Stakeholder Mapping

Map decision makers, champions, detractors, and influencers. AI produces a stakeholder grid with engagement strategy and champion-building tactics for each persona.

Skill Details

Install this skill

Versionv1.0.0AuthorJorge ArteagaLicenseMITSections13

Works with

Claude CodeCursorWindsurf

When This Skill Owns the TaskWorkflow

Required Context to Gather FirstWorkflow

Before building a stakeholder map, ask for or infer:

Known contacts — Names, titles, and roles of anyone already engaged

Company size and org structure — Is this a flat startup or a large enterprise with layers?

Deal type — New logo, expansion, or renewal?

Deal stage — Early discovery, deep evaluation, or late-stage close?

Known relationships — Any existing Salesforce relationships or executive sponsors?

Stated concern areas — Has anyone expressed resistance, concern, or enthusiasm?

WorkflowWorkflow

List all known contacts — Name, title, and what we know about each.

Classify each stakeholder — Apply the Persona Types table below.

Plot the Power/Interest Grid — Assign each to a quadrant.

Assess attitude — Champion, Neutral, Skeptic, or Active Detractor?

Identify the white space — Who should be engaged that we haven't met yet?

Build engagement strategy per person — Tailor message, medium, and frequency.

Identify the champion — Apply the Champion Test to confirm they qualify.

Produce the stakeholder map — Use the output template below.

Core Frameworks

Stakeholder Persona Types

Power / Interest Grid

         HIGH POWER
              │
   MANAGE     │    ENGAGE
   CLOSELY    │    DEEPLY
   (EB, Tech  │    (Champion,
    Buyer)    │    Exec Sponsor)
              │
──────────────┼──────────────
              │
   MONITOR    │    KEEP
   (Peripheral│    INFORMED
    contacts) │    (End users,
              │    project mgr)
              │
         LOW POWER
        LOW INTEREST ←──→ HIGH INTEREST

Quadrant Actions:

Engage Deeply (High Power, High Interest): Primary focus. These people can make or break the deal.
Manage Closely (High Power, Low Interest): Keep them satisfied. A single negative comment from here can kill the deal.
Keep Informed (Low Power, High Interest): Allies and influencers. Useful for intelligence; arm them with talking points.
Monitor (Low Power, Low Interest): Minimal investment. Don't ignore — they can move quadrants.

Champion Test

A true champion must pass all three criteria:

Code

✓ Has PAIN — They personally feel the problem you're solving
✓ Has POWER — They have influence over the decision or the Economic Buyer
✓ Is ACTIVE — They are willing to take actions on your behalf (set up meetings,
               share internal documents, advocate in rooms you're not in)

If a contact fails any one of these, they are an enthusiastic user, not a champion. Find a champion.

Engagement Strategy by Attitude

Output FormatTemplate

Stakeholder Map Template

MARKDOWN

# Stakeholder Map — [Company Name]
**Date:** [Date] | **Deal:** [Opportunity Name] | **SE:** [Name] | **AE:** [Name]

## Stakeholder Grid

| Name | Title | Persona Type | Power | Interest | Attitude | Last Contact |
|------|-------|-------------|-------|----------|----------|-------------|
| [Name] | [Title] | [EB/Tech/User/Champion/Blocker] | H/M/L | H/M/L | Champion/Neutral/Skeptic/Detractor | [Date] |

## Power/Interest Quadrant

**Engage Deeply (High Power / High Interest):**
- [Name, Title] — [One sentence on their priority and our current relationship]

**Manage Closely (High Power / Low Interest):**
- [Name, Title] — [What they care about; risk if we lose them]

**Keep Informed (Low Power / High Interest):**
- [Name, Title] — [How they can help us; what we give them]

**Monitor:**
- [Name, Title] — [Why they're here; watch for movement]

## Champion Assessment

**Champion:** [Name, Title]
- Has Pain: [Yes/No] — [Evidence]
- Has Power: [Yes/No] — [Evidence]
- Is Active: [Yes/No] — [Evidence of advocacy]
- **Champion Confidence:** [Strong / Developing / Unconfirmed]

