jump to navigation

Who’s that coming out of the woodwork? November 3, 2008

Posted by Prasad Varahabhatla in BPM, Customer Requirement, Stakeholder Management.
Tags:
trackback
All of us are very conversant to with words like sponsor, stakeholder, team member, customer and so on. For instance, program and project managers spend a considerable amount of time trying to clearly articulate the R&R’s among their team members. I have seen in my experience that the same level of rigor is sometimes not applied to define the exact role stakeholders and customers play in the success of our initiative.
 
This becomes more challenging when dealing with
1. Long term projects (> 1 year)
2. Large organizations with numerous “affected” departments
3. The program impact spans countries and timezones
 
So, it is imperative that we map the stakeholders and clearly document the role they play in the program. The RACI matrix (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RACI_diagram) may be a useful tool here. Be carfeul to map everyone, however small their role may be. If there are stakeholders with different needs, it is wise to re-look at the scope, determine whether the current activity we are undertaking meets all the varied needs and in case, it does not, spell it out to the relevant stakeholders. Publish the scope and stakeholder map so that everyone know where you stand and where they stand. Use Wiki.
 
A few ground rules I gained from experience and training.
  1. Stakeholder mapping is not a one time exercise. Stakeholders may change, their needs could change as their understanding of what you offer increases, and so on.
  2. Set expectations on communication protocol and adhere to it.
  3. Have agreements with stakeholders (formal or informal). The basic components of the agreement are the outcomes (for them, for you and us), the outputs (deliverable(s) and timing) and the consequences of not delivering on the agreement.
  4. Goes without saying that delivering on the agreement builds trust.
  5. Agreements also need constant monitoring.
  6. Be Accountable. Accountability simply defined is an obligation to accept responsibility for one actions and if managed well, creates alignment and empowerment, drives people to cooperate and finally delivers results. Also note that for stakeholder agreements to work, there is a need for accountability and trust.
  7. Build credibility. Make allies. Some stakeholders will be people you know and some will be known by people you know.

Remember that this could be a different way of operating and may require change management. People in general may suffer from “commitment phobia” but at the same time, everyone appreciates structure. At the end of the day, you will be appreciated.

Sounds like a lot of big words and motherhood statements. But convert the text above in simple English, make a commitment, keep it and religiously expect the same in return.

Till now I have not yet reached to any content that directly says Process Excellence. We are still in the early parts of the journey. We will get closer to Process Excellence as we reach the destination.

Comments»

No comments yet — be the first.