Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

When mapping stakeholders, a power/interest grid is used to classify stakeholders according to which two dimensions?

• A Their personality type and their tenure
• B Their age and their job title
• C Their level of power and their level of interest in the change ✓
• D Their salary and their location

Answer: The power/interest grid plots stakeholders by how much power they hold and how much interest they have in the change, guiding the engagement approach.

On a power/interest grid, how should stakeholders with HIGH power but LOW interest generally be managed?

• A Provide minimal effort only
• B Keep satisfied ✓
• C Manage closely as key players
• D Ignore entirely

Answer: High-power, low-interest stakeholders should be kept satisfied so they do not become blockers, even though they do not require the close management given to key players.

What is the main purpose of a stakeholder engagement assessment that compares 'current' and 'desired' levels of commitment?

• A To rank staff by seniority
• B To replace the need for any communication
• C To identify the gap and plan actions to move stakeholders toward the support needed ✓
• D To calculate the project's financial budget

Answer: Comparing current and desired commitment reveals the engagement gap, allowing the practitioner to plan targeted actions to move stakeholders to the required level of support.

Which of the following is generally the most effective channel for communicating a sensitive or emotionally significant change message?

• A A face-to-face conversation or meeting ✓
• B A single line in a newsletter
• C A mass automated email
• D A note on a public noticeboard

Answer: Rich, two-way channels such as face-to-face communication are most effective for sensitive messages because they allow immediate feedback, clarification and empathy.

In effective change communication, why is two-way (rather than one-way) communication considered important?

• A It allows feedback, surfaces concerns and supports genuine engagement ✓
• B It is always cheaper to run
• C It removes the need to repeat any message
• D It guarantees that everyone will agree

Answer: Two-way communication enables stakeholders to ask questions, raise concerns and feel heard, which builds trust and supports real engagement during change.

What is a key reason for segmenting stakeholders before designing communications?

• A So that identical messages can be sent to everyone regardless of need
• B To avoid communicating with senior leaders
• C To reduce the number of stakeholders that exist
• D So that messages, channels and timing can be tailored to each group's needs and influence ✓

Answer: Segmentation lets the practitioner tailor message content, channel and timing to the specific needs, concerns and influence of each stakeholder group.