Projects succeed or fail on people. Identifying stakeholders, engaging each appropriately, clarifying who does what, and managing expectations is often the difference between a delivered project and a stalled one.
Identify your stakeholders
A stakeholder is anyone affected by, or who can affect, the project — the sponsor, users, team, suppliers, other departments, regulators. Miss a key stakeholder and you'll be surprised late, when it's expensive.
The Power/Interest grid
Not all stakeholders need the same attention. Plot each on power (influence) and interest, then engage accordingly:
- High power, high interest → Manage closely. Involve them; agree decisions; keep them satisfied.
- High power, low interest → Keep satisfied. Concise, high-level updates.
- Low power, high interest → Keep informed. Regular detail; often your allies.
- Low power, low interest → Monitor. Light touch.
Clarify roles with RACI
On any deliverable, confusion over "who owns this?" causes slippage. A RACI matrix assigns, for each task:
- R — Responsible (does the work), A — Accountable (owns the outcome — only one), C — Consulted (input before), I — Informed (updated after). Rule: exactly one Accountable per task. RACI turns a vague team into clear ownership.
Build a communication plan
Decide who needs what information, how often and in what format — sized to each stakeholder's power/interest. A steering committee needs a concise status and decisions; the team needs detail. Good communication prevents most project conflict.
Manage expectations
Surface risks early, be honest about trade-offs (Iron Triangle), and never let a stakeholder be surprised by bad news. Trust is built by managing expectations, not by promising everything.
Put it to work
Draw a Power/Interest grid and a RACI for your current project, then draft a one-page communication plan. Rehearse influencing a difficult stakeholder in AI Interview™.