This document discusses the complexities of stakeholder management when dealing with stakeholders from different organizations and sectors with varying interests and goals. It identifies that stakeholders can include private and public sector groups, departments, customers, users, financial groups, and more. Managing these relationships is challenging due to differing leadership styles, goals, communication approaches, and funding between private and public sectors. The document recommends understanding stakeholder needs, mapping influence and interest, building communication plans, and applying analysis skills to engagement in order to overcome these complexities in stakeholder management.

1. Overcoming Complexities in Stakeholder
Management
By: Bilikisu Aderinto, MSc, IIBA
Head, Solutions development, GICL

2. WHY COMPLEXITY IN STAKEHOLDER
MANAGEMENT?
The ability to manage varying stakeholders from
different organizational sector having different
interest, goal and commitment to a business
initiative, is creating a lot of impending factors to
the success of several business initiative
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3. WHY COMPLEXITY IN
STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT?
Business Initiatives (or Projects as you may choose) basically
involve more than the delivery of a product, service or result: they
create change.
More than anything, they are about managing relationships both
within and around the activities and products of the project
initiative. The challenge for different organizational sector is to
deliver successful projects in an environment surrounded by
uncertainty by ensuring that all those groups and individuals
affected by the change - stakeholders, are engaged in a way that
enhances their collaboration.
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4. WHO IS A STAKEHOLDER?
“A group or person who has interests that may be
affected by an initiative or influence over it.” (IIBA)
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5. BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS
Business
Initiative
Business
Owner/Spo
nsor
Business
Manager
Direct User
Indirect
User
Financial
Department
Project
Manager
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6. STAKEHOLDERS WITHIN THE SECTORS
• Private Sector Stakeholders
• Public Sector Stakeholders
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7. COMMON GROUNDS
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Leadership
Goals &
Objectives
Employee
Attitude
Communication Funding
PRIVATE/PUBLIC SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS

8. THE BIG DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PRIVATE
AND PUBLIC SECTOR STAKEHOLDERS
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Differences Private Sector Public Sector
LEADERSHIP Define clear set of goals
and objectives and a
shared vision of how to
achieve them
Define goals and objectives
based on Government
Policies
GOALS AND OBJECTIVES Well defined, shared and
understood
Documented, but rarely
shared and understood
EMPLOYEE ATTITUDE Driven by Leadership and
Organizational Goals and
objectives
Driven by Government
policies and standards
COMMUNICATION Two-way communication
within the organization
One-way communication
within the organization
FUNDING Business Government

9. IDENTIFY STAKEHOLDERS
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•Departments
•Customer
group
Groups
•Subject
Matter Expert
•Direct User
Individual
•Partner
Organizations
•Partner
Government
Agencies
External
Organization

10. ANALYSE STAKEHOLDER
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• Identify decision-makers within the organization
• Identify principal stakeholders
• Understand stakeholder interests
• Identify patterns and contexts of interaction between stakeholders
• Define options for stakeholder management

11. STAKEHOLDER MAPPING MATRIX
InfluenceofStakeholder
Interest of Stakeholder
Low High
High
LOW
Monitor & keep
informed as needed
MEDIUM
Keep informed &
involve as needed
CRITICAL
Manage closely,
involve in decision
making, engage &
consult regularly
HIGH
Engage & consult on
interest area
Stakeholder Mapping Matrix
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12. COMMUNICATE AND ENGAGE
WITH STAKEHOLDERS
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• What do the team need to achieve through the communication - to meet the
expectations and requirements of the stakeholder;
• Which means of communication best suits the stakeholder?
• What is the most effective message format and delivery method is preferred
by the stakeholder?

13. OVERCOMING THE STAKEHOLDER
COMPLEXITY
1. By understanding which stakeholders are important and how best to provide the
information that meets their needs and the needs of the organization it is possible to
reduce the difficulty experienced during communication and stakeholder
engagement.
2. Stakeholder management is difficult because it involves different people with
different expectations and different information needs.
3. Engaging stakeholders for collaboration involves constant vigilance in a constantly
changing landscape of relationships with stakeholders whose support, interests and
influence fluctuates unpredictably.
4. Building a good and efficient Communication plan is very important as
Communication is a human endeavor, and the complex communication that may
be necessary for managing stakeholder relationships within an different organization
requires planning, monitoring and also leadership.
5. Applying best competency in analysis skills and experience is key to success in
engaging stakeholders.
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14. CAUTION
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• Be authentic and honest, BUT DON’T
EXAGGERATE
• Empathise BUT DON’T SYMPATHISE
• Respect your stakeholders’ experience and
knowledge BUT DON’T SHOW TOO MUCH OF
YOUR EXPERTISE

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Comments, Questions.

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17. Reference
Omar Muhammad, 2003, COMPLEX PROJECTS AND THE POLITICS STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT. [online] Project Management Times,
Available at: http://www.projecttimes.com/articles/complex-projects-and-the-politics-stakeholder-management.html [Accessed: 11
March 2015].
Raj Sharma, 2008, The 6 Principles of Stakeholder Engagement, [online] Supply Chain Management Review, Available at:
http://www.censeoconsulting.com/media/pnc/2/media.12.pdf [Accessed: 11 March 2015]
Ipsos MORI Social Research Institute, 2009, Understanding your stakeholders A best practice guide for the public sector, [online] Available
at: http://www.ipsos.com/public-affairs/sites/www.ipsos.com.public-affairs/files/documents/understanding-stakeholders.pdf [Accessed:
11 March 2015]
Lynda Bourne, 2010, WHY IS STAKEHOLDER MANAGEMENT SO DIFFICULT? [online] Stakeholder management Pty Ltd, Available at:
http://www.mosaicprojects.com.au/PDF_Papers/P123_Why_is_Stakeholder_Management_so_difficult.pdf [Accessed: 11 March 2015]
Aniket Sharma, 2013, STAKEHOLDER ANALYSIS AND MANAGEMENT, [online] Available at: http://expertbusinessanalyst.com/stakeholder-
analysis-and-management/ [Accessed: 11 March 2015]
Lynda Bourne, Stakeholders and Complexity, 2012, [online] Available at: http://www.projectaccelerator.co.uk/stakeholders-and-
complexity/2647 [Accessed: 11 March 2015]
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