Something to doWorking with others
Map who matters to your work
A simple exercise to find the work relationships worth investing in, and start with the one that needs it most
Why it’s worth your time
Time with people at work tends to go to whoever is nearest, not to whoever your work depends on most. A few minutes of honest sorting shows you the relationships that carry the most weight and have had the least care, so you can start there. It stays private, and it ends in a real conversation, not a chart.
How to make a stakeholder map for your own role
You’ll come away with a short list of one-on-ones to book, starting with the biggest gap.
We’ll send you a calendar invite.
- Gather the names.
Everyone you work with regularly, plus the people who matter to your work even if you rarely see them: the person who approves your budget, the team that receives what you make, your manager's manager. Ten to fifteen is plenty.
Stays in this browser only. Nobody else sees it.
Tip: This sheet is for you alone. Nobody on it will ever see it, and the numbers say where each relationship stands, not who anyone is.
- Give each relationship two numbers.
First, how good the relationship is: 1 = we barely talk, 3 = we work fine together, 5 = I could bring them anything. Second, how much it matters to your success in this role: 1 = nice to have, 3 = it affects part of my work, 5 = my work succeeds or stalls with them.
Tip: Score the relationship as it is today, not as it was at last year's offsite.
- Write down who the rule picks.
Circle everyone who's a 5 for mattering and a 3 or lower on the relationship. Put them in order by the gap between the two numbers, biggest first. That's your list.
- Ask the first person for a one-on-one.
Make it about their work, not yours: what they're trying to get done this quarter, and how your work could make that easier. Then the next person, a week or two later.
To: someone your work depends onI've realized how much of my work runs through yours, and I don't think I understand your side of it as well as I should.
Could we find 30 minutes in the next couple of weeks? I'd love to hear what you're focused on this quarter and what would make working with me easier. No agenda beyond that, and no rush if the next few weeks are full.
Swap the highlighted parts for your thing. Works on Slack, in email, or said out loud. - Redo it next quarter.
Teams, priorities and reporting lines move, and a sheet from three months ago can point you at the wrong people. Keep the old one too. Watching a 2 become a 4 is part of the reward.
Good moments for this: at the start of each quarterafter a reorg or a new managerwhen you take on a new project
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Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensWe’ll put it on your calendar and remind you before it starts.
- Truest asks for youFor more voices, Truest asks the people you name and shows each answer next to your own.
- It’s yours to keepEach thing you do is saved to your private record, there when your next review or job search comes around.
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Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
The most senior person in the building may be a 2 for your work, and a coordinator two teams over may be a 5. Score what actually moves your work, and the list gets more honest.
What might make this harder
Keep the ask short, say what's in it for their work, and make it easy to say no. Fifteen minutes is a fine first ask.
Questions people ask
How do I figure out which relationships matter most at work?
List the people you work with and the ones your results depend on, then rate how much each matters to your success in the role. The high scorers you rarely talk to are usually where to start.
What is a stakeholder map?
A list of the people who affect or are affected by a piece of work, usually sorted by how much influence they have and how much they care about it. Teams use one for projects; for your own role, it helps to swap in how strong each relationship is.
How do I ask a coworker for a one-on-one without it being weird?
Say why: you'd like to understand their work and make yours easier for them. A short, specific reason and an easy way to say not yet makes most people glad to say yes.
How often should I review my work relationships?
Once a quarter is a good rhythm, plus after a reorg, a new manager or a new project, since that's when who matters to your work changes.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Working relationships mostly go to whoever is nearby: the people in your meetings, on your team, in your chat. That's natural, and it's mostly fine. But the people your work depends on most are often not the ones you see most. The finance partner who approves your spend, the team downstream who receives what you make, the director whose priorities set yours. Those relationships tend to get attention only when something goes wrong, which is the worst time to start one.
Two numbers make the pattern visible. Mattering on its own gives you a list of important people, which you probably already knew. Closeness on its own tells you who you like. It's the gap between them that's useful: someone your success depends on whom you'd hesitate to message. If you've seen a stakeholder map in a project plan, this is the same idea pointed at your own role, and kept private so you can be honest with it.
One case calls for something else: a relationship that's low because of a conflict still in progress. Then the first step is a direct conversation about that problem, ideally after asking your manager's advice, and the map can wait a month. And if every line is a 4 or 5 on both numbers, you may not need this right now; spend the time on the work.
From the other side, a one-on-one that starts with their goals is a small gift. Most people are rarely asked what they're trying to get done and what would make it easier. When you know what success looks like for someone, you can start contributing to it, and they notice. It's also the moment to say briefly what you need from them, so they get the chance to help.
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated October 23, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.