Political Mapping

Political Mapping is a way of assessing the importance of various stakeholders in a meeting or other presentation and determining the impact they may have on your desired outcomes. The technique involves considering every individual’s degree of potential influence on a decision or direction while also taking into account his or her existing position on the matter. This approach is especially valuable when you are dealing with emotional or highly controversial issues and need to anticipate specific positions or concerns in advance of the meeting. By knowing ahead of time which people will support or oppose your agenda and why, you will be able to better tailor your material and process.

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To undertake a Political Map, start by jotting down the names of people who have a stake in the matter at hand or a strong opinion about it and noting their function. Then think about whom on the list you need to get on board to resolve the matter, and assess the influence each may have. You must consider both the individual’s power or rank in the decision-making process and the influence that person may have on the content of the discussion as an expert on the subject matter. You also must take into account that person’s probable impact on group dynamics, due to either their role in the organization or personality. Next, write down what you know about each individual’s “going in” position on the topic. A simple grid, such as that shown, can be used to make your notes.

The point of this exercise is not only to anticipate the flow of the meeting but to influence it. Once you’ve thought over the perspectives of the members of your audience, it behooves you to manage their participation before the meeting starts. In anticipation of the meeting, reach out to key individuals by phone or e-mail.

Although the illustration is for a meeting, the technique works equally well in other presentation circumstances.