THE CHOICE OF MESSENGER IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE MESSAGE

THE CHOICE OF MESSENGER IS AS IMPORTANT AS THE MESSAGE

MANAGING STAKEHOLDERS

Much has been written about stakeholders. The most frequently used model is to group stakeholders according to Power/Influence with those with Power + Influence being carefully engaged and those without Power + Influence being a lesser priority.

If you are unfamiliar with Power/Influence matrix read this blog…
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20141209102103-26759263-stakeholders-analysis-power-influence-interest-matrix

I would like to explore a different approach, notably with a view toward what is said and how we say it based on two other models, the first is the DISC model and the second the 7 key influence methods.

In summary DISC suggests that people broadly fall into the following personality categories ..

RED (Dominant) Task/Outgoing: Dominant, Driven, Decisive
GREEN (Influencer) People/Outgoing: Persuasive, Optimistic, Creative
BLUE (Stable) People/Reserved: Caring, Supportive, Calm, Patient
YELLOW (Cautious) Task/Reserved: Cautious, Data-Orientated, Persistent, Analytic

If you are unfamiliar with DISC model read this blog…
https://www.discprofile.com/what-is-disc/overview/

It is useful when working with stakeholders to think about what are their “hot topics”: What do they worry about; What they care about; What do they frequently talk about.

Then, using DISC start to think about how you might present information to them and using the 7 key influence methods think about how you might persuade them.

Do it…
1.    Because you like me, and you’re like me
2.    Do it to reciprocate, repay past or future debt or promise
3.    Do it because everyone else is doing it
4.    This offer is good for a limited time only
5.    Do it to be consistent, with past, with values, with type
6.    You can believe me, I’m an authority
7.    Do it or else (use sparingly!)

If you are unfamiliar with 7 key influence methods read this blog…
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/magnificent-7-ways-influence-avoid-react-tim-hj-rogers

The problem is that often people present too much data to people who want brief summaries [RED (Dominant)] or not enough data to people who want facts [YELLOW (Cautious)].  Similarly too much focus on task may be upsetting to people whose concern is people, or vice-versa.

Moreover there may be a wrong assumption that people are always motivated to do what everyone else is doing [Do it because everyone else is doing it] rather than because the expert think this is the right thing to do [You can believe me, I’m an authority]

I therefore strongly recommend that for big issues which are dependent upon stakeholder engagement it is really important to think about both DISC and the 7 key influence methods.

Time spend carefully understanding the “hot topics” and crafting the “key messages”  is time well spent and choosing the right method, style and timing of communication is key to making sure your efforts are rewarded.

Finally, and importantly, don’t always assume you should be the person doing the communication. People are often more influenced by their friends, family or professional colleagues. This suggests that exactly the same message will be received differently depending on who said it.

Understanding this is vitally important because success it is very often about dialogue through people and the choice of messenger is as important as the message.
   
CONTACT

If you are interested in any of the above and would like to contribute to the discussion by posting a comment, or meet with me to chat about your experiences and the issues and opportunities in your organization I would be delighted to meet and buy the coffee and  croissants for an interesting conversation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an AMPG Qualified Change Practitioner, a PRINCE2 Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have included the incorporation of Jersey Post Office, Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI and NatWest and the integration and incorporation of Jersey Harbours and Airport. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered Management Institute, a past curator for TEDx, Team manager for Jersey’s Triathlon Island Games Team and Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club.

THE MAGNIFICENT 7 WAYS TO INFLUENCE, AVOID OR REACT

These are check-lists that I have developed from various sources, none is entirely original but I have found them useful and happy to share with others.

