Public and community engagement, involvement and participation is what we are doing as consultants. It is also what we help others do most effectively. We work with teams, companies and agencies on reaching consensus through public participation and collaboration. We usually find ourselves bridging divides by creating spaces where people are willing to participate to build solutions. Community engagement builds consensus. And below you have some of the best of the news and tips that we have found about how to engage communities. Or what happens when you do not. The latest news handpicked by our public sector consultants, all wrapped up with a sometimes snarky – yet always informed – perspective. Enjoy!
People pay closest attention and respond to the things that scare them; we’re just wired that way. So, the people who want to get your attention and keep you responding to whatever they’re selling will continually tell you things to make you believe you’re going to lose something or get ...
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Meetings get a bad rap and I confess that I’ve sometimes been guilty of piling on. Traditional public meetings are often the least effective way to engage a community, in light of all the other options and formats. But it’s not necessarily the meeting itself that’s the problem, but how ...
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Somebody said to me recently, “You must be a real extrovert to do what you do.” As a guy who has always avoided large social gatherings, that made me laugh until tears ran down my leg. But I’ve discovered that I might very well be an ambivert. Until recently, I ...
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If people can’t or find it uncomfortable to come to you, go to them. Yo, Philly!...
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The us against them mentality is no clearer than in local planning and zoning issues. As the price of real estate keeps home buying out of reach for more people, housing alternatives are struggling to find traction. The mere suggestion of “affordable housing” sends a lot of adjacent, existing homeowners ...
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Every once in a while, we can all use a shot in the arm (or in my case, a shot). When true public participation presents itself, we need to celebrate it. If you’re looking for lessons, guidance and good examples, I can’t think of a better inspiration than Vermont Town ...
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We’ve raised this in past issues, but obviously the obvious is not always that obvious, so it bears repeating: possibly the most important component of public engagement is active, intentional listening. I’m sure that you know the basics, it’s part of the core beliefs and fundamental work of our ...
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It was recently suggested that artificial intelligence (AI) could replace community engagement people, like AI is predicted to replace 375 million jobs globally by 2050. It won’t. AI will have, and is having, a major effect on data driven and technical fields, but when it comes to context, nuance, emotion ...
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My partners (Wendy and Doug) and I concluded a while ago that the best, most effective community engagement is happening at the local level. It stands to reason that the closer those who govern are to those who are governed, the greater the chance for real, authentic public participation. Consider ...
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Having worked in public participation for well over three decades, I’ve worked with thousands of people who don’t look anything like me. (Lucky for them.) I’m no saint, but I don’t think there’s ever been a time when I’ve intentionally ignored or dismissed people who are different, nor have I ...
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