Teamwork Exercise: Conducting a Stakeholder Analysis
Introduction
Effective collaboration requires that all those with an investment in your process and those that are skilled in both the issues you are working on (technical competency) and in working with others (personal competency) be represented as members of your team. The following exercise will lead you through an analysis of who is currently represented on your team and where there may be perspectives missing. When discussing which perspectives may be absent, it is important to also remember to have the right people at the table with you as you make this determination. It is also critical to consider whether the people your team has chosen to represent specific perspectives or issues have the authority to make the decisions you may ask of them.
Exercise Purpose
- To assess whether your team has represented all of the perspectives necessary to work toward your goals;
- To determine whether members of your team possess the technical or personal competency to help your team move forward in accomplishing its goals; and
- To identify other representatives or perspectives that you might consider adding to your team to ensure the right composition of team members.
Exercise Instructions
- Brainstorm a list of all agencies, organizations, individuals, institutions, etc. that have a stake in the issues your team will be addressing.
- Discuss whether or not you need policymakers or front–line staff to represent these agencies in the work you are performing.
- Will the efforts of your group include making policy decisions for your jurisdiction?
- Will the efforts of your group be more informed with input from front–line staff?
- Identify areas in which you are missing representation.
Discuss strategies for incorporating missing representatives in your collaboration. Use the following questions to guide this discussion. Throughout your conversation consider whether your team has individuals with the personal competency or technical competency to move your work forward.
- Why aren’t these stakeholders already involved?
- Have they been invited?
- What will be the consequence on your work if they are not involved?
- Create a work plan outlining who needs to be invited to participate as a member of your policy team, who will contact them, and when.