CLAIRE MAHONEY • CONTENT WRANGLER • @WORDOFANERD

Move mountainsManage challenging content stakeholders

W O R K S H O P A C T I V I T Y

M E TA L K I N G

Y O U TA L K I N G

D I S C U S S I O N

Order of events

About me

Change enthusiast

A tech writer by any other name… IX, CX, button namer, user advocate

StrategistTo make the content worthwhile, there must be a strategy to deliver it

Communicator

Change is the solution and cause of all problems ad infinitum

Why this topic?

Co-operate

InfluenceConvincing people why they need me is my second job

Getting people to believe and act on my recommendations is my third job

Helping people to understand is my first job

Understand

What is stakeholder management?

All about relationships

Support

Saying what you mean and meaning what you say.

TrustBeing genuine and reliable, following up, listening and doing.

Communication

Being helpful and available.

Stakeholder types

Beneficiaries

Powerful and necessary backers of what you do. They hold you accountable.

PartnersAnyone with a role in what you do. PM, SME, content owner, techie.

Sponsors

Anyone who stands to benefit from what you do. A customer, a user, a consumer.

Stakeholder activity

• Strategic outcomes

• Planning & agreement

• Milestone reporting

• Risk management

• Financial reporting

• Troubleshooting

• Communication of strategy

• Planning consultation

• Timelines

• Agreement and buy-in

• Resource management

• Content delivery

• Scope management

• Exceptions

• Change management

• Etc.

• Requirements & objectives

• Adoption and change

• Success measurements

• Testing & surveys

Sponsors Partners Beneficiaries

Stakeholder hierarchy of needs

Partners

Sponsors

Beneficiary

Energy

Beneficiaries

Partners

Sponsors

Importance

Nobody puts the beneficiary in the corner

Tactics

Know thy self

Be a believer

Mysterious people with mysterious professions can be spooky. Explain who you are and what you do. To literally everyone.

Use your own credDon’t rely solely on sponsor or strategic cred to make activity happen. Tell real stories of how things happen, not just the ‘theory’.

Spread the word

Try to be the Typhoid Mary of CS and infect everyone with your love for the project. Belief is contagious.

Love your customer

Measure them

In all discussions, just talk and talk about customers and what they need

Meet themNothing is stronger than first-hand customer opinions

Talk about them

Use data to ‘prove’ things about customer requirements and satisfaction

Communicate with purpose

Clarify and confirm

Avoid jargon and speak the language of the person you are talking to. Not literally, unless you can.

Talk about communicationHave a scheduled conversation about how you communicate.

Choose words carefully

Remove any misunderstanding by making sure the person confirms their understanding about everything.

Feedback language

Using language like ‘I feel that…’ or ‘I think you are…’ can be perceived as judgemental. Avoid.

Talk ‘things’Avoid ‘I’ and ‘you’Make it about the work, the objects, the output.

No: Your content is not quite…

Yes: The content is not quite…

When you want to make a statement, ask a question.

Instead of: I think this section needs…

Try: Do you think this section meets the user’s need for…?

Use question-statementsReally, really try to understand their position and speak from a genuine desire to help.

Less: ‘I hear what you are saying…’

More: ‘I really want to make sure you are happy with the process…’

Empathise

What to say

Skepticism & cynicism

Fear & ignorance

Disinterest & apathy

Hostility & Stubbornness

Hard cases

Ask for help

If the relationship is very broken, consider writing it off and try to start again. Air everything.

RepairCall out the awkward elephant in the room and try to move the relationship into a new direction.

Write-off

Sometimes another person can unlock a difficult situation with new perspective. So share problems with someone you trust.

Survey results

What survey?

Your problems?

Your stakeholders?

Your role?

Does not understand content strategy

Appears to listen, but is slow to change

Skeptical of content strategy

Doesn't want to 'let go' of content

Wants to do things differently

Provides average quality content

Thinks their content is 'special'

Provides content late

Requests special treatment or exceptions

Other

Actively works against you

Is a bit uncooperative

Runs away from you screaming

0 3 6 9 12

Rank the top three 'issues' you have with stakeholders (only select 3). Feel free to add your own.

Stakeholder analysis

Identification

Person

What is their role in your project. How much influence?

ProblemWhat is their main problem? Don’t understand? Disagree? Won’t adapt?

Position

How does it manifest? Evasion? Lack of support? Open hostility?

Stakeholder doesn’t understand content strategy

Strategic leader

MarketingContent owner

Writer/SME

Product manager

Does not want to understand

Hinders the project through ignorance

Has other ideas

Is vocal/open about their skepticism

Mapping

Approach

Communication

Behaviour

Tactics

Problem: Content owner does not understand CS. They think that you are trying to control their information. The content you get is low quality and not well-purposed.

Tactics: Set up a meeting to discuss the project and your role in it. Explain what is needed from them and why. Provide clear definitions of your roles, and set up a process to ensure activities ‘visible’ to them. Outline content quality requirements.

Behaviour: They need to feel in control of the process and be able to explain requirements to their team. You need to be able to approach them about the quality issues, and make sure they feel clear about everything.

Communication: Ask questions to probe their concerns. Be open and very attentive, record key points. Ask about their ideal outcome & get clear agreement about the next steps.

What language do you use?

Workshop activity

Big Statement

Complete the individual sheet (5 mins) • Choose one problem

• Choose one stakeholder

• Grab a refreshment

Big Statement

Form groups based on the chosen problem • Approx 6 people per problem

• There can be multiple groups working same problem

Big Statement

Group task (20 mins) 1. Based on individual answers, nominate 2 stakeholders

2. Address the problem for each nominated stakeholder, by discussing and writing down the:

• Tactics - practicalities of what and how

• Changes - behaviours & attitude (yours and theirs)

• Communication style - Approach, language, words

3. Present your approach to the group

Big Statement

Discussion time

A few last words

Changing the status quo

Tell your teamYou need support to change things. Make sure your team knows what and how things are going to be different.

Ask for thingsIntroduce some new habits that address your needs (not just theirs). Be transparent and what is changing, give notice, be super-clear.

Back yourselfThere’s a good reason to do things differently. Back yourself and be ready to explain your position.

Communicate the change

Define what you doYou need support to change things. Make sure your team knows what and how things are going to be different.

Articulate your approach Introduce some new habits that address your needs (not just theirs). Be transparent and what is changing, give notice, be super-clear.

Same song bookThere’s a good reason to do things differently. Back yourself and be ready to explain your position.

Use what you already know

Read moods and facesYou already know what fear and stubbornness feel like. Think about what you want (and don’t want) to hear when in a spot.

Adapt your approachApproach with empathy to the position the person is hearing things from, i.e. that mood or attitude.

Reinforce good behaviourAlways follow up on good behaviour with some kind of recognition or reward. It works with animals….

Celebrate what works

Share itKeep your team informed about what works

Record itWrite it down and make it part of processes

Do it againKeep on repeating it

Thank you!

CLAIRE • CONTENT WRANGLER • @WORDOFANERD