How do you identify key influencers and information flows in your organization?

1 Assess your communication goals

Before you start mapping your network, you need to have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your communication. Do you want to inform, persuade, engage, or collaborate with your audience? Do you have specific objectives, such as increasing awareness, generating feedback, or driving change? Your communication goals will guide you to identify the relevant stakeholders, channels, and metrics for your network analysis.

2 Identify your key stakeholders

Your key stakeholders are the people who have a high interest and influence in your communication topic. They can be internal or external, formal or informal, direct or indirect. You can use various methods to identify your key stakeholders, such as brainstorming, surveys, interviews, or social media analysis. You can also use a stakeholder matrix to prioritize and categorize them based on their power and interest levels.

3 Map your communication channels

Your communication channels are the means by which you exchange information with your stakeholders. They can be formal or informal, verbal or written, digital or physical. You can map your communication channels by listing the main ones you use, such as email, meetings, newsletters, intranet, social media, etc. You can also analyze the frequency, direction, quality, and effectiveness of each channel, and how they relate to each other.

4 Identify your key influencers

Your key influencers are the people who have the most impact on your communication network. They can be leaders, experts, connectors, or advocates. They can shape opinions, spread information, bridge gaps, or mobilize actions. You can identify your key influencers by using network analysis tools, such as sociograms, centrality measures, or network maps. These tools can help you visualize and quantify the relationships, roles, and behaviors of the actors in your network.

5 Analyze your information flows

Your information flows are the patterns and dynamics of how information is created, transmitted, and received in your network. They can be linear or circular, top-down or bottom-up, one-way or two-way, formal or informal. You can analyze your information flows by using content analysis tools, such as thematic analysis, sentiment analysis, or discourse analysis. These tools can help you understand the topics, tones, and meanings of the information in your network.

6 Leverage your network potential

Once you have mapped and analyzed your network, you can use the insights to leverage its potential for your communication goals. You can use your key influencers to amplify your messages, engage your stakeholders, and foster trust and credibility. You can use your communication channels to optimize your reach, frequency, and feedback. You can use your information flows to align your content, tone, and style with your audience's needs and expectations.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?