Leading Through Influence: Winning and Keeping Stakeholder Support (Online / Remote)
1Summary
A leader with a clear vision but no stakeholder support rarely gets far; plans stall, budgets get cut, and initiatives lose momentum the moment the people who matter stop backing them.
This course from the Arab British Fellowship Training Academy trains participants to lead through influence, not authority alone, building the skills to identify, engage, and sustain the support of the people whose interests are tied to the organisation’s success.
Participants learn to read stakeholder needs and concerns, adapt their communication to different audiences, and align expectations with organisational goals, turning stakeholder management from a defensive task into a genuine driver of sustainable results.
2Objectives and target group
Who Should Attend?
- Executive leaders, senior managers, project managers, and team leaders.
- Managers responsible for stakeholder engagement and communication.
- Anyone involved in strategic decision-making or organisational development who wants to strengthen their leadership and stakeholder management skills.
Knowledge and Benefits:
By the end of the programme, participants will be able to:
- Understand the principles of leadership and stakeholder management, and analyse stakeholder needs to inform decisions.
- Develop and implement effective stakeholder management plans.
- Engage and influence stakeholders to align their expectations with organisational objectives.
- Build positive, lasting relationships with key stakeholders and resolve conflict when it arises.
- Apply communication techniques that build trust and sustain strong stakeholder partnerships.
3Course Content
- Module 1: Mapping Who Really Matters
- Techniques for identifying stakeholders and mapping them by influence and interest.
- Analysing needs, expectations, and potential impact using tools like the power/interest matrix.
- Understanding the stakeholder lifecycle, from identification to engagement.
- Module 2: Leadership and Stakeholder Management - The Core Connection
- Defining leadership and stakeholder management and the distinction between them.
- The leader’s role in creating value for stakeholders and understanding different stakeholder types.
- Module 3: Leadership Style as a Stakeholder Tool
- Transformational, transactional, and situational leadership styles.
- How leadership approach shapes stakeholder relationships and credibility.
- Module 4: Engaging Stakeholders and Managing Expectations
- Developing an engagement strategy and tailoring communication to different stakeholder groups.
- Negotiation skills for engagement and conflict resolution, and managing expectations throughout.
- Module 5: From Engagement to Lasting Partnership
- Strategies for sustaining long-term relationships and involving stakeholders in decisions.
- Turning satisfied stakeholders into advocates.
- Measuring engagement success (surveys, feedback, KPIs) and using the data to inform leadership decisions and continuous improvement.