Surviving The Stakeholder Safari

WELCOME TO THE STAKEHOLDER SAFARI.

Watch your step. Everything bites.

If stakeholder management is a challenge then this book can be your survival guide.

This book reframes organisational life as an ecosystem — not a process problem. You’re not just dealing with tasks and plans; you’re navigating adaptive behaviours that have evolved inside the system.

Inside, you’ll meet 50 types of stakeholder:

• The SEAGULL who swoops in late and leaves a mess
• The GOAT who blocks progress without raising their voice
• The CAMEL who carries it all… until that final straw breaks them
• The SPIDER who waits patiently — then strikes with devastating precision

They’re not villains. They’re exhibiting understandable survival behaviours, often reinforced and rewarded by the environment.

This isn’t about labelling people. It’s about recognising patterns — and learning how to respond skilfully rather than react emotionally.

This book is for leaders, product people, coaches, and change-makers who:

• Leave meetings wondering how nothing actually moved
• Feel like stakeholder dynamics are harder than the work itself
• Are tired of managing personalities instead of outcomes
• Want to influence without becoming political
• Care about results but don’t want to lose their integrity in the process

If you’ve ever felt outnumbered by “difficult personalities” or quietly frustrated by invisible power plays, this guide will help you survive — and lead — the safari with more clarity, steadiness, and impact.