**If no confirmed champion:** [Strategy to develop one]

## White Space (Who We Haven't Met Yet)

| Role We Need | Why | Action to Get Access |
|-------------|-----|---------------------|
| [Role] | [Why this person matters] | [Ask champion / AE intro / event] |

## Engagement Plan by Stakeholder

### [Name] — [Title] — [Persona Type]
- **What they care about:** [Their priorities and incentives]
- **Our message:** [Tailored value proposition for this person]
- **Next touchpoint:** [Action, format, owner, date]
- **Risk:** [What could make them a blocker]

Anti-PatternsReference

Scoring Rubric (80 Points)Reference

Score Guide:

70-80: Strong map. Proceed with confidence.
50-69: Gaps in champion or EB coverage. Fix before major investment.
30-49: Single-threaded or EB unknown. High deal risk.
Below 30: Insufficient data. More discovery required.

Cross-Skill IntegrationReference

Task	This Skill	Defer To
Map all stakeholders and their roles	Yes	—
Assess each stakeholder's influence and attitude	Yes	—
Generate engagement strategy per stakeholder	Yes	—
Build an executive communication for a C-suite stakeholder	No	sf-se-executive-briefing
Score the overall deal using MEDDIC	No	sf-se-qualification
Plan the discovery call to meet those stakeholders	No	sf-se-discovery
Persona	Who They Are	What They Care About	How to Engage
Economic Buyer (EB)	Final budget authority and contract signer	ROI, risk, strategic fit	Executive briefing; lead with outcomes and business value
Technical Buyer	Evaluates fit, security, and integration	Architecture, compliance, scalability	Technical deep-dive; white papers; proof-of-concept
User Buyer	Adopts and uses the solution daily	Ease of use, training, workflow impact	Demo tailored to their workflow; address change management fears
Champion	Internal advocate who sells for you	Career advancement, solving their pain	Arm with ammunition; help them look good internally
Coach/Advisor	Has inside information; not a decision maker	Relationship building	Leverage for intel; treat as trusted partner
Blocker/Detractor	Opposes the deal for reasons stated or unstated	Status quo, job security, competitor loyalty	Acknowledge concerns; find the real objection; isolate or neutralize
Attitude	Signals	Strategy
Champion	Proactively shares information; advocates internally; moves quickly	Arm with competitive ammunition; give them wins to share up
Neutral/Curious	Engages professionally; no strong opinion yet	Personalize the value story to their specific role and incentives
Skeptic	Asks hard questions; expresses doubts; delays	Seek to understand the real concern; address it with evidence; don't debate
Active Detractor	Vocal opposition; pushes alternatives; builds internal coalitions	Identify their real motivation; isolate if possible; escalate if the champion can neutralize them
Anti-Pattern	Why It Fails	Fix
Single-threading (only talking to one person)	That person leaves, gets promoted, or loses favor — deal dies	Always have 3+ active relationships in any deal above $100K
Confusing an enthusiastic user for a champion	Users love the product but can't influence the EB	Apply the Champion Test rigorously
Ignoring blockers and hoping they go away	They organize opposition in rooms you're not in	Engage blockers early; understand their real objection
Not mapping the org chart before the first executive meeting	Walking into an EB meeting without understanding their world signals lack of prep	Always research reporting structure before any meeting
Assuming the biggest title is the real power	Decision influence often lives below the VP level	Map influence, not just hierarchy
Over-rotating to the champion and neglecting the EB	Champion can't close a deal without EB alignment	Build a bridge from champion to EB; never let them be disconnected
Category	Points	Pass Criteria
Champion Confirmed	25	A contact passes all three Champion Test criteria
EB Identified	20	Economic Buyer named, met with, and attitude assessed
White Space Mapped	15	Key missing contacts identified with access plan
Engagement Plan	20	Every High Power stakeholder has a tailored next action
Skill	When to Use It
sf-se-discovery	Run discovery to meet and learn about stakeholders
sf-se-qualification	Use stakeholder data to score the Champion and EB MEDDIC elements
sf-se-executive-briefing	Build the tailored communication for the Economic Buyer
sf-se-deal-strategy	Use the stakeholder map as input to the win plan
sf-se-presentation	Build persona-specific presentations for different stakeholder types