Stakeholder Whispering: Uncovering Real Needs for Better-Aligned Strategy

Stakeholders at all levels make requests based on their subconscious understanding of “how things are done,” but those requests frequently don’t align with real business needs. In this course, join instructor Bill Shander as he shows you how to avoid wasting resources, budget, and time by first understanding what your stakeholders truly need. Learn how to drive business strategy, get beyond a stakeholder's ask, and uncover the needs and desires of your clients, colleagues, bosses, and customers. Along the way, Bill shares insights on how to deliver products and services that meet stakeholders’ real needs and create lasting strategic change. By the end of this course, you’ll be prepared to transform your organization from one filled with "order-takers" into one where people work collaboratively to optimize goal-oriented business strategy.

Learning objectives
Explain that stakeholder requests do not always match real needs.
Describe the causes for the gap between stakeholder requests and needs.
Define the difference between less goal-oriented requests and their underlying needs.
Identify and close the gap between requests and real needs in a structured, collaborative approach with stakeholders.
Illustrate the difference to stakeholders, to persuade them, and help them persuade their stakeholders of the difference.