Why You Need Your Stakeholders

Simply put, you need your stakeholders for their numbers. We have discussed stakeholders throughout this book, but there is another definition of stakeholder. These people have large stakes (two meters long and sharp at both ends), and if you don't look after these stakeholders, they'll take their stakes and put them somewhere where it hurts.

However, if you can get your stakeholders on your side, they will use their stakes to assist you.

For example, you have managed to convince a key stakeholder to attend your RAP session and another stakeholder you need to attend is “too busy.” You can use the supportive stakeholder to put pressure on the busy stakeholder as you apply some pressure.

Clearly, going back to Rob's Corporate Mathematics, two stakeholders at Class 8 can bring some considerable positives (sic) to bear on another stakeholder who is a Class 9. We'll come back to this concept later in this chapter.