agentic-team-templates 0.19.1 → 0.20.0

package/templates/business/project-manager/.cursor/rules/stakeholder-management.md

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+# Stakeholder Management
+
+Guidelines for identifying, engaging, and aligning project stakeholders.
+
+## Core Principles
+
+### Stakeholders Determine Success
+
+A project can meet every technical requirement and still fail if stakeholders are misaligned. Stakeholder management is not optional - it is a core PM discipline.
+
+```markdown
+Wrong: "I'll send status reports and hope everyone stays aligned"
+Right: "I'll proactively manage expectations, resolve conflicts, and ensure every stakeholder has the information they need to support the project"
+```
+
+### Influence Without Authority
+
+PMs rarely have direct authority over stakeholders. Success comes from building trust, demonstrating competence, and creating mutual value.
+
+## Stakeholder Identification
+
+### Stakeholder Register Template
+
+| Name | Role | Organization | Interest | Influence | Disposition | Communication Preference |
+|------|------|-------------|----------|-----------|-------------|-------------------------|
+| [Name] | Sponsor | Executive | High | High | Supportive | Weekly 1:1 |
+| [Name] | Tech Lead | Engineering | High | Medium | Neutral | Daily standup |
+| [Name] | End User Rep | Operations | Medium | Low | Resistant | Bi-weekly demo |
+
+### Stakeholder Mapping (Power/Interest Grid)
+
+```text
+High Influence │  Keep Satisfied  │  Manage Closely
+               │  (Sponsor who    │  (Sponsor, key
+               │   delegates)     │   decision-makers)
+               │──────────────────┼──────────────────
+Low Influence  │  Monitor         │  Keep Informed
+               │  (Peripheral     │  (End users,
+               │   stakeholders)  │   support teams)
+               └──────────────────┴──────────────────
+                  Low Interest       High Interest
+```
+
+### Stakeholder Categories
+
+| Category | Examples | Engagement Level |
+|----------|----------|-----------------|
+| **Decision Makers** | Sponsor, steering committee | Active management |
+| **Influencers** | Senior engineers, domain experts | Regular consultation |
+| **Contributors** | Team members, subject matter experts | Daily coordination |
+| **Affected Parties** | End users, support teams | Regular communication |
+| **External** | Vendors, regulators, partners | As needed |
+
+## RACI Matrix
+
+### Building a RACI
+
+| Activity | Sponsor | PM | Tech Lead | Designer | QA | Business Owner |
+|----------|---------|-----|-----------|----------|-----|----------------|
+| Charter Approval | A | R | I | - | - | C |
+| Requirements | I | A | C | C | I | R |
+| Architecture | I | I | R | - | C | - |
+| Design | I | A | C | R | I | C |
+| Development | I | A | R | C | I | - |
+| Testing | I | A | C | - | R | C |
+| Deployment | A | R | R | - | C | I |
+| Acceptance | R | A | I | I | I | R |
+
+### RACI Rules
+
+```markdown
+Do:
+- Exactly one "A" (Accountable) per row
+- At least one "R" (Responsible) per row
+- Limit "C" (Consulted) to those whose input is truly needed
+- Use "I" (Informed) for awareness without requiring response
+- Review RACI at project kickoff with all stakeholders
+
+Don't:
+- Assign "A" and "R" to the same person habitually (single point of failure)
+- Make everyone "C" on everything (decision paralysis)
+- Skip RACI review when team membership changes
+- Use RACI as a substitute for actual conversations
+```
+
+### RACI Anti-Patterns
+
+| Pattern | Problem | Fix |
+|---------|---------|-----|
+| Too many C's | Decisions take forever | Limit consulted roles to true subject matter experts |
+| Missing A | Nobody owns the outcome | Assign one accountable person per activity |
+| R without capacity | Responsible person is overloaded | Validate workload when assigning responsibilities |
+| A without authority | Accountable person cannot make decisions | Ensure A has decision-making power |
+
+## Communication Plan
+
+### Communication Plan Template
+
+| Stakeholder | Information Need | Method | Frequency | Owner | Notes |
+|-------------|-----------------|--------|-----------|-------|-------|
+| Sponsor | Status, risks, decisions | 1:1 meeting | Weekly | PM | 30 min, focus on escalations |
+| Steering Committee | Strategic status | Presentation | Monthly | PM | Formal agenda required |
+| Project Team | Tasks, blockers | Standup | Daily | Scrum Master | 15 min max |
+| End Users | Progress, training | Newsletter | Bi-weekly | PM + BA | Include demo schedule |
+| Vendors | Specs, timelines | Email + call | As needed | PM | Document all decisions |
+
+### Communication Principles
+
+| Principle | Application |
+|-----------|-------------|
+| Right message, right audience | Executives get summaries; teams get details |
+| No surprises | Share bad news early with a proposed response |
+| Two-way dialogue | Listen as much as you communicate |
+| Written confirmation | Follow up verbal decisions with email summary |
+| Consistent cadence | Stakeholders should know when to expect updates |
+
+## Expectation Management
+
+### Setting Expectations
+
+```markdown
+## Expectation Setting Checklist
+
+At Project Kickoff:
+- [ ] Review and confirm project scope with stakeholders
+- [ ] Align on success criteria and how they will be measured
+- [ ] Agree on communication cadence and format
+- [ ] Clarify decision-making authority (RACI)
+- [ ] Discuss known risks and constraints openly
+- [ ] Set realistic timeline expectations with documented assumptions
+
+Ongoing:
+- [ ] Flag deviations from plan immediately
+- [ ] Re-confirm priorities when trade-offs arise
+- [ ] Validate that stakeholder needs have not shifted
+- [ ] Celebrate milestones to maintain confidence
+```
+
+### Managing Difficult Stakeholders
+
+| Behavior | Response Strategy |
+|----------|-------------------|
+| **Disengaged sponsor** | Schedule brief, focused updates; escalate only critical items; make it easy to stay involved |
+| **Scope expander** | Redirect to change control process; show impact on schedule/budget; offer trade-offs |
+| **Micromanager** | Provide detailed status proactively; build trust through transparency; agree on escalation triggers |
+| **Resistant to change** | Understand their concerns; involve them in decision-making; show evidence and data |
+| **Conflicting priorities** | Facilitate alignment meeting; escalate to shared manager if needed; document agreed priorities |
+
+### Expectation Reset Conversation
+
+```markdown
+## Framework for Resetting Expectations
+
+1. **Acknowledge the original expectation**
+   "We originally planned to deliver [X] by [date]."
