Closely - Stakeholders with high impact and high influence can be considered your key stakeholders.  As indicated by the title, your will want to work with these individuals and\or groups more closely to better understand their needs, concerns, etc. You will communicate with them often and they will have a higher level of input into project decision-making. If they are positive influencers you will want to leverage them and use them to advocate for the project.
• Keep Informed - High impact, low influence stakeholders will need to be communicated with often so they are well-informed as to what the changes are that are coming their way. Additionally, give them an opportunity to provide feedback to the project team so they have a sense of being able to contribute to the changes impact them. Projects are about change. As much as we can manage the change for those impacted by it the better it will be received.
• Keep Satisfied – High influencers, low impacts are those stakeholders that are not necessarily on the receiving end of the project change, but have some stake in the project. Again, these influences can be positive influencers which you will want to leverage. Otherwise, they may be somehow against the project and you will need to sell them on the benefits.
• Monitor - Low impacts, low influencers are recognized as stakeholders, but from a project management standpoint, will only require keeping an eye on throughout the project life-cycle to see if their influence or impact level shifts.

So, in my Weekly Review last week, I was going through my Someday\Maybe list and came upon a fairly recent entry to start a podcast called Project FACILITATE. The concept was to provide podcasts on how to apply the broad spectrum of facilitation skills, tools and techniques to everyday project work. It was a combination of two of my work passions.  So I got to thinking…I’m not quite ready to put this idea to work as a podcast, but I think I’m ready to start blogging ideas.

The goal I’ve set is to shift my content at Paradigmhack for the foreseeable future to what I’m calling “Project FACILIATE.”  You will be reading about how to manage everyday (and maybe some not so everyday) project needs using facilitation skills. I’ll cover subjects such as stakeholder analysis, lessons learned, kickoff meetings, visioning, decision making, problem-solving, etc.

I hope you will enjoy what I have to offer.  Stay tuned.

As a Project Manager, I am often responsible for reporting to stakeholders on the progress the team is making on the project. My job is a whole lot easier when the individuals accountable for the work get the work done when they committed to get it done, at the quality expected by the organization.

Things get difficult when that work doesn’t get done as committed to.  As the the person accountable for reporting status my role becomes a bit of a verbal balancing act. I have to let my stakeholders know that the work that was committed to get done by a certain date is not done. At the same time I can’t throw the team member under the bus who failed to deliver the work as promised. The whole thing starts to boil over for me when the person who failed to deliver is unapologetic and dismissive of letting the team down.

The above scenario isn’t a singular anecdote from one frustrating project. In my 17 years of leading projects I’ve seen it occur many times.  As the Project Manager, I have a responsibility to work with the challenging party. Sometimes, the organization itself enables the behavior. There are tools to help the Project Manager, such as RACI tables (Responsible | Accountable | Consulted | Informed.) But tools only take us so far.

I suggest that creating a strong culture of accountability will significantly increase project success. Aligning individual performance appraisal with project performance helps. Enlist the help of the team member’s manager to ensure that she is aware of what their direct report is accountable for on the project and determine a realistic game plan for successful delivery.  Be sure that the team member is aware that his lack of accountability impacts the entire team and doesn’t go unnoticed.

What has been your experience and what has worked for you?

Space is almost infinite. As a matter of fact, we think it is infinite. – Dan Quayle

I recently had a discussion with a colleague about getting things done between meetings.  The challenge we discovered was two-fold:

1. We have all the work that is part of our day-to-day responsibilities - for purposes of this post I’ll call this day-work.
2. We have all the work that is produced as outputs from the meetings we attend and/or facilitate – I’ll call this meeting-work.

We both were faced with the fact that we participated in a lot of meetings. [Note: for purposes of this post let's assume that these meetings are meaningful and need to take place.]

While in our meetings our day-work was not getting done. At the same time many of the meetings were creating new work: next actions, new problems, etc. So we now had meeting-work  to accomplish.  When we arrived back at our desks we were faced with the dilemma of getting our day-work and meeting-work completed in the space left between meetings. Sound familiar?

