Stakeholders are the key to effective dialogue but who are they and how do you ensure their involvement? A stakeholder is anyone with an interest in a particular issue and the commitment to take part in resolving it. Start a list of stakeholders by considering who has the power or influence to enable or block a decision. These people can then suggest others that should be involved. Keep updating this list as the project progresses. A stakeholder will usually be keen to get involved but be considerate of the time commitment they are making: always give plenty of advance warning about meetings. The media may be a potential stakeholder but their involvement has to be treated with caution, particularly in situations of high conflict.