Why should you attend?
Imagine you’re about to launch a new policy, regulations, program or a project that can have a wide-ranging impact on your work and on your internal and external stakeholders. You need the collaboration and support of a variety of people. To get things done at work and to sustain continued successes, one must rely on the goodwill and support of others. Securing support from well-informed, influential, and powerful stakeholders can help win the much needed resources (human, financial, physical and other) for the successful completion of a program or a project. In order to gain stakeholders’ active and sustained support, it is essential to communicate with them early, frequently, regularly about what you are doing and the benefits of your project for them.
The ability to build effective rapport and relationship with stakeholders provides managers with a distinct advantage in managing expectations, dealing with difficult situations and negotiating their way to a positive end result. Understanding the stakeholders’ communication and decision-making styles and personal preferences as well as what motivates them, creates an effective pathway for a committed and results-driven business relationship. Stakeholder communication and engagement is a valuable strategy that successful people use to win others’ support. The workshop outlined below will help you learn how to identify the key stakeholders who have to be won over and kept informed and involved in a way they like, prefer and appreciate so that your efforts lead to success.
What will you learn?
Successful completion of this workshop will enable participants to:
- Identify influential stakeholders for a project or program
- Gather critical information about stakeholders’ communication needs
- Determine stakeholders’ communication and decision-making styles
- Establish rapport and develop mutual understanding with stakeholders
- Create persuasive stakeholder presentations
- Determine your power or sphere of influence with each stakeholder group
- Apply best practices in stakeholder engagement and communication
- Understand the importance of moving from “transactions” to “relationship” mode
What will you take away?
- Participant notebook consisting of presentation slides
- Exercises and handouts
- A link to post-workshop resources available for download
- Certificate of completion
Professional Competencies
- Engagement: Working effectively with people, organizations and partners
Meet Your Instructor
Leah Jurkovic, President CEC
Leah has over 25 years of experience working at the intersection of communications, organizational change, and cultural transformation. As a former executive at Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), Leah led both the communications and human… Read full bio
Sample Agenda
| Activity |
|---|
| Introductions and Workshop Overview |
| Stakeholders: Definitions and Roles This segment includes discussion of: • Stakeholders defined – who they are • Internal vs. external stakeholders • Vertical, horizontal and other stakeholders and implications • Distinguishing stakeholders as “political”, non-political, others • Factors influencing stakeholder relations • Stakeholder roles and influences • Differences between communications, engagement and relationships |
| BREAK |
| Stakeholder Identification and Analysis • Profiling stakeholders — characteristics, power, interests, postures • Groups as stakeholders — opportunities and challenges • Prioritizing stakeholders • Approaches to stakeholder analysis Case Study Exercise: Prioritizing stakeholders based on established criteria. |
| Communicating with Stakeholders: Value in building a Relationship • Engaging the stakeholders • Determining their communications and decision-making style • Using appropriate communications protocol • Building interest (stakeholders’ interest in the program project) • Asking the right questions and active listening • Determining stakeholders interests Case Study Exercise: Assessing Risks and Impacts. |
| LUNCH |
| Stakeholder Communications: One Strategy or Many? • Understanding and planning stakeholder communications • Communications tools and methods • Ascertaining the appropriateness of different communications and stakeholder engagement models, tools and techniques Case Study Exercise: Responding to Senior Management Needs. |
| BREAK |
| Moving Stakeholders from Supporters to Advocates • Guiding principles • Moving stakeholders along the change continuum • Approaches to managing stakeholder expectations • Influencing skills and styles • Tips for effective stakeholder communications Case Study Exercise: Stakeholder Communications Strategy |
| Wrap-up and Evaluation |
You continue to offer exactly what government workers need to learn – at the right time!