7 WAYS TO INFLUENCE

Do it…
1.    Because you like me, and you’re like me
2.    Do it to reciprocate, repay past or future debt or promise
3.    Do it because everyone else is doing it
4.    This offer is good for a limited time only
5.    Do it to be consistent, with past, with values, with type
6.    You can believe me, I’m an authority
7.    Do it or else

7 WAYS TO AVOID INFLUENCE

No, because...
1.    I like you, but I don’t like this proposal
2.    Is this a favour? Are you looking for something in return?
3.    Just because everyone else is doesn’t mean..
4.    If I don’t have time to think, I don’t have time to buy
5.    I need to think about what I want, and be consistent with that
6.    If I were you I might, but I’m not you
7.    Please explain the “or else” slowly so I fully understand

How to react to negative feedback (possibly bullying)
1.    Ask for time to think - it should force a pause or moment of silence.
2.    Think about what you want to happen - don’t fight back, think forward.
3.    Get the bully to stop yelling - “Please speak more slowly, I’d like to understand” or (if on the phone) say nothing until they ask “Are you still there?”
4.    What ever you do don’t explain - think forward, don’t justify, recriminate, excuse or offer explanation. They’re looking to exploit weaknesses (-) not strength (+)
5.    Ask “what would you like me to do?”. If so challenged they will ask you for something more acceptable than what they want. This is your exit opportunity.
6.    Don’t take criticism personally - attacks on your team, your work, your values, etc are not attacks on you. Although it is hard to resist “fight or flight”
7.    Learn from criticism - if you wait 24 hrs before answering criticism it will demonstrate maturity, reasonableness and you may learn something!

CONTACT

If you are interested in any of the above and would like to contribute to the discussion by posting a comment, or meet with me to chat about your experiences and the issues and opportunities in your organization I would be delighted to meet and buy the coffee and  croissants for an interesting conversation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an AMPG Qualified Change Practitioner, a PRINCE2 Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have included the incorporation of Jersey Post Office, Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI and NatWest and the integration and incorporation of Jersey Harbours and Airport. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered Management Institute, a past curator for TEDx, Team manager for Jersey’s Triathlon Island Games Team and Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club.

LIFESTYLE BUSINESS V ENTREPRENEUR

INTRODUCTION

This blog is a reflection of having worked in businesses that were going to grow, sell and make millions, as well as having established my own business with more modest ambitions to provide great service at low cost. It is not to champion one over the other, but to compare and contrast whilst noting that a whole range of factors may influence your preference including age, circumstance, lifestyle, ambition and income demands as well as your product, service and customers.

LIFESTYLE BUSINESS

A lifestyle business is a business set up and run by its founders primarily with the aim of sustaining a particular level of income and no more; or to provide a foundation from which to enjoy a particular lifestyle

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lifestyle_business

ENTREPRENEUR

By contrast an entrepreneur has traditionally been defined as the process of designing, launching and running a new business, which typically begins as a small business, such as a startup company, offering a product, process or service for sale or hire. For the purpose of this blog an Entrepreneur is different from a lifestyle business only in so far as they aspire to grow the business either with a view living off the proceeds from selling it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Entrepreneurship

THE PROS AND CONS

Generally  a lifestyle business run by its founders is unlikely to have many staff, and may be modest in both client base and income. If the aim is simply to provide sufficient income to pursue other interests there is no motive (or need) to manage growth or all the extra-overheads associated with creating capacity and satisfying demand.

From a client perspective these businesses can be very efficient: there is no big sales, marketing, HR, or technology team all of whom add to the costs of the product or service without adding to the quality or outcome.

From a founder perspective close to 100% of the income goes directly to the founder, with minimal overhead and without the need to pursue additional work simply to fund the overhead.

An entrepreneur by contrast will have to work much harder to grow a business and provide the income to sustain that growth. The bigger the business the more that growth is overhead (sales, marketing, HR, technology) all taking from the income but not contributing to it.

The prize for such growth is questionable if the additional income is spent simply maintaining operations rather than paying a dividend to the founder for their efforts.

THE LIE THAT BIGGER IS BETTER

There is the idea that having a bigger business is better because you can delegate all the work, but in truth even if they are doing all the work you as founder will be doing all the co-ordination necessary to guide the ship and that may be harder and less satisfying them actually doing the work that yields the income.

From a client perspective there may be a feeling of safety in numbers; that doing business with a small business or one-man-firm is inherit more risky than doing business with a firm that employs more people.

The reality is that there is dependency on good people irrespective of whether they are the employer or the employee and arguably you are going to get more commitment from someone whose income comes directly from the client as a result of their performance than someone who can be ill, take holiday or have their attentions directed elsewhere or quit their job with no recourse for the client.