We thought of some tips that might be helpful:

• Get next actions right: Be sure any next actions that are identified in the meeting are specific, actionable, have an owner, a due date, and who gets the report out of the results.   Honestly, I do not always get this one right and our teams end up with ambiguous actions that when reviewed later are met with confused stares. This way the meeting work can at least be clear and unambiguous and won’t require too much investigation time.
• Build meeting processes that complete the work for you: When facilitating, I try as much as possible to build meeting processes that result in final product for the group. This means that at the end of the meeting the desired meeting deliverables should be as close to their final form as possible. When done well, this will minimize your post-meeting work.
• Schedule your meeting work time: As hard as you try to minimize post-meeting work as mentioned above, we often have work to complete as outcomes of our meetings. Use your calendars to hard-schedule that time in to complete the work. This could include 30 minutes prior to the meeting to ensure that you are well prepared for the meeting and 30 minutes post meeting to process the output, get a start on next actions, or schedule future time to handle the work.

What ideas do you have for creating space for meeting work?

In everyone’s life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit. – Albert Schweitzer

Yesterday we celebrated my in-law’s 50th wedding anniversary.  They were surrounded by their children, grandchildren, my mother-in-law’s 92 year old father, friends, sisters and brothers.  It was a beautiful, sunny spring day and the location was a renovated farm house on a hill overlooking a glistening pond.

My wife and her two siblings got up to toast their parents. They shared how their mom and dad’s life impacted them.  They talked about their generosity and emphasis creating family ritual. They shared how important they were in their childhood and how important it was that they were so involved with their grandchildren – attending school and sports events. They talked about their legacy.

Whether we realize or not, we all make an impact in each other’s lives.  Sometimes subtle, sometimes not so subtle.

The choice for this week is to take moments of reflection to realize that you have a choice to make a positive impact – to share your kindness, knowledge, and time.  Make it your gift without any expectation of something in return.

[Note: This is the 12th (and last) in a 12-week series of posts that will discuss "choices" from the book Monday Morning Choices by David Cottrell.]

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it and ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is. – Winston Churchill

It’s our regular weekly meeting.  We are going from manager to manager giving a debrief on our team’s performance and project updates.  My mind is wandering as my peers give their summaries. I’m thinking to myself, “Is this it? Is this what it’s all about?”  I know what you’re thinking, pretty existential stuff.

Seriously, though. You’ve all been there. Wondering if what you are doing is what you are suppose to be doing.  If what you think you should be doing is something you are capable of getting done. Do you have the capacity, courage?

We have to step back and take a bit of a reality check at times.  Often I can get caught up and start to romanticize what work should be like – in my world. But, I’m learning to check that at the door and make mental compromises and adjustments.  In Monday Morning Choices, David Cottrell writes:

Understand that choosing reality may not always be the easiest path, but bottom line, it will push you ahead on the road of life.

[Note: This is the 11th in a 12-week series of posts that will discuss "choices" from the book Monday Morning Choices by David Cottrell.]

He that won’t be counseled can’t be helped. – Benjamin Franklin

Each year at review time, we sit down with our managers and get our yearly feedback.  For most, the majority of the feedback is positive – goals have been met, performance is strong, relationships have been developed. Then there is the “areas for development.” Our ears prick up, our heart beats a bit faster, palms might get sweaty, we are listening much more closely. As our manager ticks off these articles of criticism we feel the sting and we may start to respond defensively or hang our heads in defeat.

Here are some other choices and perspectives we can make:

First, criticism is a fact of life. We get it in our professional and our personal lives. So be prepared to receive it. Consciously we all say we like “constructive feedback” – until someone gives it to us.

Second, try not to take it personally. This is something I have been exercising recently. I was starting to let criticism “in” and allowing it to affect my self esteem. By refocusing and moving the criticism to my actions or results allowed me to look at it more objectively and respond to it better. Then I could ask myself, “Who’s offering the criticism, and are they qualified? Are they trying to help me or hurt me? Objectively, is there any truth to what they are saying?” After asking myself these questions I was in a much better position to respond in a positive way.

