Four proven strategies to influence stakeholders in your negotiations

In the complex world of humanitarian negotiation, it’s never just about what happens at the negotiation table.

Social, political, and cultural forces influence decisions.

To navigate these dynamics successfully, you need to understand your counterpart and the web of influential stakeholders around them.

This is where stakeholder mapping comes in.

Stakeholder mapping helps you visualise the relationships and power dynamics at play, giving you a clearer picture of how to mobilise support from key players.

In this blog, we’ll walk you through practical steps to create a stakeholder map so you can negotiate with a stronger, more informed strategy, leverage your connections and, finally, influence your counterparts.

Humanitarian negotiations don’t happen in isolation.

Your counterpart’s position is shaped not only by their values or tactical reasoning but also by external forces – community expectations, political pressures, power struggles…

A strong stakeholder map helps you see the entire landscape, showing you who is influencing your counterpart’s decisions.

Consider the various actors who might impact your negotiations: political leaders, community figures, media, or even competing humanitarian groups.

Similarly, a local governor might be influenced by militia leaders, international organisations, or religious groups, each with their own agendas. Knowing these connections helps you identify leverage points for advancing your negotiation goals.

The next step is to create a stakeholder map. Think of it like a visual representation of the different players and their relationships.

To do this:

1. Start with your counterpart at the centre. This could be a government official, tribal leader, or any authority figure you’re negotiating with.
2. Identify relevant stakeholders and plot them around the counterpart based on their influence and perspective. Use a two-dimensional grid: the horizontal axis shows how progressive or conservative they are on the issue, while the vertical axis shows whether they are local or global influencers.

For example, a global human rights organisation might sit in the “global transformative” quadrant, supporting your organisation’s argument for better access to healthcare.

Meanwhile, the local religious leaders may be in the “local conservative” quadrant, preferring to maintain the status quo.

Once your map is in place, it’s time to strategize. Engage with stakeholders differently depending on their position on the map:

• Alliance: Work closely with stakeholders who share your goals. For example, if an international organisation is pushing for the same reforms as you, team up to amplify your influence.
• Cooperation: Collaborate with stakeholders who might support some parts of your agenda but need extra help. Providing technical assistance or training to local groups can strengthen your ties with them.
• Coalition: Build relationships with those who may not agree with you on this issue but are influential in other areas. Engaging in joint activities outside the negotiation context can earn their trust.
• Mitigation: Handle “spoilers” who may actively oppose your objectives. Building personal relationships and finding common ground can reduce their resistance.

Not all stakeholders have equal weight. Some may have a stronger voice with your counterpart than others.

Focus your energy on those who have the most sway, and look for ways to mobilise them in your favour.

This may involve identifying second- or third-degree connections that are not immediately obvious but could be game changers in influencing your counterpart.

Trace arrows between each actor to help you visualise your relation to them, and how you can leverage your connections.

For instance, your contact at Médécins Sans Frontières (MSF) has a working relationship with the leader of local nurses’ network. This person is in touch with the governor’s brother, who has  great influence over the governor.

Once you have drawn all your connections, your final stakeholder map might look something like this:

Stakeholder mapping is a powerful tool in humanitarian negotiation, helping you understand the broader landscape of influence around your counterpart.

By building a visual map, you can better strategize how to engage key stakeholders, mobilise support, and navigate complex political dynamics.

A successful negotiation isn’t just about what happens at the table. It’s about understanding and managing the network of influences that shape the decisions of those you are negotiating with.

By following these steps, you can turn stakeholder mapping into a practical tool to enhance your negotiation outcomes.

Good luck!