 RISK AND REWARD

The risk and reward does appear to favour the entrepreneur, however is we assume that a good one-man-firm earns £100k , divided by 220 working days in a year that’s £450/day.

By contrast if you employ 3 people doing billable  work (£90k) and employ a book-keeper (£30k) operating from a small office (£10k) with modest infrastructure  (£5k) you’ll find that you need to bring in £1068/day  to achieve exactly the same result.

These numbers are indicative only because the higher wages for good people and financial burden of admin and the time lost to admin and bureaucracy is likely to make this scenario even less tenable.

From a client perspective they are getting access to talent worth £30k salary, rather than the commitment of someone  valued at £100k [this pre-supposed that price is actually reflective of value, which is a whole debate within itself]

In this scenario both founder and client loose-out.

FEWER PEOPLE WANT TO BIG BUSINESS

Perhaps the biggest factor is the change in demographics, education, culture and expectations. Fewer people want to be “wage slaves” and more relish the opportunity to do their own thing, working collaboratively in dynamic environments.

Clients too increasingly favour employing people who are passionate about their product or service than those who simply sing the corporate song of somebody else’s  for as long as their being paid.

The industrial revolution which saw people flock to the cities to find work with the factory employers is now in reverse with tele-working and globalization persuading people that the time spend commuting and the cost of posh premises is simply not valued by the people doing the work, or the customers paying for it.

NETWORKS, CONSORTIUMS AND COLLABORATIONS

Instead we are seeing  Networks, Consortiums and Collaborations as being the replacement for corporate employment since these provide the breadth and depth of multi-disciplinary skills, and the social fabric for communication, innovation and collaborative working.

The great value of this is that good, strong and successful Networks, Consortiums and Collaborations with thrive and others will wane. The ebb and flow of new combinations for new projects and initiatives provides a more dynamic and innovative environment for rapid change without the encumbrances of juggernought business which simply cannot offer this depth of resource pool or flexibility.

CONTACT

If you are interested in any of the above and would like to contribute to the discussion by posting a comment, or meet with me to chat about your experiences and the issues and opportunities in your organization I would be delighted to meet and buy the coffee and  croissants for an interesting conversation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an AMPG Qualified Change Practitioner, a PRINCE2 Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have included the incorporation of Jersey Post Office, Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI and NatWest and the integration and incorporation of Jersey Harbours and Airport. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered Management Institute, a past curator for TEDx, Team manager for Jersey’s Triathlon Island Games Team and Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club.

LEADERSHIP IS NOT THE SAME AS DEMOCRACY.

LEADERSHIP IS NOT THE SAME AS DEMOCRACY.

POWER RESPONSIBILITY PASSIVE AGGRESSION AND COUPS

It has been an interesting couple of weeks with Brexit, the changes for Conservatives and Labour and a whole load of other business, domestic and parish club and community issues which all seem to have the same ingredients but in different quantities.

BREXIT

I shall try to avoid getting drawn on either side or the decision, but am curious about the people, personalities, process and product of this experience. It seems that all the above (Power Responsibility Passive Aggression and Coups) had their place at some point in the proceedings.

I doubt I can add any value to the debate given the huge amount of expert and less-expert opinion floating around on social media. What I might venture to do is explore what might be learned from this for anyone seeking to pursue any form of communication and engagement for their business, domestic and parish club and community initiative.

Soundbites and slogans matter because people don’t have the time, energy or sometimes comprehension to really tackle the issues and form an opinion.

People follow other people more than they follow principles. The voice of the crowd and a desire to belong and to be part of a team, will almost always compromise personal opinion. This may be seen as a bad thing (too easily coerced) or a good thing (willing to compromise).

Good news (it will be fine) or bad news (we will be doomed) is irrelevant if you don’t trust or believe the messenger.

Likeability (are they like me) appears to matter more than credibility (are they any good) when choosing to believe the messenger or not.

In pursuit of simplicity (in an effort to persuade) we often deny the complexity and truth (which might dampen people’s conviction). This is great when getting a simple decision but problematic when implementing a complex change. The risk is that you’ll find favour for the simple stuff and loose support when it gets to the difficult stuff.


