Stakeholder Analysis Template

It feels a little bit ridiculous to add yet another stakeholder analysis template to the world, but here we are. I had my first 1:1 with a new (very smart, thoughtful) mentee today. I found myself talking him through the stakeholder analysis framework I usually use instead of just sending him a link.

The template contains all the same info as this post.

Here’s a description of the fields in the template:

  • Who are your stakeholders? 

  • Are they important for outcomes or performance assessment or both? Do you need this person or team’s help in order to deliver or operate successfully? Is this person or team your internal customer? Or will this person be assessing or calibrating your performance? Does this person have influence on your compensation or possible promotion? If you don’t know who will be in the room when your performance is discussed, you should find out ASAP (even if you’re not looking for a promotion).

  • Is your relationship reactive, proactive, both, or nonexistent*? If you mainly talk to this person or team when there’s a problem, you have a reactive relationship. It’s usually helpful to have an existing relationship with someone before there’s a problem. 

  • Do you interact with them on a cadence, trigger, both, or never*? If you interact with the person only during cadenced activities, such as planning cycles or other rituals, you have an exclusively cadenced relationship. 

  • Optional: Is your relationship formal, informal, both, or nonexistent? Do you send each other memes, but only your subordinates interact during planning cycles? You have an exclusively informal relationship. Do you serve on the same advisory board, but you’re not sure if they have kids, a dog, or any kind of life outside work? You have an exclusively formal relationship. 

  • Would you consider the relationship hot or cold? Use the answers to the above questions to help you answer this question.

After completing the template, prioritize the relationships and create an action plan to establish or strengthen them.

*Yes, sometimes these questions end up being very similar.