# Map Stakeholder Influence

> Map key stakeholders, their interests and influence, and develop strategies to align and engage them. Use this skill when a team needs to navigate stakeholder dynamics for a product initiative.

- Skill: `alexe-ev/map-stakeholder-influence` (Agent Skill, multi-file: 5 files)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds@latest add alexe-ev/map-stakeholder-influence`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/alexe-ev/map-stakeholder-influence/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Product & Planning
- Author: alexe-ev (https://skillmd.com/u/alexe-ev)
- Updated: 2026-09-17
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/alexe-ev/map-stakeholder-influence

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# Map Stakeholder Influence

## Purpose
Help product teams understand their stakeholder landscape, identify key influencers and decision-makers, and develop targeted engagement strategies.

## Skill type
Conceptual skill

## Use this skill when
- A product initiative requires buy-in from multiple stakeholders
- Stakeholder dynamics are creating roadblocks or misalignment
- A new product area involves unfamiliar stakeholders
- An important decision requires a stakeholder influence strategy

## Do not use this skill when
- The goal is communication content (use communicate-decisions-tradeoffs)
- The goal is executive presentation (use build-executive-narrative)

## Required inputs
- Product initiative or decision requiring stakeholder engagement
- List of stakeholders involved (even rough)

## Optional inputs
- Stakeholder interests and concerns
- Power/influence relationships
- History of stakeholder dynamics
- Desired outcome from stakeholder engagement

## Upstream context
Works best when:
- Initiative scope and goals are defined
- Key decisions are identified

## Downstream handoff
Output can feed:
- communicate-decisions-tradeoffs (communicate to stakeholders per the map)
- build-executive-narrative (executive stakeholders get narrative treatment)

## Instructions
1. Identify all stakeholders affected by or able to influence the initiative.
2. Assess each stakeholder: interest level, influence level, current stance (supporter / neutral / skeptic).
3. Map to a 2x2: high/low influence vs. high/low interest.
4. Define engagement strategy per quadrant.
5. Identify blockers and key allies.
6. Design a tailored engagement plan for high-influence stakeholders.

## Output
Provide:
- Stakeholder inventory with role, interest, influence, stance
- Influence-interest map (2x2 or table)
- Engagement strategy by quadrant
- Key blockers and how to address them
- Key allies and how to leverage them
- Engagement plan for high-priority stakeholders

## Risks / caveats
- Stakeholder maps go stale — update when the team or context changes
- Influence is informal as much as formal — don't only map org chart authority
- Engaging skeptics early is more effective than surprising them at the end