Introduction:

Effective stakeholder management is a critical success factor in today’s complex business and project environments. This training program is designed to equip participants with the tools, psychological insights, and leadership techniques necessary to identify, analyze, engage, and influence internal and external stakeholders across diverse contexts. The program emphasizes proactive engagement, conflict resolution, trust-building, and aligning stakeholder expectations with organizational goals.

Target Audience

This training is ideal for professionals responsible for stakeholder engagement, communication, and project success across various sectors, including:

• Project and Program Managers

• Department Heads and Functional Leaders

• Corporate Communication and Public Relations Professionals

• Change and Transformation Managers

• Policy Advisors and Government Affairs Officers

• Stakeholder Engagement and Community Relations Officers

• Consultants working with multi-stakeholder environments

Objectives

By the end of the program, participants will be able to:

• Identify and classify stakeholders using analytical frameworks

• Develop tailored stakeholder engagement plans

• Use communication and influence techniques to gain stakeholder support

• Navigate complex stakeholder relationships and manage expectations

• Resolve conflicts constructively and build long-term trust

• Measure engagement effectiveness and continuously improve approaches

Organizational Impact

Participants will return to their roles with the capabilities to:

• Enhance alignment between stakeholder expectations and organizational objectives

• Improve project outcomes by proactively managing relationships

• Strengthen organizational reputation through consistent and transparent engagement

• Minimize risks and conflicts associated with poorly managed stakeholder dynamics

• Create sustainable partnerships with both internal and external stakeholders

• Enable better decision-making by incorporating stakeholder feedback

Outlines

Day 1:

Stakeholder Mapping and Analysis

• Revisiting the fundamentals: Influence vs. interest

• Stakeholder segmentation frameworks (Power/Interest Matrix, Salience Model)

• Dynamic stakeholder landscapes: tracking shifts over time

• Workshop: Mapping stakeholders for a complex case scenario

• Tools for digital stakeholder analysis (CRMs, dashboards, AI-enhanced platforms)

Day 2:

Engagement Planning

• Stakeholder personas and behavioral drivers

• Choosing engagement approaches: Inform, Consult, Involve, Collaborate, Empower

• Engagement timing and frequency: setting realistic expectations

• Designing multi-channel stakeholder engagement plans

• Workshop: Building an engagement plan aligned with business goals

Day 3:

Communication and Influence

• Strategic communication principles for stakeholders

• Framing and storytelling to influence perceptions

• Persuasive techniques and psychological triggers

• Handling difficult conversations and resistance

• Simulation: Influence without authority in stakeholder networks

Day 4:

Conflict and Expectation Management

• Identifying and addressing conflicting stakeholder interests

• Interest-based negotiation and compromise techniques

• Managing high-stakes or politically sensitive stakeholders

• Case Study: Conflict resolution in a multi-stakeholder project

• Developing trust and credibility as an engagement leader

Day 5:

Evaluation, Reporting & Improvement

• Measuring stakeholder engagement success (KPIs & qualitative indicators)

• Using feedback loops to improve engagement plans

• Reporting to senior leadership and external stakeholders

• Crisis preparedness: engaging stakeholders during disruption