Communicating With Stakeholders

CISO spent 3 hours preparing a technical security update for the board CEO stopped CISO after 2 slides Nobody understands what you're saying Best career lesson I ever learned. CISO original presentation: → Slide 1: Zero Trust Architecture Implementation → Slide 2: SIEM Log Correlation Improvements → Slide 3: Vulnerability Remediation Metrics → Slide 4: Threat Intelligence Integration Board member (2 minutes in):  What does any of this mean? CISO: Realizes I'm speaking a foreign language CEO pulled me aside: CEO: They don't need technical details. They need business context CISO: But these are important security improvements... CEO: Then translate them into business outcomes What I learned: Board doesn't care about: → Technical implementations → Security frameworks → Tool names → Acronyms Board cares about: → Business risk → Financial impact → Competitive advantage → Regulatory compliance → Customer trust My revised presentation: Old slide: "Implemented Zero Trust Architecture" New slide: "Reduced breach risk 60%, enabling $12M in enterprise deals that require advanced security Old slide: "Upgraded SIEM capabilities New slide: "Cut incident detection time from 4 days to 4 hours, minimizing potential damage Old slide: "Remediated 847 critical vulnerabilities New slide: "Closed security gaps that could have resulted in $5M regulatory fines The response: Board member: "Now I understand the value. What do you need?" First time I got that question. The formula I use now: 1. Start with business context Our expansion into healthcare requires HIPAA compliance... 2. Explain the risk Without proper controls, we face $50k per violation fines... 3. Present the solution Implementing these controls costs $200k... 4. Show the outcome Unlocks $8M healthcare market and prevents regulatory risk... 5. Make the ask Requesting $200k investment for Q2... Time speaking: 5 minutes (not 30) Slides used: 3 (not 15) Budget approved: 100% (not 50%) What changed: Before: Technical expert talking to confused executives After: Business partner explaining risk and opportunity The skills that matter in the boardroom: → Business acumen (most important) → Financial literacy → Risk quantification → Storytelling → Reading the room → Executive presence → Technical knowledge (least important for board) Nobody teaches this in security certifications. To CISOs preparing for boards: Ask yourself: → Would my CFO understand this? → Would my CEO care about this? → Does this connect to business outcomes? → Can I explain it in 3 sentences? If no to any: Revise. Best advice I got: Mentor: "In the boardroom, you're not the CISO. You're the business leader who happens to know security." Changed my entire approach. What's your biggest boardroom lesson learned the hard way? SOC(k) game is still great curtesy of Akeyless Security #cybersecurity #ciso #leadership #board #ceo #cfo #business #translation #technology #innovation

A PM at Google asked me how I managed 30+ stakeholders. 'More meetings?' Wrong. Here's the RACI framework that cut my meeting load by 60% while increasing influence. 1/ 𝙍𝙚𝙨𝙥𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙫𝙨 𝘼𝙘𝙘𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙩𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 Most PMs drown because they invite everyone who's "interested." Instead, split your stakeholders into: - R: People doing the work - A: People accountable for success 2/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙤𝙣𝙨𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙥 Stop asking for approval from everyone. Create two clear buckets: - C: Must consult before decisions - I: Just keep informed of progress 3/ 𝘿𝙤𝙘𝙪𝙢𝙚𝙣𝙩 > 𝙈𝙚𝙚𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜 For "Informed" stakeholders, switch to documented updates. They'll actually retain more than in another recurring meeting. 4/ 𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙜𝙞𝙘 𝙋𝙝𝙧𝙖𝙨𝙚 "𝗜𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂'𝗿𝗲 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗱𝗶𝗿𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲, 𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻. 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗶𝗻 𝗮𝗱𝘃𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲." Use this in every email. Watch the right people emerge. 5/ 𝘼𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡 𝘼𝙧𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙘𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 Build your approval flows around your R&A stakeholders only. Everyone else gets strategic updates. --- This isn't about excluding people. It's about respecting everyone's time while maintaining momentum. If you found this framework helpful for managing stakeholders: 1. Follow Alex Rechevskiy for more actionable frameworks on product leadership and time management 2. Bookmark and retweet to save these tactics and help other PMs streamline their stakeholder management

