As a product marketer, I run multiple projects simultaneously. In such a scenario, stakeholder management becomes an operational task. Is there a checklist that you follow to ensure efficiency?

I don’t use a particular checklist however I always like to build a stakeholder matrix. This is a framework that allows me to keep track of all stakeholders, their role in the project, their responsibilities, and the frequency of communication I need to maintain. I start by identifying all directly and indirectly involved stakeholders. List everyone who has influence on important decisions that can impact your team, project, or funding. Then map them based on the R&R framework used at your company (RACI VS RAPID), this means, which stakeholders belong under Responsible VS Informed, which are internal VS external, and which are part of the project team vs upper management. 

Once you have mapped all stakeholders, I would then determine the type of communication they need (detailed project update VS high-level milestones), frequency (weekly VS monthly) and channel (email VS newsflash VS meeting). Finally, I would set reminders on my calendar to ensure I am setting aside adequate time to prepare for the comms update, and I am regularly communicating to each stakeholder.

Totally empathize with this! When projects start to creep into the "dozens of stakeholders" size, you end up with a lot of work just keeping people updated. Some golden rules that I use:

• Create durable documents that outline the 5 Ws (who, what, where, when, why) for the project. Having robust documentation means everyone reads the same thing—and you don't have to have the same meeting with tons of people!
• Create milestone moments. I addressed this in another question but I create 20% and 80% review check points for all projects—at 20% you align on strategy and at 80% you align on execution/polish. By creating two very public check point moments, you give stakeholders confidence that they'll get their feedback in when it counts, and you'll avoid people bugging you for when the right time is to give feedback.
• Create a Slack/email cadence. For all of my projects, I create a public Slack channel where, at a minimum, I am providing an overview of the priorities for that week and tag who's responsible. We also use the channel as a visible place to make decisions. The result: I make updates and decisions in public, and every stakeholder can follow along at their own pace. It's a great way to uncover misalignment in real time and to make your update meetings much shorter—since you already have a documented trail of what's been done.

This is a common problem no matter what function you're in. Its about stakeholder management in complex, multi-threaded project environments. Really its about project management 101.  

A few tips:

• Before starting the project, get everyone's buy in on their role in the project. Use a RACI if that's the culture, or at least a simple document saying if someone is in the 'working team', 'approval team', informed/consulted team etc. This will ensure expectation management up front. If someone comes up later saying 'why wasnt I involved' you can show them the paper trail to explain no malintent
• Drive home this divison of responsibility in your kickoff call (as in HAVE a kickoff call for sure)
• Ensure that everyone involved is on the recurring meeting invite, Slack channel, Teams group, whatever you use for comms and accountability
• If you have a top down culture, explicitly build in meeting cadences for review, approval, stakeholder feedback and call it what it is. Dont assume that people will know things, or pay attention 'offline'
• Over communicate -- pre-meeting, agendas, status boards, recapss. Call out what's stakeholder relevant, whats not

No easy way to do this, but its a lot of cat herding that if done well can drive massive organizational alignment.  

You're right, it's an operational beast! I use a multi-project checklist with:

• Projects & communication plans

• DACI charts for each project

• Preferred communication styles & schedules

But the real game-changer? Building relationships:

• 1:1 meetings with PMs & leaders: Connect early for smooth sailing.

• Effective 1:1s: Prepare agendas, actively listen, offer support.

Bonus: Remember, be enthusiastic, passionate, and data-driven to build relationships, so things run smoother when it gets intense.

There is no checklist but a routine I do every week to ensure I progress toward my goals and feel a sense of accomplishment at the end of each week. Every Monday, I write out my top priority and the three things I will accomplish this week. I share those with my team, my boss, and my stakeholders to get alignment and set expectations of where my time will be focused this week. Occasionally, my boss, team, or stakeholders will ask to adjust based on their view of the business. I weigh the options, and I'll make the change if pertinent.

At the end of the week, I reflect on if I accomplished those 3 tasks and outline the three tasks for the next week. I communicate that to my boss, my team, and my stakeholders for them to think about through the weekend. They'll reach out on Monday to adjust and start my cycle again if needed.

For a large cross-functional project, there are three keys to keeping everyone on the same page & running efficiently:

• Align on the high-level objective: When kicking off a new project, it's crucial to outline the vision for what you're trying to accomplish and what success looks like. I typically will do this in a joint Google Doc or Notion page and ensure that it's distributed ahead of time so stakeholder feedback can be incorporated. We'll then do a formal meeting to review & address any final outstanding questions.

• Establish a shared workflow: It's essential for everyone working on the project to have a clear system to align on the progress of each task and collaborate. I love Asana for this—as it's easy to track the high-level project status and dive into details. I've also used Google Docs, Jira, and Notion. While each has their own strengths/weakness, the best tool is the one that will be adopted. Start with whatever people are already using, and only add on new software if absolutely necessary.

• Establish regular syncs: Do not underestimate the value of bringing everyone into the same room, to make sure that people are communicating. For a high-visibility product launch, this may mean 15min daily standups leading up to launch day. For other projects, this may mean weekly 30min syncs. It's important to prep an agenda ahead of time and make sure notes/action items are clearly documented. Otherwise, it's easy to swirl. If the project is running smoothly, I love using these meetings to review the shared project tool (e.g., Asana), and focus on exception management where group feedback is needed.