The Power of Intentional Influence
While it is generally acknowledged that stakeholder engagement differs from stakeholder management, some ambiguity remains in the literature, leading to the synonymous use of these terms. Unlike the reciprocal nature of stakeholder engagement, however, stakeholder management tends to be one-sided. When organizations engage in traditional stakeholder management, they primarily act to protect themselves from stakeholders’ […]
Identifying the Informal Influencers in Organizations
In my last installment, I discussed research supporting the importance of leveraging informal influencers during change. Before we can engage and leverage informal influencers, we must first identify who and where they are. The traditional method is to ask managers to nominate these individuals, in much the same worn-out way we too typically use to […]
Unleashing Hidden Influence: Leveraging Informal Networks in Change
In recent studies on the ability of informal influencers to drive organizational change, evidence reinforces the critical role these informal networks play in the success of change initiatives. Research employing Organizational Network Analysis (ONA) has illustrated that informal influencers, although sometimes lacking formal authority, are often well-connected within an organization. This connectivity allows them to […]
Rapport: Foundation of Stakeholder Influence
In any change initiative, stakeholders are commonly viewed as passive observers rather than active participants. But the reality is that stakeholders are complex individuals with distinct perspectives, beliefs, and biases. And trying to influence them without first establishing rapport is like trying to build a house without a firm foundation. The ability to successfully influence […]