+
+2. **Explain what changed**
+   "Since then, [specific change] has impacted our timeline/scope/budget."
+
+3. **Present the current reality**
+   "Based on current progress, we now expect [revised projection]."
+
+4. **Offer options**
+   "Option A: Reduce scope to meet the original date."
+   "Option B: Extend the timeline by [X] to deliver full scope."
+   "Option C: Add [resources] to accelerate delivery."
+
+5. **Recommend and ask for decision**
+   "I recommend Option [X] because [rationale]. Can we align on this?"
+```
+
+## Conflict Resolution
+
+### Conflict Resolution Framework
+
+```text
+Level 1: Direct Resolution
+├── Discuss privately with the parties involved
+├── Focus on interests, not positions
+├── Seek mutual understanding
+└── Agree on a path forward
+
+Level 2: Facilitated Resolution
+├── Bring in a neutral facilitator
+├── Structure the conversation around shared objectives
+├── Document agreed resolution
+└── Follow up to ensure resolution holds
+
+Level 3: Escalation
+├── Summarize the conflict objectively for the decision-maker
+├── Present each perspective fairly
+├── Provide a recommendation
+└── Accept and support the decision
+```
+
+### Conflict Resolution Best Practices
+
+```markdown
+Do:
+- Address conflict early before it escalates
+- Focus on the issue, not the person
+- Seek to understand before seeking to be understood
+- Look for win-win solutions
+- Document the resolution and follow up
+
+Don't:
+- Avoid or ignore conflict (it festers)
+- Take sides prematurely
+- Resolve conflict via email (use face-to-face or video)
+- Let conflict become personal
+- Re-litigate resolved decisions without new information
+```
+
+### Common Conflict Sources in Projects
+
+| Source | Example | Prevention |
+|--------|---------|------------|
+| Resource competition | Two projects need the same developer | Coordinate with resource manager; escalate early |
+| Scope disagreement | Stakeholder expects feature not in scope | Reference scope statement; use change control |
+| Priority conflicts | Stakeholder wants their feature first | Use objective prioritization framework |
+| Technical disagreement | Team disagrees on architecture | Facilitate decision with criteria; PM breaks ties if needed |
+| Role confusion | Two people think they own the same decision | Reference RACI; clarify in team meeting |
+
+## Stakeholder Engagement Metrics
+
+### Measuring Engagement Health
+
+| Metric | Healthy | Warning | Action Needed |
+|--------|---------|---------|---------------|
+| Meeting attendance | > 80% | 50-80% | < 50% |
+| Decision turnaround | < 3 days | 3-7 days | > 7 days |
+| Feedback response | Within 2 days | 2-5 days | > 5 days |
+| Escalation frequency | Rare | Monthly | Weekly |
+| Scope change requests | Occasional | Frequent | Constant |
+
+### Engagement Recovery Actions
+
+| Signal | Action |
+|--------|--------|
+| Sponsor missing meetings | Schedule shorter, more focused sessions; send advance summary |
+| Slow decision-making | Reduce options to 2-3; provide clear recommendation; set deadline |
+| Increasing resistance | Schedule 1:1 to understand concerns; involve them in solution design |
+| Communication breakdown | Reset communication plan; increase frequency temporarily |
+
+## Common Pitfalls
+
+| Pitfall | Symptom | Solution |
+|---------|---------|----------|
+| Ignoring silent stakeholders | Last-minute objections | Proactively engage all identified stakeholders |
+| Treating all stakeholders the same | Over-communicating to some, under-communicating to others | Use power/interest grid to tailor engagement |
+| RACI created but not used | Role confusion persists | Reference RACI when conflicts arise; review quarterly |
+| No communication plan | Ad hoc, inconsistent updates | Create and follow a formal communication plan |
+| Avoiding difficult conversations | Problems escalate unnecessarily | Address issues early; use structured frameworks |
+| Forgetting external stakeholders | Vendor or partner surprises | Include vendors and partners in stakeholder register |