Transforming Public and Nonprofit Organizations

CHAPTER FIVECommunicating and Collaborating with Stakeholders

The new public service in the United States is a blended, multisector workforce comprising public and nonprofit servants who often work closely with the private sector to deliver public goods and services. The composition of the blended workforce means that stakeholders in change initiatives may have very different stakes in the outcomes, as well as diverse values and incentives affecting their behavior.

The challenge of forging the trust and cooperation among diverse stakeholders needed to implement complex change initiatives can be intimidating. Understanding who the key stakeholders are and where they are coming from, and then devising effective communication strategies to achieve ...