Reaching Stakeholders

[Marilyn Null <marilyn.null@pentagon.af.mil>]

Hi, Betty!  Glad you're still working these issues.

It's been my experience that reaching stakeholders, both internal and external, requires multiple tools.  I prefer to have my toolbox as full as possible, with room to add new and improved tools as the situation requires.  

First and foremost is a need to do some homework -- reviewing correspondence, newspaper articles, other Agency actions within an area, relevant web sites, researching who the key leaders are in the community, both official and unofficial...

Second, it is crucial to TALK to people.  One can start with an initial list of those key leaders identified in the research to

1) start building the relationships that become the foundation upon which all further discussions occur;
 
2) LISTEN to the stakeholder issues, concerns, and interests related to the project -- how they want to be involved in defining issues and developing solutions, most convenient times and locations for meetings, best approaches to reaching others in the community, how people want to get their information (written, electronic, meetings)-- what works and what doesn't, etc.;
 
3) identify perceptions that will stand in the way of effective working relationships;
 
4) understand what else is going on in the community that can and will effect the project; and

5) find out who else needs to be involved and talk to more people.  This is an iterative process and should continue until there is some level of confidence that all stakeholder issues, concerns and interests have been identified -- at least to that point.  There is no set number of people to involve in this process -- I have talked to as many as 200 people, and as few as 10 or 15, depending on the community and the situation.

Third, analyze the information gathered and develop a stakeholder involvement program that reflects and balances stakeholder needs, as they've been identified.  

Fourth, ask the stakeholders to provide review and comment on the involvement plan and make modifications, as necessary, to ensure stakeholder interests and needs are addressed.

Fifth, evaluate the effectiveness of your stakeholder involvement program and make adjustments to continually improve it.

As I said yesterday, this requires the Agency to provide adequate priority and resources to do it right.

Marilyn