To equip managers and leaders with advanced skills and frameworks to proactively identify, analyze, influence, and mobilize a diverse set of stakeholders in support of strategic goals:

• Managers leading change initiatives or cross-functional projects.
• Business Development and External Relations Professionals.
• Strategy and Planning Staff responsible for communication and buy-in.
• Government Relations and Public Affairs Executives.
• Leaders responsible for managing complex, politically charged projects.
• Anyone whose success depends on the cooperation of others outside their direct control.

• Group exercise in advanced stakeholder mapping and analysis for a complex project.
• Role-playing a high-stakes negotiation with a key external partner.
• Case studies of successful corporate mobilization and lobbying efforts.
• Workshop on developing tailored communication messages for opposing groups.
• Individual reflection on managing a politically sensitive internal strategic decision.

Unit 1: The Strategic Imperative of Stakeholders

• Differentiating between internal (employees, unions) and external (regulators, customers) stakeholders.
• Understanding the "sphere of influence" and strategic dependency.
• The importance of balancing stakeholder needs with strategic priorities.
• Moving from managing risk to actively leveraging stakeholder opportunity.

• Applying the Power-Interest Matrix for initial segmentation.
• Advanced techniques for diagnosing stakeholders' motivation and likely reaction.
• Identifying key influencers, champions, and potential blockers.
• Using mapping to prioritize engagement efforts and resources.

Unit 2: Developing Tailored Engagement Strategies

• Creating a Stakeholder Engagement Plan (SEP) with tailored actions.
• Techniques for moving stakeholders from unawareness to active advocacy.
• The role of "shared purpose" and common ground in building support.
• Developing specific messages and channels for each stakeholder group.

• Principles of principled negotiation in a strategic context.
• Techniques for managing conflict and addressing core concerns.
• Strategies for handling unexpected resistance and "bad faith" actors.
• Knowing when to collaborate, compromise, or compete.

Unit 3: Internal Mobilization and Buy-In

• Strategies for gaining commitment from skeptical or resistant internal teams.
• Techniques for cascading the strategic narrative effectively to the frontline.
• Building internal coalitions and a guiding team of champions.
• The role of transparent communication in building trust and reducing anxiety.

• Diagnosing the root causes of inter-departmental conflict and lack of cooperation.
• Designing cross-functional incentives that reward strategic collaboration.
• Using a shared strategic language (e.g., Balanced Scorecard) to bridge gaps.

Unit 4: External Influence and Alliances

• Strategies for strategic engagement with regulators and government officials.
• Building and managing strategic alliances, joint ventures, and partnerships.
• Addressing community concerns and social license to operate.
• Techniques for managing the media narrative and public perception.

• Establishing a systematic process for monitoring stakeholder perceptions.
• Creating formal and informal feedback loops for continuous strategic adaptation.
• Using engagement results to inform and refine the core strategy.

Unit 5: The Influencer as a Leader

• Building personal credibility as a foundation for influence.
• The ethical dimension of strategic influencing and engagement.
• Developing active listening and empathetic engagement skills.