𝗛𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: 𝗠𝗼𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝘀𝘂𝗰𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻'𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗽𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝗹. A lame hodgepodge of names, emails and vague notes that don't move the needle towards achieving your policy, reputation, and political goals. Here are some more powerful ways to organize so you can have greater impact and influence, which is the whole purpose right? ⬇ ⬇ 𝗕𝘆 𝗧𝘆𝗽𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿: —This is the often the first way to organize “tabs” or define labeled categories but it shouldn't be the last. Some examples: media (print, broadcast, bloggers/influencers, podcasts) think tanks and universities, charitable partners, elected officials and senior staff, trade associations and coalitions, embassies, etc. 𝗕𝘆 𝗜𝘀𝘀𝘂𝗲𝘀: —Depends on your org., but say you’re a hospital company, these would probably include ones like Medicare/Medicaid, drug prices, workforce, DEI, price transparency, EMR/data security, antitrust, site neutrality, etc. 𝗕𝘆 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲/𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: — Is the stakeholder currently an ally, neutral/persuadable, or a detractor? This will often depend on the issue. Obviously, consistent allies on all issues are rare (and super valuable if they’re influential, see below), but it’s crucial to know where you stand in real time. 𝗕𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗹𝘂𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲/𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁/𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘅: —Regularly sketch out a side map outlining how interested and impactful various stakeholders are on important issues. Think high interest/low influence, high interest / high influence (the best of its aligned to your strategies, a challenge if not), low interest, high influence, etc. Recco doing this for your top 3 main issues. 𝗕𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝗸: —Here, past performance is often (but not always) indicative of future results. Assign numbered 1-3 rankings to the most important stakeholders. Group 1 are the most engaged, group 3 the least engaged. **Do this for your allies, neutrals/persuadable and definitely for detractors.** 𝗕𝘆 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗠𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿 (𝗶𝗻𝗰𝗹𝘂𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝘁𝘀/𝗳𝗶𝗿𝗺𝘀): —Whose been lead on “watering the plants” from particular groups? What is the nature of the relationship (e.g. former colleague, friend, acquaintance, donor/supporter), how far does it go back? Are there secondary connections within the org.? 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝟭: This doesn’t need to be someone from Corporate Affairs, sometimes back channel relationships can do more than formal ones. 𝗛𝗶𝗻𝘁 𝟮:People come and go often. Develop and nurture secondary contacts wherever possible. However your org. manages the map, it needs to be a living, breathing asset. Feel free to add your ideas in comments and big thanks to my friends at Ortus Draws for the awesome infographic that brings it all home!

𝟴𝟬 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵. 𝟮 𝗣𝗮𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 In public policy, most reports are 60–80 pages long. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Most decision-makers only read the first 2. And sometimes? Just the executive summary. As a research analyst, that realization changed everything about how I structure my work. Here’s what I’ve learned about making sure your research drives action, not just collects dust: ✅ Write for the reader, not for the writer. Don’t write to show how much you know, write to show what they need to decide. ✅ Lead with what matters. Start with the “So what?” before the “What.” Policy leaders want outcomes, not background theory. ✅ Use a “3-30-3” format. Your report should offer: → 3 seconds of clarity (title/executive summary) → 30 seconds of insight (key charts/headlines) → 3 minutes of direction (recommendations & next steps) ✅ Assume scanning, not reading. Use bolded insights, clear section headers, and takeaway boxes. They’re not cosmetic, they’re functional. ✅ One page = one message. If a page has three ideas, it has no anchor. Keep it focused. Make it memorable. 🧠 Research doesn’t create impact. Readable research does. We’re not in the business of writing reports. We’re in the business of helping people make better decisions, faster. 💬 Tag a peer who’s ever had to condense 6 weeks of work into 6 bullet points. And if you want more behind-the-scenes frameworks on how research drives real-world change, follow for more. LinkedIn LinkedIn News India #PublicPolicy #ResearchToImpact #ResearchCommunication #ExecutiveSummaries #PolicyDesign #DecisionSupport #LinkedInForAnalysts

If your report does not change a decision, it is decoration. A lot of marketing reporting looks busy without being useful. Pages of charts, commentary, screenshots and trend lines get shared every week, but very little changes because of them. That is a problem for smaller businesses where time and attention are already limited. The issue is not the amount of data. It is the absence of a decision. Most £1m–£5m businesses are being shown what happened, but not what to do next. A useful report should narrow the conversation, not widen it. It should make it easier to stop something, fix something, increase something, or challenge an assumption. If it leaves everyone nodding politely and carrying on as before, it has failed. It is a bit like handing a driver a full engineering manual instead of showing them the fuel warning light. In practice, most teams do not need more pages. They need a clearer view of what matters now, what changed, and what needs a decision this week. The best reports I have seen are usually the ones that create a small amount of discomfort. They make trade-offs visible. They force priorities. They make ownership harder to avoid. How many of your marketing reports actually cause someone to change what they do this week? #DigitalMarketing #B2B #leadership #saas #future

