Why map it? Most work conversations involve more people than the one you’re talking to. Seeing everyone involved — who decides, who influences, who could block you — shows you the bigger picture and the smartest move. Think of it like a chessboard: you plan several moves ahead when you can see every piece.
Groups — where each person sits in relation to you:
C-suite the top team (CEO, CFO, MD…) · Senior leadership directors and heads above you · Peers colleagues at your level · My team people who report to you · Clients customers, buyers and their people · Other suppliers, HR, partners.
Role — what they do in this situation: the decision-maker, the buyer, the user, an influencer, or a gatekeeper who controls access or sign-off.
Stance — ally, neutral, hesitant, or not sure yet. Add who reports to whom to see the lines of power.
Example — a sales pitch: your account manager goes under My team; the client’s CFO under Clients as decision-maker; their procurement lead under Clients as gatekeeper; your sales director under Senior leadership as an ally.
One map, many sessions: name a map after a client, team or project (e.g. “Acme Ltd”) and link each related session to it. You add people once, and you can see how many sessions involve them. Use initials if you prefer — it’s private to you.
Map the people this actually affects. It pays to think the politics through in advance — who your stakeholders are, what each of them wants, and where they stand.That’s when the smart move gets clear: the strategy to take, and how to put your idea so it lands. You don’t have to love office politics to win at it — you just have to consider it up front.