RECOGNIZING YOUR ALLIES AND OPPONENTS AND MOVING THEM

For every issue, there are stakeholders that are either with you, against you, or somewhere in between. In public policy advocacy work moving an opponent into a neutral space may be as valuable as moving an ally closer to you.

Categorization

Leading Allies: You need to actively support them, nurture them, encourage them, provide feedback to them

Active Allies: They agree with you and are fighting alongside with you. You need to identify them, contact them and empower them.

Passive Allies (Sympathetic but not active): They agree with you but are not doing anything about it. You need to provide opportunities to them to support you, to encourage their participation and to keep them informed.

Oblivious Neutrals (Undecided or not active): They are the fence sitters, the unengaged.  You need to win them over, to build relationship with them without provoking them into action.

Passive Opponents (Opposed but not active): They agree with you but they are not trying to stop you. You need to give them an opportunity to change their position and to recognize their actual needs and fears.

Active Opponents: They actively oppose their position and are engaged in stopping you. You need to arouse doubts, build relationship, soft on person based on the problem

Leading Opponents: You need to reveal their motives.