LEADERSHIP

Can you be a leader if you have no followers or lose them? Who are your important followers: those that execute your commands; those that elected you; or those whom you impact by your decisions?

This isn’t just about Conservatives and Labour. I see this in organisations and clubs. Does the CEO worry about their customers more than their colleagues? Does the Manager worry more about their Supporters or their Players?

You cannot satisfy all of the people all of the time. If you bend to everyone it seems to me you are not a leader. If you bend to nobody then you are most likely a dictator without any true leadership qualities.


I think leading with permission; leading with support and endorsement is the right balance since this demands both decision making but also diplomacy, democracy, and some humility.

LESSONS FOR POWER RESPONSIBILITY PASSIVE AGGRESSION AND COUPS

There are plenty of passive aggressive who will undermine and sabotage. These are people whose motive may be to destabilize and demoralise without the intellect or courage to offer up alternative plans or for themselves to take leadership. These are subversive bullies.

However it may be hard to discern these people from the iconoclast seeking to overthrow a tyrant or break the chains of oppression. If they don’t have the time, money, talent, or good fortune to be able to offer an alternative these people are victims and rebels.

The only true heroes straddle both the above: They may be without time, money, talent, or good fortune but they use passion and leadership to persuade. They may will seek to destabilize that which is wrong and offer up alternative plans for what is right.

If you encounter passive aggressive behaviour which seeks to destabilize and demoralise the change-management response would be to marginalise or remove. However if as a leader you listen to them and confer upon them some responsibility and accountability you become less of a tyrant and they become more a part of the solution.

It takes a very savvy leader to know what responsibility and accountability to confer upon someone else and how to make sure of responsibility and accountability, but ultimately this is likely to avoid the disruption and chaos of a coup or the distraction of fighting a rear-guard action in an effort to avoid a coup.

I love and often quote Harold Wilson: I’d rather have in in the tent p*ssing out than out of the tent p*ssing in.

This is much easier said than done, which is why to marginalise or remove dissent is the more usual action.

Leadership is not the same as Democracy.

I’m not sure which is better.

CONTACT

If you are interested in any of the above and would like to contribute to the discussion by posting a comment, or meet with me to chat about your experiences and the issues and opportunities in your organisation I would be delighted to meet and buy the coffee and  croissants for an interesting conversation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an AMPG Qualified Change Practitioner, a PRINCE2 Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have included the incorporation of Jersey Post Office, Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI and NatWest and the integration and incorporation of Jersey Harbours and Airport. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered Management Institute, a past curator for TEDx, Team manager for Jersey’s Triathlon Island Games Team and Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club.

WHAT IS PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT?

This blog isn’t a sales pitch and does not offer a clear and unambiguous solution to all your performance management challenges. Instead it is a pick-n-mix of thoughts and experiences that may be useful and could be challenged – I welcome both debate and feedback, it’s where the learning really begins.

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

It is worth putting a little context to this blog. I am Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club, and I have a number of client projects where I need to deliver on-time, on-budget and to-specification. I am also an Ironman Triathlete with a pretty tough training programme and some ambitions towards some big competitions coming up.

All this screams A-type character attitude and behaviour and I can imagine provokes recoil from all the B-type characters who may feel this as a bit “full-on” and that life is not meant to be a competition.

So should we encourage and support people to develop and perform, and if so how should we do this in a manner that support all of any ability.

PERFORMANCE ANXIETY

One of the challenges about any assessment of performance is understanding where you are now, where you want to be and how to get there. I know many people who will look at their race results or their work-based outputs and say that they are doing a good job.

My challenge will be how do you know? What is your point of reference for what good looks like. The introverts may suggest that it is a feeling and the extroverts will suggest it is based on feedback.

As an athlete and a project manager I am used to the idea of measurement, and as someone who has also attended a Mindfulness Programme I would also suggest that you can “measure” happiness and contentment. It isn’t something that just happens, but like any relationship is something that requires understanding, compromise and effort. Honestly being Mindfulness requires practice!

Performance anxiety comes from a fear of judgement, either external judgement or internal assessment. The first step is to establish what you want to get better at and then create an environment which is nurturing and supportive rather than judgemental.

