Skip to content

ACCA Strategic Professional · Strategic Business Leader · Leading and managing projects

Marisol Retail is implementing a new customer data platform. A senior director, Mr Okafor, strongly influences budget decisions but has shown little interest in the project and rarely attends meetings. Using Mendelow's power-interest matrix, how should the project manager classify and treat him?

Mr Okafor is a high-power, low-interest stakeholder, so Mendelow's matrix puts him in the keep satisfied category. The project manager should engage him enough to maintain support and prevent opposition, because his power could harm the project if his interest turned negative.

  1. AKeep satisfied: high power, low interest, so consult enough to prevent opposition without overloading himCorrect
  2. BKey player: high power, high interest, so involve him in all decisions
  3. CKeep informed: low power, high interest, so send regular updates
  4. DMinimal effort: low power, low interest, so monitor only

Explanation

He controls budget decisions (high power) but shows little interest, which places him in the keep satisfied quadrant. The aim is to maintain his support and avoid him becoming hostile, without excessive communication. Key player treatment would overstate his current interest.

Did you get it right without looking?

One question tells you little. A timed set on Leading and managing projects shows your real accuracy, how long you take and where you lose marks.

Practise Leading and managing projectsFree diagnostic mock

More Leading and managing projects questions