Engage stakeholders
Engage stakeholders
What you will learn
- Name the five stakeholder engagement levels from lowest to highest.
- Precisely distinguish "Unaware" from "Resistant."
- Identify when a stakeholder needs no additional engagement effort.
- Connect the size of the gap between current and desired level to how intense the engagement plan needs to be.
Not every stakeholder gets the same effort. The engagement assessment matrix records each stakeholder's current level and their desired level, identifying the real gap worth closing, instead of spreading effort evenly across everyone.
The five engagement levels
| Unaware | Hasn't yet reached sufficient understanding of the project's effect on or from them. |
|---|---|
| Resistant | Knows about the project and actually opposes it, usually over concerns or conflicting interests. |
| Neutral | Knows about the project, neither clearly supporting nor opposing it. |
| Supportive | Knows about the project and supports it. |
| Leading | An actively engaged supporter who actively contributes to the project's success. |
What matters on the exam
- When current and desired levels match (zero gap), no intensive extra engagement effort is needed — effort should target real gaps.
- A large gap (Resistant to Supportive) usually needs understanding the causes of resistance first, unlike a smaller gap (Neutral to Supportive).
Not every stakeholder needs the same effort
A common mistake is treating every stakeholder with one uniform engagement plan regardless of their current level. The matrix is continuously updated as stakeholders' actual positions shift, and effort is directed by each one's real gap, not spread evenly.
Quick check
Answer in your head first, then reveal.
What's the difference between "Unaware" and "Resistant"?Reveal the answer
Unaware doesn't yet know the project's effect; Resistant knows and actually opposes it.
When does a stakeholder need no additional engagement effort?Reveal the answer
When their current level matches their desired level.
Which gap needs more effort: Resistant→Supportive, or Neutral→Supportive?Reveal the answer
Resistant→Supportive — a larger gap needing the causes of resistance addressed first.
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Sources
Used to verify the facts. The writing is original to Passuit.