THE DIVISIONS CAUSED BY PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Within the Jersey Rowing Club I had many people push-back on what they perceived as a programme for the Elite high-performers, but soon others expressed an interest in the nurturing and supportive approach that included workshops on nutrition, technique, strength and flexibility.

Without doubt performance management can create them and us, winners and losers. But it should not. Performance management should create opportunity in any direction: this may be faster and stronger, but there no reason it cannot be more fun, more relaxed, more satisfying, safer, more engaging.

PERFORMANCE IS A PROCESS NOT A RESULT
As a triathlete I remember a great quote by Tim Don as he crossed the line and was asked about how he felt about the result. He replied, the result does not matter, I am pleased with the performance. I did what I set out to achieve and I am getting better. I am happy with that.

This is very important: Results are about what everyone else does relative to you, and results are based on lots of things, some of which you can control and some of which you cannot. Performance however is something that is wholly within your control.

This is true in sport, work or life.

IT IS THE TAKING PART THAT COUNTS

You might not be a “winner” but there is nothing wrong with being a participant: its still a lot better than being a spectator. This is true in sport, work or life.

However this should not take anything away from those whose aspirations and opportunities may take them in a different direction. There is nothing wrong or “not in the spirit of things” to want to be faster and stronger.

THERE ARE ONLY THREE STEPS ON THE PODIUM

Not everyone aspires to be on the top step on a podium.

Performance management is about creating the opportunities to be better at what you value as being important. That can be as an athlete, coach, boss, mother, brother, or friend. It can be on the sports field, at work, in the garden or in the tranquillity of your own mind.

CONTACT

If you are interested in any of the above and would like to contribute to the discussion by posting a comment, or meet with me to chat about your experiences and the issues and opportunities in your organisation I would be delighted to meet and buy the coffee and  croissants for an interesting conversation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an AMPG Qualified Change Practitioner, a PRINCE2 Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have included the incorporation of Jersey Post Office, Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI and NatWest and the integration and incorporation of Jersey Harbours and Airport. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered Management Institute, a past curator for TEDx, Team manager for Jersey’s Triathlon Island Games Team and Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club.

WHAT TYPE OF ORGANISATION DO YOU WANT TO DEVELOP?

This blog isn’t a sales pitch and does not offer a clear and unambiguous solution to all your organisational woes. Instead it is a pick-n-mix of thoughts and experiences that may be useful and could be challenged – I welcome both debate and feedback, it’s where the learning really begins.

ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

I have recently been asked about OD. However so many people have so many different ideas of what Organisational Development the first challenge is to ask what we understand by the term. A quick reference to wiki and the following is suggested.

Organization development (OD) is a field of research, theory and practice dedicated to expanding the knowledge and effectiveness of people to accomplish more successful organizational change and performance

Source:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organization_development

All sounds pretty good stuff to have in any organisation doesn’t it. Indeed we might hope that this is business-as-usual and that an Organisational Development Programme or Consultant should not be required to deliver this.

Hold this thought, I’ll come back to it later.

PEOPLE AND PROCESS

Some businesses are very prescriptive and follow set processes and procedures. Manufacturing would be a good example. Many product based businesses are also processes and procedures based with the end-product (a BMW, iPad or McDonalds Burger) being the product produced as a result of processes and procedures.

Some businesses are less prescriptive and allow greater autonomy for the people to do what they feel is right, to customise the services or respond to the wishes of the client. Typically we might stereotype these businesses as service and/or creative businesses.

This is clearly a simplification for the purpose of discussion, but you might suggest that the former would seek to develop employees who are methodical and compliant and the latter those who are self-starters, maverick and entrepreneurial.

It would be wrong to say you cannot have a mix of these skills, but when creating a culture and developing an organisation there will be some in the majority and some in the minority.

This will affect your bias towards control via processes and procedures or trust in people, who have the skills, understanding and knowledge to shape their efforts in pursuit of the organisational aims. This will affect recruitment and training, rewards and punishments, promotion and employee turn-over.

Hold this thought, I’ll come back to it later.