Third, use criticism as a learning tool. Don’t just brush off the criticism. Make sure you are receptive and think about what is being said.  Think back on your career to a time when you received critical feedback that you dismissed at that moment only later to realize was sound advice.

We all want to be right, have the best ideas and be viewed positively by our peers, bosses and reports.  Isn’t it a wonderful feeling when you have offered feedback to someone in a constructive way and they thoughtfully looked away for a second, turned back to you, smiled, and said, “What a great suggestion!  Thanks.”

[Note: This is the 10th in a 12-week series of posts that will discuss "choices" from the book Monday Morning Choices by David Cottrell.]

I believe that you can get everything in life you want if you will just help enough other people get what they want. – Zig Ziglar

That quote above by the guy with the funny name is one that threads its way through all religions, philosophies, and grandmotherly advice.  I decided to choose Zig’s quote for a reason this week.

I, like many of you I’m guessing, want to live a good, healthy, successful life.  Living that life each day seems to involve a lot of “me” energy. What I mean by “me” energy is the energy we use thinking about ourselves, what others are thinking about us, worrying about how to become the person we think we should be, and so on.

We all need our “me” energy. I’m not going to be the one to say stop thinking about yourself.  There’s a large section of books at the Barnes & Noble that can do that for you.  I’m okay with a degree of selfishness. But, it needs to be tempered and normalized. You can’t make it alone. You need to refuel this energy to grow and sustain happiness.

Personally, I’ve found two ways to refuel that energy.

First, I need “my” time to re-energize. I refuel by sitting quietly with a book, reading blogs, or flipping through magazines. I’m sure you have your own personal way of refueling.

Second, I refuel by helping others. This was surprising to someone who has always considering himself an introvert.  I regain my energy by teaching religious ed at my unitarian church. I regain my energy by volunteering at Jewish Relief Agency once a month and connecting with families in need.  I get a jolt of energy when someone let’s me know that the advice I offered was helpful to them.

The relationships that are built in life act as a renewable energy source for our soul.  Without them we will struggle to reach our goals and to live the life we all deserve.

[Note: This is the 9th in a 12-week series of posts that will discuss "choices" from the book Monday Morning Choices by David Cottrell.]

Not to belittle the recent tragic events in Japan with an obvious metaphor, but you can bet something is coming toward you, still unseen, that will shake whatever structures you have established in your psyche and your world — your priorities, projects, and plans. It will be input that must be incorporated into the totality of your life and work. It will cause you to have to reshuffle many of the meaningful components of your day-to-day experience, as well as triggering realizations of meaningfulness about which you were previously unaware.

The measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of convenience, but where he stands in times of challenge and adversity. – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

This past Saturday I had the pleasure of attending the Alzheimers Association Chocolate Symphony Fundraiser in Philadelphia. Throughout the night people shared their personal stories of lost due to Alzheimers or the challenges they faced living with the disease or loved ones with the disease.

The common thread through each story was that being diagnosed with Alzheimers (which is not preventable or curable as of today) is not a knockdown blow. Each person’s story was one of inspiration, not desperation. It was a message of affirmation and celebration.

We all face adversity. It comes into our lives at different times, in different ways – but no one is immune. How we chose to respond becomes what is important.  In Monday Morning Choices, David Cottrell provides three things we can do to make the Adversity Choice:

1. Realize the adversity is short term. Allow others to help you work your way through the adversity you are facing.
2. Don’t panic, freeze, and stop because you perceive the adversity as insurmountable. You can respond better to crisis when you maximize your forward motion. Keep moving forward.
3. Don’t waste your energy looking for someone to blame. Choose to see the positives and opportunities to grow, even in the face of adversity.

[Note: This is the 8th in a 12-week series of posts that will discuss "choices" from the book Monday Morning Choices by David Cottrell.]