Influencing Your Stakeholders (And Their Stakeholders) Influencing and getting buy-in from your stakeholders is all about preparation and homework. This includes being able to concisely and concretely share the value-added with your counterparts. Moreover, how will this value added make the lives of your stakeholders and/or their stakeholders better than the status quo? What’s the roadmap to success look like? Having good answers to these questions, as well as personal stories as real-life illustrations are essential. But so is exploring the emotional needs of the stakeholders you want to influence. The following five questions can help you prepare for this: Five Key Questions for Your Stakeholders 1. What financial or emotional interest do they have in the outcome of your work? Is it positive or negative? 2. What motivates them in general and most of all? 3. What information do they want from you and what’s the best way to communicate your message to them? 4. If they are not likely