CONTRACT AND COVENANT

There was a good piece on BBC Radio 4 Today Programme [about 8am 23 July 2016] which talked about new policy for staff to self-certify their sickness and absence from work and the difference between their contract (the legal requirements and rules set between employer and employee) and their covenant (the trust, loyalty and commitment of each to each-other in support of mutual goals)

I know we all benefit from laws, rules, processes and procedures and programmes. They keep us safe on the roads, make the game fair, ensure consistency and quality and help us manage, monitor and progress towards our goals.

I also believe that people like to be trusted and to feel important, rather than be a cog in a big machine, which is what it can feel like in big or small bureaucracies where process appears to triumph over common sense.

So reflecting on the previous sections….

Is Organisational Development about knowledge and effectiveness of people through education on laws, rules, processes and procedures and programmes or by inspiring them to be self-starters, maverick and entrepreneurial in pursuit of the organisational aims.

Is Organisational Development about tightening the grip or loosening the grip, the balance between management (doing things right) and leadership (doing the right things).

PUBLIC SECTOR REFORM

Most businesses are very private about their Organisational Development needs and challenges. However Jersey’s Government is very public about theirs and presents some interesting scenarios for case studies and a good number of initiatives for consideration and evaluation.

See http://www.gov.je/News/Speeches/EDD/Pages/PublicSectorReform2014.aspx

•Modernisation
•What we have achieved so far
•1 - Lean programme
•2 - e-government
•3 - Workforce modernisation
•4 - Culture
•5 - Modern office
•Priorities for 2014

Some of the above initiatives have worked very well and some less well. Some have worked in other organisations better or worse than they have worked as part of Public Sector Reform. All of them merit consideration in the context or Organisational Development.

What Type Of Organisation Do You Want To Develop?

If you want to follow the Public Sector Reform the link below is a useful resource.
https://blog.gov.je/category/public-sector-reform/


CONTACT

If you are interested in any of the above and would like to contribute to the discussion by posting a comment, or meet with me to chat about your experiences and the issues and opportunities in your organisation I would be delighted to meet and buy the coffee and  croissants for an interesting conversation.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an AMPG Qualified Change Practitioner, a PRINCE2 Project Manager, with an MBA in Management Consultancy. Past projects have included the incorporation of Jersey Post Office, Operations Change and Sales Support for RBSI and NatWest and the integration and incorporation of Jersey Harbours and Airport. He is a tutor/lecturer for the Chartered Management Institute, a past curator for TEDx, Team manager for Jersey’s Triathlon Island Games Team and Performance Director for Jersey Rowing Club.

When and How to Communicate and Engage

INTRODUCTION

In this blog I outline the fairly straightforward thinking about [1] Who to Engage [2] How to Engage and [3] When To Engage before I go on to the more challenging question of the pros and cons of who and when.

The problem is sometimes if you make a decision and seek feedback you are un-democratic other times you seek opinion before making your choice and you are seen as indecisive. Talking to people before you are clear on your aims or outcomes may invite as much criticism as making a firm decision and then being told you have failed to fully consult the necessary people or consider the implications.

It’s a pretty tricky situation only compounded if your project or change management has many more stakeholders than you can reasonably sit in a room with, or has many irreconcilable interests.

WHO TO ENGAGE

Anyone who has done any form of project and change management will know and appreciate how important it is to Communicate and Engage with key people.

This will include the customers, suppliers, the team(s) delivering the change and the users / recipients of the change as well as the “stakeholders” which can be as wide ranging as casual spectators to passionate agents for or against what is proposed.

The Communication and Engagement may consider “stakeholders” in RACI groups [link 1]

1.       Responsible - Those responsible for the performance of the task. There should be exactly one person with this assignment for each task.
2.       Accountable - The one ultimately answerable for the correct and thorough completion of the deliverable or task, and the one who delegates the work to those responsible.
3.       Consulted- Those whose opinions are sought; and with whom there is two-way communication.
4.       Informed - Those who are kept up-to-date on progress; and with whom there is one-way communication

Or you might consider power/interest matrix [link 2]

1.       high power/ high interest – MANAGE CLOSELY
2.       high power/ low interest – KEEP STAISFIED
3.       low power/ high interest - KEEP INFOMRED
4.       low power/ low interest - MONITOR

This has Advantages and disadvantages

Advantages: Helps discovering where the real power over a project is located and therefore making better project decisions. Helps finding the right communication means with stakeholders

Disadvantages: Can be subjective. To benefit must be performed on regular basis. Plotting a stakeholder on this matrix does not show his attitude towards our initiative. We do not know whether a stakeholder is for or against it. Sometimes symbols like (+, -, or 0) are used to indicate that a stakeholder shows positive, negative or neutral attitude.

