02 Strengthen the relationships that matter most
Identify the relationships that matter most, assess their current state, and build a deliberate plan to strengthen trust, access and influence.
Most organisations can list their stakeholders; fewer can say with confidence which relationships genuinely affect licence to operate, growth and reputation – or what it would take to strengthen them over time.
What this is about
SXD will help you go from “we know a lot of people” to a clear, focused list of the people who matter, how those relationships function, and how you will manage them.
When this is needed
This work is for you when:
Stakeholder issues are still handled one by one, without an overall view of relationships and priorities.
Key relationships depend heavily on a few individuals, with limited institutional memory or backup.
Different leaders hold different assumptions about how strong (or fragile) certain relationships actually are.
You want to build influence over time, but efforts are fragmented and and are spread too thinly to have much impact.
Relationships matter, but there’s no common way to choose priorities or manage them intentionally.
What SXD does
Working with strategy, external affairs and business leaders, the work typically includes:
Identifying the relationships that matter most for a defined strategy, project or market - not everyone you know, but the small number of actors that can materially affect outcomes.
Assessing the state of those relationships by looking honestly at access, trust, alignment, history and risk - not just whether recent meetings went well.
Clarifying ownership and accountability to make it clear who leads which relationship, where there are gaps, and how responsibilities are shared across the organisation.
Designing a focused relationship plan that sets direction for each relationship: what you are aiming for, what you are prepared to invest, and what you will not do.
The emphasis is on realism and focus, not on generating long lists of engagement activities.
How it works in practice
1. Scope and focus: We agree which part of the business or which strategic question we are focusing on. This keeps the work practical and close to real decisions.
2. Relationship and risk mapping: Using existing insight and targeted conversations, we map the relationships, risks and opportunities that are genuinely strategic - and make that map usable by your leadership team.
3. Plan and cadence: We translate that map into a workable plan that sets who leads what, what good looks like, and a sensible rhythm for contact and review.
What changes afterwards
Senior leaders share a clear view of which external relationships deserve their time and attention – and which do not.
Responsibility for key relationships is clearer and less dependent on individual personalities or history.
Time, travel and senior attention can be invested where they are most likely to strengthen trust, access and influence.
Relationship discussions shift from anecdote (“who spoke to them last?”) to direction (“where do we need to be with them in 12–24 months?”).