The better prepared you are, the more likely it is that you will be able to convince others that 360-degree feedback is a viable solution to the need or problem you have identified. Two types of preparation are essential if you want to win. The first, as we have noted, is related to knowledge of the subject—you must be able to anticipate and answer questions about the use of 360-degree feedback and explain how it will meet the needs of the business. The second type of preparation relates to each decision-maker’s position on the subject of 360-degree feedback. Is he or she receptive to the idea, and if not, what contributes to the lack of enthusiasm?

Before you can create an effective action plan for turning key individuals into advocates, you will need to decide exactly whose support will be vital to the effort and try to anticipate their reactions to the proposal. A step-by-step process for identifying and analyzing key decision makers and stakeholders is described next.

Step 1. List all the people who need to approve the decision, and then list all the individuals and groups you can think of who might (1) benefit, (2) be negatively affected, or (3) be inconvenienced by what you are doing. Do not overlook members of your own team. Look for “hidden stakeholders”—usually individuals who have personal reasons for not wanting a particular initiative to be implemented. Follow the rules of brainstorming for this step.

Step 2. Categorize the decision makers and stakeholders you identified in Step 1 as positive or highly committed to the idea (+), neutral or willing to comply but not likely to be active advocates (0), negative or likely to resist the idea and oppose it (-), or don’t know (?). Try to put yourself in each stakeholder’s shoes and view the idea from his or her perspective.

Step 3. Now, draw a Stakeholder Map similar to the one in Exhibit 5.1. Put circles around stakeholders likely to support your effort, triangles around stakeholders who will comply but not actively support, squares around stakeholders likely to resist, and nothing around stakeholders you cannot categorize until you collect more information. Put the most important stakeholders—those with the most influence over your success or failure—close to the center of your map. Continue to collect the information you need to complete your map, and update it as you learn more about your stakeholders.

Your next task is to analyze your stakeholders. As a result of your mapping activity, you have identified all the important stakeholders and categorized them according to how they will react to your proposal. Before you develop a plan for influencing them, it is important to know what each stakeholder stands to gain or lose if your effort is successful.

Each stakeholder, whether an individual or a group, will view your effort both from an organizational and a personal perspective.