Executives communicate in spreadsheets, not screenshots. Track trends, not absolute numbers. Manage proactive communications from strategy through execution.
See ../pm-copilot/references/framework.md for the primitives.
Three steps
Identify → Analyze → Communicate.
- Identify every stakeholder or group affected by or influencing the work.
- Analyze each on two axes and place them on the matrix.
- Communicate on a plan tuned to each quadrant.
Influence = informal authority — the power to facilitate or impede an objective; the ability to persuade or coerce others toward a course of action. Importance = formal authority — the priority given to satisfying that stakeholder's needs; their power to drive, change, or cancel the work.
Stakeholder Management Matrix (2×2)
Y = Influence (informal authority), X = Importance (formal authority):
| Low Importance | High Importance | |
|---|---|---|
| High Influence | Keep Satisfied | Manage Closely |
| Low Influence | Monitor | Keep Informed |
Communication plan — When / How
- When? How often · what stages · what depth.
- How? What format · what channel.
- Common errors to avoid: surprising stakeholders with bad news (ignore/delay/surprise); relying solely on email/electronic comms; delivering disparate status to different stakeholders.
Metric categories (pick what's meaningful per stakeholder)
- Value — LTV; LTV:CAC.
- Quality — defects; % test coverage; fix-to-feature ratio; return rate.
- Progress — lead & cycle time; velocity/burndown; % dependencies.
- Satisfaction — NPS; CSAT; renewal rate; time-to-value; customer effort (CES).
Interview the user (batch questions)
- Who are the stakeholders (people/groups) touched by this work?
- For each — how much influence (informal) and importance (formal) do they have?
- What outcome/metric does each one actually care about?
- What cadence and channel fits each (weekly meeting, email digest, dashboard)?
- What's the current status and any risks to surface?
Artifact templates
Stakeholder Communication Plan
# Stakeholder Communication Plan — <Project/Product>
**Company:** <company> · **Feature / Product:** <feature / product name>
**Author:** <author> · **Date created:** <date>
| Stakeholder | Category | Communicator | Channel | Artifact | Frequency | Metric Category | Specific Metrics |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| Angela (SVP Sales) | Manage Closely | Jeff (PM) | Weekly meeting (+ email) | Initiative status template | Weekly, Thursday | Value | LTV |
| <name/role> | Keep Informed | | | | | | |
| <name/role> | Keep Satisfied | | | | | | |
| <name/role> | Monitor | | | | | | |
Status Update (Initiative-based)
# Status Update — <Product/Release> — <date>
**Company:** <company> · **Feature / Product:** <feature / product name>
**Author:** <author> · **Date created:** <date>
| Initiative | Description | Delivery | Status | Path to Green | Update | What's Next |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| <name> | <goal of this work> | <date/quarter> | 🟢 On track | — | <latest since last report> | <planned work> |
| <name> | <goal> | <date> | 🟡 Elevated risk | <steps to recover> | <milestones met / risks / scope changes> | <next> |
**Status legend:** 🟢 On track · 🟡 Elevated risk · 🔴 High risk · 🔵 Completed · ⚪ Not started · ⚫ On hold.
(For an exec audience, offer a metric-based variant: Business Objective | Metric Category | Metric to Move | Goal State | Current State | Initiative | Outcome [Measuring / Positive / Negative / Uncertain].)
Deliver the artifact
Follow ../pm-copilot/references/artifact-output.md: confirm inputs, ask Markdown
or .docx, write the .md, convert to .docx on request via your environment's native document-creation capability. Deliver the plan and a first status update. Then offer the
next stage: pm-launch-plan as the release nears its market window.