HOW TO ENGAGE

You might additionally plot communication preferences for each group to note those that prefer face-to-face, lots of data, presentation etc. Certain styles suit people or circumstances (The list below is a very small sample and may be different for each project and change management depending on culture and circumstance).

1.       To help Understanding - Workshop; Presentations; Feedback & Support; Video
2.       To help Acceptance – Face-to-face; Group Meetings; Briefings
3.       To help Caring– Face-to-face; Individual Meetings; Briefings
4.       To help Planning – Email; Brochures; Newsletters
5.       To help Implementation –Guides; Check-Lists

You might even use different approaches to suit individual learning, communication or behavioral styles [Link 3]

WHEN TO ENGAGE

There may also be project and change management phases/stages

1.       Pre-Project – outlining the intended project or change
2.       The beginning – explaining who, how, what, when, where, and why of intended project or change
3.       The middle – offering updates and opportunities for comment and feedback
4.       The end – to review the outcome and successes of the project or change

THE PROS AND CONS OF WHO AND WHEN

This is the tricky bit: Most of the above is quite straightforward and well documented. The challenges exist when your project or change management has many more stakeholders than you can reasonably sit in a room with, or has many irreconcilable interests.

A key matter is to understand the difference between consultation (you want their opinion) and communication (you are informing them of your opinion or choice). If you want their opinion the inference is that you are prepared to consider their suggestions to process or outcome. If you have made your choice the implication is that you are pressing ahead and the aim is to inform rather than invite comment.

It is useful to be clear on this to avoid a frustrating waste of time.

Of course you may have a two-step project or change..

Step1 – Discuss and what must happen (consultation)
Step2 – Progress the implementation (communication)

Then the challenge becomes who to invite to invite to each. It may seem obvious to invite the people who will design and shape the change to the former, and those that will deliver and accept the change to the latter but there is a degree more politics in this. Some would prefer not to make decisions or be accountable and others will be affronted if a decision is made without their contribution.

This is also difficult where you might have over 100 stakeholders and you need to think about the best one or two people for each group interest eg a staff representative, union representative, customer representative, supplier representative etc.

The challenge of representatives is that they are often dispatched by their peers with the clear instruction “don’t agree to anything” and then no matter how sensible the discussion the inevitable outcome is that their allegiance and approach aims to satisfy their peers than the over-arching project or change.

In these circumstances it may be important to do some team building so that the understanding and loyalty is to the aims and purpose of the project or change more than the parochial or silo interests of one group. The implication is that this style of engagement will take much longer and is dependent upon personality more than information communication.

You may find that you need to select representatives from each group interest rather as you would guests at a dinner party- where you are hoping they will all get along!

There is much that has been written about team building and creating a collegiate sense of belonging to the programme and ownership of the project or change. This is beyond the scope of this article, except to note that good followership depends upon good leadership.

CONCLUSION

Communication and Engagement can be obvious (none of the approaches above are clever) but it can also be very complex (employing all the approaches above can be difficult) . In the end success depends on relationship and leadership.

CONTACT

If you are interested in Communication and Engagement and would like to offer your experience or contribute towards a best practice guide please get in contact. Email TimHJRogers@ciChange.org or Twitter @ciChange

AUTHOR

Tim Rogers is an experienced Project and Change Leader, with a background in Technology and Business Analysis. He was Project Manager for the commercialization of a major public utility and responsible for Operations Change and Sales Support for one of the ‘big four’ banks. He is also Commonwealth Triathlete and World Championships Rower with a passion for teaching and learning and is a Tutor/Mentor on the Chartered Management Institute courses.

LINKS
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Responsibility_assignment_matrix
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stakeholder_analysis
http://www.humanmetrics.com/personality/communication-strategies-for-different-types