Advanced

Stakeholder message tree

Turn one core message into audience-specific versions (staff, board, funders, participants, media) without diluting the truth.

How it works

Different audiences deserve the same truth, communicated in a form they can hear. This technique keeps you honest across the whole tree. When to use: - Restructures and service changes. - Financial position updates. - Safeguarding transparency (with due care and legal review). - New strategy launches. Before sending: - Read all five versions side by side. If one contains a fact the others hide, redo it. - Have one person from the most affected audience sanity-check "their" version. - Legal / DPO review any version referencing individuals.

Example prompt

I need to communicate the following to five audiences at our YMCA association: {CORE MESSAGE / DECISION}. Draft one version each for: (1) all staff, (2) board and trustees, (3) major funders, (4) participants and families, (5) press / social. Keep the same underlying facts and decisions in every version — do not soften or omit uncomfortable truths for any audience. What changes: tone, framing, level of detail, and next action. Flag any version where the message would land badly and suggest a rework.