One of the hardest balances to master as a leader is staying informed about your team’s work without crossing the line into micromanaging them. You want to support them, remove roadblocks, and guide outcomes without making them feel like you’re hovering. Here’s a framework I’ve found effective for maintaining that balance: 1. Set the Tone Early Make it clear that your intent is to support, not control. For example: “We’ll need regular updates to discuss progress and so I can effectively champion this work in other forums. My goal is to ensure you have what you need, to help where it’s most valuable, and help others see the value you’re delivering.” 2. Create a Cadence of Check-Ins Establish structured moments for updates to avoid constant interruptions. Weekly or biweekly check-ins with a clear agenda help: • Progress: What’s done? • Challenges: What’s blocking progress? • Next Steps: What’s coming up? This predictability builds trust while keeping everyone aligned. 3. Ask High-Leverage Questions Stay focused on outcomes by asking strategic questions like: • “What’s the biggest risk right now?” • “What decisions need my input?” • “What’s working that we can replicate?” This approach keeps the conversation productive and empowering. 4. Define Metrics and Milestones Collaborate with your team to define success metrics and use shared dashboards to track progress. This allows you to stay updated without manual reporting or extra meetings. 5. Empower Ownership Show your trust by encouraging problem-solving: “If you run into an issue, let me know your proposed solutions, and we’ll work through it together.” When the team owns their work, they’ll take greater pride in the results. 6. Leverage Technology Use tools like Asana, Jira, or Trello to centralize updates. Shared project platforms give you visibility while letting your team focus on execution. 7. Solicit Feedback Ask your team: “Am I giving you enough space, or would you prefer more or less input from me?” This not only fosters trust but also helps you refine your approach as a leader. Final Thought: Growing up playing sports, none of my coaches ever suited up and got in the game with the players on the field. As a leader, you should follow the same discipline. How do you stay informed without micromanaging? What would you add? #leadership #peoplemanagement #projectmanagement #leadershipdevelopment

🗺️ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐌𝐚𝐩: 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐁𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 Most architects treat stakeholder management like a checklist: • “Get buy-in from these 5 people.” That’s not really how influence works. Influence flows through 𝐧𝐞𝐭𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬. Understanding these networks multiplies your impact. 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐊 1️⃣ 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐆𝐫𝐢𝐝 (𝐖𝐡𝐨 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬?) • High Power / High Interest: Your champions, invest heavily here • High Power / Low Interest: Sleeping giants, wake them up with relevant value • Low Power / High Interest: Your advocates, turn them into evangelists • Low Power / Low Interest: Monitor, don’t over-invest 2️⃣ 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐥𝐮𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐬 (𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐃𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐆𝐞𝐭 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐞) Who does the CEO trust for technology advice? Which middle managers shape CFO’s budget decisions? Who influences the influencers...? 3️⃣ 𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬 (𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐌𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐄𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐫?) - Career advancement opportunities - Problem-solving and efficiency gains - Risk mitigation and control - Innovation and competitive advantage - Budget optimization and cost control 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐌𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐏𝐑𝐎𝐂𝐄𝐒𝐒 ✅ List stakeholders who impact your architectural decisions ✅ Plot them on the power/interest grid ✅ Tease out any influence paths between them ✅ Map each person’s primary value drivers ✅ Assemble targeted engagement strategies for each quadrant 𝐏𝐑𝐎 𝐓𝐈𝐏𝐒 → The real decision makers aren’t always on the org chart → Sometimes influencing the influencer is more effective than going direct → Different stakeholders need different messages about the same solution → Your influence strategy needs to evolve as people and priorities change Don't think of this as just politics. It’s 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠. The best architects don’t only design systems. 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐬𝐲𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐦𝐬 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐝, 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐭, 𝐝𝐞𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐲𝐞𝐝 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐝𝐨𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐝. 💡 Save this framework. Your next major architecture initiative will thank you. 👇 What’s been your experience with stakeholder influence? Any surprises about who really drives decisions? --- ➕ 𝐅𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰 Kevin Donovan 🔔 ♻️ 𝐑𝐞𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 | 💬 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 | 👍 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞 🚀 𝐉𝐨𝐢𝐧 𝐀𝐫𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬’ 𝐇𝐮𝐛 – Join our newsletter and connect with a community that understands. Enhance your skills, meet peers, and advance your career! 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐛𝐞 👉 https://lnkd.in/dgmQqfu2

