Strategy Survival Guide

Strategy Survival Guide Version 2.1
Prime Minister’s Strategy Unit
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Strategy Skills > Managing Stakeholders
Identifying key stakeholders and their issues
> in practice
Identifying stakeholders – those affected by and capable of influencing strategy - and their issues is
necessary in order to understand the range of interests that need to be considered in developing and
implementing strategy and policy proposals.
Different stakeholders can perceive the same project and proposals in quite different ways depending on
their vested interests, their particular priorities at the time and their experiences of the organisation or people
leading the work. Indeed, the concerns and objectives of different stakeholders and stakeholder groups are
frequently in conflict.
The list of stakeholders for any government strategy work is likely to be long and include:
• Users and customers
• The departmental or lead Minister (if there is one) and their specialist adviser
• Ministers in relevant other government departments (OGDs) and their specialist advisers
• Groups of officials and individuals in the relevant OGDs
• The Number 10 Policy Unit
• Devolved administrations
• Representative organisations from the relevant sectors
• Local authorities and the wider public sector
• Private sector organisations and individuals who have a current or potential future vested interest in
an area (for example, if they might be involved in future delivery)
• Parliamentary Committees
• Academics, research organisations and think tanks
• Employers and trade unions
• International organisations such as the EC, World Bank, IMF or UN
A brainstorming session during a team meeting devoted to stakeholder identification is an effective means of
capturing the list of all the likely stakeholders. It is useful to keep a record of identified stakeholders and their
contact details.
In addition, in order to manage stakeholders effectively it is important to understand the needs and interests
of each, including:
• their goals
• past reactions
• expected behaviour
• the likely impact the project will have on them (positive or negative)
• their likely reaction
• the extent of buy-in and level of support.
It may be useful to meet with some of the stakeholders to establish the nature of their interest and any
concerns they may have about the project.
Strategy Survival Guide – Strategy Skills
Page 77