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Influencing Key Stakeholders

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Influencing Key Stakeholders
Andrew Demers
MGT-665-0663
June 8, 2015

This essay will discuss efforts to influence two key stakeholders at Pyro Presentations. This business is a family owned, and operated fireworks display company based in Oregon. Due to a large number of senior staff members retiring and business expansion, it became prudent to promote junior staff members as well as develop new positions to be filled. This paper will propose a strategy to influence the key stakeholders following the Cohen-Bradford Model of Influence without Authority.
Briefly describe a change effort that could be instituted at this organization. This may be an actual change effort that has previously occurred, one that is currently ongoing, or a fictitious one that you believe is appropriate for the organization.
Besides the manager and assistance manager positions at Pyro Presentations, there are two general types of employees: the senior staff members and the junior staff members. The power structure hinged on this division of workers. This dichotomy in power worked for many years until the senior staff began retiring. The issue soon became apparent, that with all those once in power retiring, a new power base needed to be formally established amongst the junior staff. Clarifying goals and priorities is the second step in the influence model. The purpose, in this case, is promoting junior staff members and creating new positions to support the expanding business.
Identify one or two key stakeholders you will attempt to influence.
The first key stakeholder is Bill, the owner and manager of Pyro Presentations. The second key stakeholder is Bill’s daughter Katherine. She will be inheriting the company when Bill retires. It is essential to influence both stakeholders to make the proposed change in the command structure. Bill must be influenced to begin the process of placing junior staff members in supervision position. To keep these changes, Katherine must also be influenced as she will be the upcoming new manager of the business. The first step in the influence model is assuming everyone is a potential ally. In this case, Bill and Katherine.
Collect information about the organization that may be used to determine the influence strategies you will employ (e.g., industry and economic growth rates, consumer trends, competition, press articles, etc.). Conduct your research either online, through the university library or using company literature. The website for the American Pyrotechnics Association (2015) includes such facts and figures as, firework consumption, fires associated with fireworks, injury rates, and industry revenue figures. None of these facts or figures is about the strategy to influence key stakeholders.
Based on the information you collect, describe the approaches and strategies you would employ to gain the influence of your key stakeholders.
According to Cohen and Bradford (2005), the vision needs to be condensed into a 30-second “rocket pitch” to be available at a moment’s notice. This speech is as follows, “As many of you already know, many of the senior staff will be retiring in the next two years, and there will be many open positions. As the company has expanded its operations, there is also a necessity for new supervisor positions to be created with assigned tasks and a small staff of employee to manage. This proposal offers some insight into these new positions and only requires you to overlook the plan and see what you think.
While developing an exchange strategy looking at whom to approach first by diagnosing relative power, odds of a positive outcome and the importance of support. Katherine is an early win as she is the same age and share similar currencies. In the beginning, the power distance was great and encounters were few; this made furthering developing a relationship with Katherine essential. Dealing with both relationships with the manager and assistant manager is the fifth step in the influence model. The currencies involved in the strategy are the last step in the influence model, influence through give and take (Cohen and Bradford, 2005).
An important step is to analyze the currencies that one has to offer. There are many available currencies that both Bill and Katherine both appreciate. According to Kendricks (2013) one key currency is to lead by example. This approach has again and again proven to the manager and assistant manager that an employee is capable. Leading by example is not the only currencies as others include, a reputation for hard work, a history of getting things done on time, volunteering extra time and effort and offering rides to co-workers. Identifying relevant currencies for both parties is the fourth step in the influence model (Cohen and Bradford, 2005).
The strategy includes using an accordion style method when managing different size groups of stakeholders. A small group including assistant manager Katherine to brainstorm which positions need to be created, the responsibilities of these new positions, and recommendations on who will fill these positions. This small group will then introduce this information to the manager at the next stakeholder meeting. According to Baldoni (2009), one of the key steps to influencing one’s boss is to paint a picture for your boss and then make it come alive. This meeting is meant to paint that picture. The following meetings will prepare to bring that picture to life.
The next meeting includes the manager, Bill, and Assistant Manager Katherine. Bill is the key stakeholder in this meeting as he makes all final decisions. This meeting is not, however, the last meeting. The next meeting includes all employees so that they can provide feedback and ideas. The last meeting will involve Bill and Katherine to make final decisions. These decisions will affect everyone on the staff and will need thoughtful consideration. This essay has presented a situation of change within the company of Pyro Presentations. A strategy was provided following the Bradford-Cohen Model of Influence without Authority. The strategy proved to be effective, but not without flaws. The final proposal has been approved, and the changes are currently being implemented.

References
American Pyrotechnics Association. (2015). Industry Facts and Figures. Retrieved from http://www.americanpyro.com/industry-facts-figures
Baldoni, J. (2009). The smart way to influence your boss. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved from https://hbr.org/2009/10/the-smart-way-to-influence-you/
Cohen, A., & Bradford, D. (2005). Influence without authority (2nd ed.). Hoboken, N.J.: Wiley.
Kendrick, P. T. (2013). Results Without Authority. Results Without Authority, 1-11.

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