Stakeholder Management Hard tools and soft skills Dr Peter

© Peter Parkes 2012

Parkes FAPM

www.NLP4PM.com

PP Bio

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Stakeholder Management: Hard tools and soft skills

1.  What is stakeholder management 2.  A case study 3.  Hard tools for Stakeholder Management 4.  Finding accommodations 5.  Tools for rapport 6.  Finding the connection 7.  7 lessons 8.  Q&A © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

What is stakeholder Management? l  Stakeholders are groups and individuals affected by your project. l  Operationally, I consider only those that can help or hinder me in delivery.

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Stakeholders in Projects v BAU l  We are changing the status quo and most people don’t like that. l  Some people will have vested interests in what we are trying to change and will actively resist us. l  We often don’t have direct control of our own resources and sometimes not even formal authority so have to use influence. l  Projects are transitory and so our tasks and stakeholders are constantly changing. l  Projects may be cross-cutting, dealing with stakeholders in many department and functions, and even different countries, with many different cultures. l  We are managing projects to time so we don’t have forever – we need to connect and influence effectively and quickly, so need all the tools and techniques that we can get our hands on. © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Is stakeholder management a dirty word?

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

We are managing the process, not managing the people

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Projects to Programmes - a change of focus Projects – Assets

Programmes – Outcomes

l  Time

l  Opportunity / Business Risk

l  Cost

l  Benefits realisation

l  Quality / Performance

l  Stakeholders

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Complexity

When you need more sophistication

Size © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

A stakeholder case study

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Finding the accommodation between different stakeholder expectations

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Hard tools

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Standard Power v Influence Grid

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Influence Diagram

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Comms plans

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Finding the accommodation between views

It’s good to talk Different world views

Accommodation

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

NLP bridging the divide to better communication

Rapport World view Ideas

© Peter Parkes 2012

Language & Behaviour

World view

Effective Communication

Language & Behaviour

Ideas

www.NLP4PM.com

Exercise: Meta-programmes for rapport Best for building rapport ? Self / Introvert Need to be alone to re-charge their batteries. Few relationships with deep connections. Interested in a few topics but to great detail.

Other / Extrovert Relaxes in the company of others. Have a lot of surface relationships. Know about a lot of things, but not in detail.

Match Notice points of similarity.

Mismatch Notice differences.

Associated Feelings and relationships are important.

Dissociated Detached from feelings. Work with information. Task oriented.

In time Live in the moment. Creative but poor with deadlines.

Through time Good at keeping track of time and managing deadlines.

Proactive Initiates action.

Reactive Analyses first then follows the lead from others.

Person Centred on feelings

Thing Centred on tasks

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Rapport through learning style - how people take on information Preferred learning style

Main representational system

Activists Like to be involved in activities Like to seek out new experiences Active supporters of change

Kinaesthetic Like doing physical things Use the language of doing

Reflectors Like to collect all the facts and look at things from all angles Risk averse

Auditory Like to hear and tell stories Listen to the sound of word Use words related to hearing

Theorists Logical and dispassionate Perfection not pragmatism

Audio-digital Led by a constant internal dialogue The language of logic

Pragmatists Full of ideas but little patience Happy to go with the first practical idea rather than search for the best

Visual Like to see things Like words relating to seeing things

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Exercise: Matching language to representational systems

Expressions of discomfort by client 1.  I do not feel very comfortable presenting this. 2.  I don’t like what I am hearing.

Matching by respondent 1.  What support would you like ? 2.  What would you like me to say? 3.  Show me how you see it.

3.  I don’t think you see my view. 4.  How can we clear the air ? 4.  This doesn’t smell right to me.

5.  One of them is really sweet.

5.  Are there any tastier options ? © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Rapport by matching language to Meta-programs Meta-program

Option and appropriate language Towards Talk about goals, objectives, achievements and benefits.

Away from Talk about the problems we are trying to solve, barriers to overcome, and the risks that we need to manage.

Chunk size

Big picture Give an overview before you go into any detail. Use phrases like ‘helicopter view’, ‘in a nutshell’.

Detail Follow up overview with some detail, and refer to where more detail can be found. Use words like exactly and precisely.

Action filter

Proactive Ask them what they think needs to happen.

Reactive Tell them what needs to happen.

Reason Filter

Options Procedure Talk about scope and the need Talk about the phases and processes to be flexible and open minded. for the project.

Motivational direction filter

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Neuro-logical levels and rapport

Purpose Identity Beliefs & Values Capabilities Behaviours Environment © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

Exercise: Finding the connection l  Find out as many ways that you are connected to the person sitting next to you as you can (competition) — Same university Common friends — Same degree course — Employer — Religion / Church — Kids at same school — Long lost relative — Hobby — Etc l  Hint: When you find one, ‘bank it’ and move on rather than discussing it. In business, it gives you the opening to set up a followon meeting. © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

What about your stakeholders – a marriage made in heaven? l  Are communications as clear as a bell, a perfect picture, or fully supported? l  Can you recall what language they use? l  What do you think their preferred representation system is ? l  Do you know what their map of the world looks like? l  Which of their meta-programs are different to yours, and how do you compensate? l  What might you do differently tomorrow? © Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com

? Questions ? [email protected] +44 7764 319 600 Book available at www.NLP4PM.com

Book 3 day NLP4PM course 18-20th June LinkedIn group ‘NLP for Project Management’ Join me on LinkedIn – say you were at the talk Twitter - NLP4PM Next talk on ‘Resilience & Stress Management’ 11th May for APM in Coventry

© Peter Parkes 2012

www.NLP4PM.com