Stakeholder Map

Most decisions don't fail because the analysis was wrong. They fail because the person who could kill it wasn't bought in, or the person who could champion it wasn't asked. This skill makes the politics visible so you can plan around them — without pretending strategy and people are separate problems.

The output is a 2x2 grid + a per-stakeholder action plan. You walk away knowing exactly who you talk to first, what you say, and who you can ignore.

Design choices

• Real names, not roles. "Head of Eng" hides the fact that this Head of Eng has been here 3 months and has political capital below the team they inherited. Use names.
• Power × Interest, not Influence × Impact. Power = can they kill the decision. Interest = do they care about the outcome. The right axes for politics, not for delivery management.
• One move per stakeholder. Not a 5-step engagement plan. The one thing you'll do this week.
• Stance is honest. Champions get celebrated, blockers get named. If everyone is "supportive," you haven't mapped honestly.
• Skip the unmappable. If you have <2 minutes of real information on a stakeholder, mark them "unknown" and make finding out their #1 action.

The grid