Stakeholder Management

RACI = Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed. It's a 5-minute matrix that stops 90% of 'who decides?' fights. Rows = tasks/decisions, columns = people. R = does the work, A = final sign-off, C = input before decision, I = notification after. Example: 'New pricing': PM=A, Eng=R, Finance=C, Sales=I, CEO=C. Governs who speaks in meetings, who can veto, who just needs updates. Saves ~2 hours/week in confusion. Always RACI before starting any cross-team project.

Execs get 50+ emails/day. Three rules: (1) Subject = outcome, not action — 'Revenue impact: $2M upside' not 'Q2 roadmap update'. (2) One page max, bullet structure, numbers first. (3) Decision needed = bold. Example: '3 options: A (fast, $5k cost), B (safe, $15k cost), C (skip). Recommend B. Need go/no-go by EOD Friday.' Async = saved 2h meeting. Execs love decisiveness + brevity. Monthly written update beats weekly Slack noise 10:1.

This is stakeholder mgmt at work. (1) Don't mediate, align. Get all 3 in a room, they'll self-resolve if you show the tradeoff clearly. (2) Use RACI: 'CEO=A, Eng lead=R, Sales VP=C'. CEO decides, everyone else buys in. (3) Propose one option with reasoning (not 3 options = lazy). Example: 'Stability sprint for 2 weeks (fixes tech debt, unblocks next 3 sprints of features), then feature velocity resumes.' Show the path, not the conflict. (4) Document decision in decision log so no one re-fights it next month.

Sync = weekly exec syncs with ALL stakeholders (30 min). Async = weekly Loom + written doc, execs watch on their time. Best mix: (1) Async for status (broadcast), (2) Sync for decisions (debate). Monthly all-hands sync for big calls (roadmap, hires, pivots). Weekly async updates = people stay aligned without meeting debt. Async scales better at company >50 people. Sync meetings should be 'decision' focused, not 'update' focused — if just updating, send a doc.

Escalate when: (1) RACI breaks (no A = default escalate to their manager), (2) Two stakeholders want opposite things and you can't propose a compromise (CEO decides via RACI), (3) Timeline/resource mismatch threatens launch (flag to leadership, propose new timeline or cut scope). DON'T escalate because someone's unhappy — fix it at your level. DO escalate authority conflicts ('who decides?') or misaligned incentives that can't be solved by talking. Always escalate UP to mutual boss, not sideways.

Three things execs judge: (1) Do you know your stuff? Prep before every meeting — know the metrics, the risks, the asks. (2) Do you follow through? Tell them you'll send something by Friday, deliver Thursday. Credibility builds in 2-3 interactions, breaks in one miss. (3) Are you thinking about THEIR priorities? Execs want people who understand their goals (revenue, hiring, retention). Listen for what they care about, frame your asks around their win. Coffee chat before you need something. After 3-4 interactions where you prep + deliver + show business thinking, they'll sponsor your next project.

No — it's professional communication. Managing up = understanding your manager's goals, constraints, and communication style, then working WITHIN that system. Example: if your CEO hates long emails, send one-pagers + voice notes. If the CTO values data, lead with metrics. It's not manipulation, it's respect. Everyone has a boss (even the CEO has the board). The best leaders think about how to work WITH their stakeholders, not against them. 'Politics' = hidden agendas. 'Stakeholder mgmt' = open, mutually-beneficial relationships.