MOTIVATINGSTAKEHOLDERSTheconceptofstakeholdershasnotalwaysbeenwithus.Ithasgainedcurrencyinthepastdecadeorsoasbusinessleadershavemoreacutelyrecognizedthecomplexwebofrelationshipsthatmakepossibleoutofapragmaticregardfordiversity.Anditisakeyconceptforthosewhosponsormajorchange.Youwillneedtomeetstakeholderswheretheyare,insideandoutsidetheorganization,andyouwillneedtoinvitethempersuasivelytojoinyouwhereyouare:atthecuttingedgeofchangeandgoodfortuneforyourcompany.You’veseenthem--uponthestage,struttingbackandforth,deliveringafast-pacedmessageofinspiration,hope,enthusiasm,encouragement.Intheend,youcan’thelpyourself--you’repumpedup,excited,readytotakeontheworld.Theirgoalistomotivate,toinciteyoutoactanew--tochange.RogerStaubach,LouHoltz,NormanVincentPealcometomind.ThemotivationalspeakerisanAmericaniconthatwillbewithusforalongtime.Thesepeoplelookasifthey’rehavingfunupthereonthestage,andtheyprobablyare.Youcantoo.Wearenotgoingtosuggestyouworkupaheart-thumpingspeechtodelivertothosewhohavestakesinthechangesyou’recontemplating.Butyoudoneedtobegintothinkabouthow,inyourownway,youcanbringthemonboardtosupportchange.Experienceshowsthatthisisamajorhurdlestandingbetweenyourchangeprojectonpaperandyourchangeprojectasanimplementedreality.Nothingislessimpressivethanachangeprojectthatdoesn’treachitsstakeholders--aflattirecomestomind.Allofthebigideasintheworldgonowhereifthepeopleaffectedbyandaffectingthemdonotgiveprojectsthesupporttheyneed.Motivatingstakeholderstomakeyouragendatheirsisnoeasytask.Onereasonforitsdifficultyisthatsomanystakeholdersareinvolvedincomplexchange.Startwitheveryoneinsideyourorganizationaffectedbyandcapableofinfluencingthechangeprocess,thenmoveontoeveryonewhocomesincontactwithyourorganization.Addingtothecomplexity,stakeholdingindividualsandgroupsperceivethemselvesashavingdifferentstakes.Further,theirviewsofhowthingsaregoingandwhatitallmeansarecertaintoevolveinthecourseoftheproject--implyingthatyouwillneedperiodicallytorevisitstakeholderstoheartheirhopesandfearsandtoreinstillthepositivechangemessage.Finally,thegreatestobstacletosuccessfulchangemaybeyourorganization’spastexperiencewithchange.Thatexperienceissurelymixedatbest,andwhateverwasnastyordifficultaboutitwillhaveleftsomekeystakeholdersfearful,cynical,evenangry.Becausestakeholdersdifferinperspective,werecommendthatyouidentifyaninitialsetofstakeholdingindividualsandgroupsandtakestepstounderstandhowtheyviewthechangesahead.Further,youwillneedtocontinuetoidentifynewplayersastheyenterthegameandmonitortheiremergingenthusiasmandconcerns.Andyouwillhavetodosomethingaboutthebaggageeachstakeholderbringsonthisjourney.WhoAreTheseStakeholders?Stakeholdersareindividualsorgroupswho,atsometimeduringthechangecycle,willaffectandbeaffectedbywhatishappening.Obviousstakeholdersarethosedirectlyp:\fcs\oc\00tool\material\deliver\motivate.doc5/4/2025Page1involvedinthechanges.Howmuchfartheryoushouldlookforstakeholdersdependsonthescopeofyoureffortanditsobjectives.Aswenotedabove,whenbroad-basedchangeisatissuethefullstakeholderpopulationfrequentlyincludesindividualsorgroupsoutsidetheorganization.Stakeholdersinclude:-Customers.Youmusthavenoticedthatcustomersalwayscomefirst?Morethananyotherfactor,customershelpfocusyoureffortsbytellingyouwhattheyneed--andjustasimportant,whattheydon’tneed.Whenthesethingsbecomeyourfocus,youcaneliminatevastamountsofti...
