Communication & Stakeholder Management Flashcards

What is the PRIMARY goal of a stakeholder communication plan?

Answer: To ensure the right information reaches the right people at the right time through the right channels

A stakeholder communication plan strategically aligns message content, audience, timing, and channel to maximize understanding and support.

When using the 'influence strategy' with resistant stakeholders, a strategic manager should FIRST:

Answer: Understand the stakeholder's underlying concerns and motivations

Understanding a resistant stakeholder's underlying concerns is the foundation of any effective influence strategy.

Which type of organizational communication flows from frontline employees upward to senior leadership?

Answer: Upward communication

Upward communication travels from lower organizational levels to upper management, carrying feedback, reports, and concerns.

A strategic manager receives contradictory feedback from two stakeholder groups about a proposed change. The BEST response is to:

Answer: Conduct further analysis to understand the root of the contradiction before proceeding

Contradictory feedback signals that further analysis is needed to understand different perspectives and make an informed decision.

Which communication barrier is MOST associated with organizational silos?

Answer: Lack of shared language, context, and goals across departments

Silos create barriers because departments develop their own cultures, jargon, and priorities that are not shared across the organization.

In stakeholder management, 'co-optation' refers to:

Answer: Bringing potential opponents into the decision-making process to gain their support

Co-optation involves giving potential opponents a role in planning or governance, converting resistance into ownership and support.

A strategic manager must deliver bad news to a key client stakeholder. Which approach is MOST effective?

Answer: Deliver the news in person or via video call, be direct, and come prepared with solutions

Delivering bad news directly through a high-richness channel, paired with proposed solutions, demonstrates accountability and preserves trust.