STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT PLAYBOOK

Stakeholder Management Playbook

A practical guide to help you identify the right stakeholders, understand their influence, and build a communication plan that improves project success.

Part 1

Conduct a stakeholder analysis so you know who matters most and why.

Part 2

Create a communication plan tailored to each stakeholder’s goals and style.

Main message

Projects succeed more easily when you understand people’s power, interest, attitude, and preferred way of working.

Introduction

Why stakeholder management matters

Stakeholder management helps you use people’s input to shape your project, win support, secure resources, and anticipate reactions as the project develops.

Whether you are changing an HR process, rolling out a new system, or leading a transformation, support from the right people can make or break the work.

What this playbook covers

How to identify stakeholders
How to sort them into useful categories
How to assess power, interest, and attitude
How to build a communication plan for each stakeholder

Two-part playbook

Part 1. Stakeholder analysis

Identify stakeholders

List everyone affected by your project, directly or indirectly.

Categorize stakeholders

Separate them into primary, secondary, and key stakeholders.

Qualify stakeholders

Assess their power, interest, and attitude toward the project.

Step 1. Identifying stakeholders

Ask these questions

Who is affected by the project?
Who benefits if it succeeds?
Who may feel the impact if it fails?
Who can influence the outcome?

Helpful tip

Even when a stakeholder is an institution or group, you will usually work with real people. Mapping individuals, not just departments, helps you manage relationships better.

Examples of project stakeholders

Your manager
Candidates
Senior leadership
Stockholders
Internal and external communities

Step 2. Categorizing stakeholders

Secondary stakeholders

These people are affected indirectly or have an indirect impact on the project.

Primary stakeholders

These people are most directly affected by the project or influence it most directly.

Key stakeholders

These are the most influential people and decision-makers across the stakeholder groups.

What to understand about each stakeholder

Their interests
How likely they are to influence your project
How much power they have
Their attitude toward the project

Example stakeholder map

Primary stakeholders	Secondary stakeholders	Key stakeholders
Remote employees	Remote employees’ managers	HR director
HR agency specialized in virtual team building	HR team	Procurement manager
Employee engagement specialists

Quick map works well when time is limited

Step 3. Qualifying stakeholders

Power

The degree to which a stakeholder can influence your project and the decisions linked to it.

Interest

How much the stakeholder stands to gain or lose if the project succeeds or fails.

Attitude

Whether the stakeholder feels positive, negative, or neutral toward the project.

Why this matters

Combining power, interest, and attitude helps you decide how to engage each stakeholder and what type of communication they need.

Mendelow’s Matrix

Mendelow’s Matrix is a quick way to sort stakeholders by power and interest. It helps you decide how much attention each person needs.

Low power, low interest

Monitor

These stakeholders need the least attention, but you should still keep them in mind as the project evolves.

Low power, high interest

Keep informed

They may not control the project, but they care about the outcome and should receive updates.

High power, low interest

Keep satisfied

These stakeholders have influence, so you need to keep them satisfied without overwhelming them.

High power, high interest

Actively engage

These are your key stakeholders. Bring them in early and keep them involved.

Mendelow’s Matrix: key shortcoming

What it misses

Mendelow’s Matrix simplifies reality because it does not show stakeholder attitude. Two stakeholders with the same power and interest may need very different handling if one supports the project and the other resists it.

Practical tip

Watch for stakeholders whose power or interest rises over time. Update your approach as the project changes.

Murray-Webster and Simon’s 3D grid

This model adds attitude to the usual power and interest view, giving you a fuller picture. It helps you personalize your communication and engagement plan.

Stakeholder type	Description
Tripwire	Low power, low interest, low attitude
Acquaintance	Low power, low interest, high attitude
Irritant	Low power, high interest, low attitude
Friend	Low power, high interest, high attitude
Time bomb	High power, low interest, low attitude
Sleeping giant	High power, low interest, high attitude
Saboteur	High power, high interest, low attitude
Savior	High power, high interest, high attitude

How to use the 3D grid

Start by mapping stakeholders on the power/interest matrix.
Then rate their attitude as negative, neutral, or positive.
You can also use a five-point scale if you need more detail.
Tailor your action for each stakeholder based on all three factors together.

Part 2. Communication plan

Why build a communication plan?

Your communication plan should build on your stakeholder analysis. The better you understand each stakeholder’s role and perspective, the easier it is to communicate and influence effectively.

Three steps

Define stakeholder objectives
Define your own objectives for each stakeholder
Define communication style preferences and action steps

Communication plan: Step 1. Define stakeholder objectives

Why objectives matter

Stakeholders may not always say exactly what they want. Understanding both visible and hidden objectives helps you see what motivates them.

Hidden objectives

With empathy and a clear understanding of a stakeholder’s role, you can often identify goals they may not say out loud.

Stakeholder	Power/interest	Attitude	Objectives
VP of HR Americas	High/high	+	Interested in data-driven methods; use the project as a stepping stone
CHRO	Medium/medium	0	Gain more influence; maintain current role
HRBP	Medium/medium	0	Keep up to date with essential details; improve position with managers

Communication plan: Step 2. Define your objectives per stakeholder

Mapping your own objectives next to stakeholder objectives makes your communication more specific, more intentional, and more outcome-focused.

Stakeholder	Objectives	My objectives
VP of HR Americas	Interested in data-driven methods; use the project as a stepping stone	Gain support in using new data-driven methods
CHRO	Gain more influence; maintain current role	Gain board buy-in and approval; increase project credibility
HRBP	Keep up to date with essential details; improve position with managers	Influence specific departments; support the implementation phase

Tip

Both your objectives and your stakeholders’ objectives can change as the project develops, so review and update this part regularly.

Communication plan: Step 3. Define communication style preferences

Common communication preferences

Face-to-face or virtual
Formal or informal
Detailed or brief
Planned or ad hoc

How to find out

If you have worked with a stakeholder before, you may already know their style. If not, ask them directly or ask someone who has worked with them.

This saves time and helps you build a stronger working relationship.

Stakeholder	Communication style	Action steps
VP of HR Americas	Prefers informal communication; enjoys face-to-face communication, especially over lunch or dinner	Call at least twice a month; plan a face-to-face meeting at least four times per year, preferably over dinner when possible
CHRO	Prefers brief written reports with key findings; wants formal information that can be forwarded to the CEO	Send a monthly written report on project progress and learning points; keep them updated on business impact
HRBP	Values personal touch and soft skills over hard data	Plan at least three meetings before year’s end; find a way to actively engage them later in the project

Extra detail can help

For a stronger communication plan, also consider the stakeholder’s interests, behavior style, and experience with similar projects.