Step 1: Determine where their energy is today and where you’d like it to be.
- A. What energy do we need from this stakeholder?
- Interested?
- Willing to engage for a short time?
- Strong support?
- B. Where is their energy now with regard to the project/change we are working on?
- It could be any of the items listed under A, or
- Not interested in what you are talking about?
- Grumbling?
- Active resistance?
- C. Use The Energy Bar™ to identify where you think the gap in energy might be?
Step 2: Create an intervention that you believe could bridge any gap in energy.
Some things to consider:
- Make sure the right people attend
- Create a clear action-oriented objective to guide your planning and delivery
- Schedule a sufficient amount of time for this work.
- Use a space that will serve you (e.g. the room or the virtual meeting platform) – If you can’t get a suitable space, then adapt what you have planned
- Show respect for the stakeholder and any of their Level 1, 2, and 3 concerns
- Invite meaningful engagement
- Tell them what will happen next. Seriously consider involving them in this next step.
Step 3: Test your design and revise as needed. Be sure to plan something that keeps everyone (you included) very near their comfort zone.
Step 4: Hold the Meeting (e.g. town hall, conference call, informal chat).
Step 5: After the meeting (or other intervention), determine how the energy moved. (Better yet, try to read energy during the session itself).
Step 6: Based on what you learned in Step 6, ask yourselves, What’s Next?
© 2019 Rick Maurer www.rickmaurer.com