I was Wrong about Influence. Early in my career, I believed influence in a decision-making meeting was the direct outcome of a strong artifact presented and the ensuing discussion. However, with more leadership experience, I have come to realize that while these are important, there is something far more important at play. Influence, for a given decision, largely happens outside of and before decision-making meetings. Here's my 3 step approach you can follow to maximize your influence: (#3 is often missed yet most important) 1. Obsess over Knowing your Audience Why: Understanding your audience in-depth allows you to tailor your communication, approach and positioning. How: ↳ Research their backgrounds, how they think, what their goals are etc. ↳ Attend other meetings where they are present to learn about their priorities, how they think and what questions they ask. Take note of the topics that energize them or cause concern. ↳ Engage with others who frequently interact with them to gain additional insights. Ask about their preferences, hot buttons, and any subtle cues that could be useful in understanding their perspective. 2. Tailor your Communication Why: This ensures that your message is not just heard but also understood and valued. How: ↳ Seek inspiration from existing artifacts and pickup queues on terminologies, context and background on the give topic. ↳ Reflect on their goals and priorities, and integrate these elements into your communication. For instance, if they prioritize efficiency, highlight how your proposal enhances productivity. ↳Ask yourself "So what?" or "Why should they care" as a litmus test for relatability of your proposal. 3. Pre-socialize for support Why: It allows you to refine your approach, address potential objections, and build a coalition of support (ahead of and during the meeting). How: ↳ Schedule informal discussions or small group meetings with key stakeholders or their team members to discuss your idea(s). A casual coffee or a brief virtual call can be effective. Lead with curiosity vs. an intent to respond. ↳ Ask targeted questions to gather feedback and gauge reactions to your ideas. Examples: What are your initial thoughts on this draft proposal? What challenges do you foresee with this approach? How does this align with our current priorities? ↳ Acknowledge, incorporate and highlight the insights from these pre-meetings into the main meeting, treating them as an integral part of the decision-making process. What would you add? PS: BONUS - Following these steps also expands your understanding of the business and your internal network - both of which make you more effective. --- Follow me, tap the (🔔) Omar Halabieh for daily Leadership and Career posts.

Learn from my failure. When’s the last time you walked away from a business review knowing you nailed it? Quarterly reviews? Exec updates? Board meetings? You delivered, and you knew it landed. Not often? I've failed multiple times, including recently. And here's the thing: most reviews/presentations fail before they even start. Not because your content is wrong. Not because you’re unprepared. But because you’re focused on the agenda instead of the goal. The goals of the room. I’m constantly reminded that I can get better at this after every. single. presentation. The truth: they aren’t just about reporting on what’s been done. They’re about building trust, proving impact, and aligning with what actually matters to the business. And the best part? The skills you develop to deliver an effective review aren't just for the exec team, management team, or board meeting. They're the foundation that turns a Director into a CMO. And after my 100000th review, I'm still learning. Here's where I'm at today. A great business review should: 1. Counter assumptions & build credibility – Directly counter any assumptions that important tasks are not being addressed or mishandled. Show that leadership is in control and delivering on priorities. 2. Showcase metrics, not just words – Avoid overemphasizing areas the audience doesn’t value, especially when there are gaps in delivery elsewhere. Data beats anecdotes. Show progress, don’t just talk about it. 3. Invite constructive feedback – Create a venue for stakeholders to suggest areas they feel are overlooked or misprioritized. Alignment doesn’t happen in a vacuum. Bring the room into the process. 4. Make invisible work visible – If stakeholders don’t see it, they assume it’s not happening. Prove them wrong. 5. Demonstrate say-do alignment – “We said we’d do X. We did X. Here’s the result.” Set clear expectations for what will be done and when. So, before any major meeting, I remind myself: THE AGENDA IS NOT THE GOAL. Start with the goals, then shape everything else around it. I've finally built out my template for an effective business review, and I'm happy to share it. But remember, it starts with the goals, not an outline from some random LinkedIn connection. :) I'll also send my longer diatribe on running an effective review. Comment ✅, and I'll send it to you!

Aligning executive stakeholders with conflicting priorities is a puzzle many product people face. How do you solve it? When stakeholders pull in different directions, the secret isn't in aligning immediately around a product vision. Instead, elevate the conversation: align first on company goals. What outcomes do we aspire to achieve as a company? This unified understanding of company priorities becomes your north star. Here's how you can approach this: 1️⃣ Level Up the Discussion: Before diving into a product vision, ask stakeholders to agree on broader company goals. What did your CEO emphasize as priorities for your business? This context is crucial. It sets the stage for aligning individual goals to the bigger picture. 2️⃣ Connect Back to Product Vision: Once unified on company objectives, demonstrate how the product vision helps achieve these goals. "Here's our shared goal. Based on customer insights and priorities, this vision drives us towards it.” This shows your vision isn't just arbitrary—it's informed and intentional. 3️⃣ Seek Constructive Feedback: Encourage dialogue. Why might a stakeholder disagree with the vision? Is it truly about priorities, or personal impacts and unmet goals? This feedback refines your approach but remember, the product vision isn't a committee decision. It's guided by data and customer needs. 4️⃣ Give Credit and Build Back: Stakeholders feel valued when their input shapes outcomes. Make sure to recognize their contributions. This fosters trust and buy-in. Being stuck in the build trap often arises from chasing outputs over outcomes. Aligning on higher-level goals ensures your product strategy isn't just a list of features but a pathway to delivering real value. 🎯 So, next time conflicting priorities emerge, remember: align at the top, then articulate a product vision that navigates towards those shared company goals. How have you managed stakeholder alignment in your organization? Share your experiences!