Understanding Stakeholder Involvement
The Hallmarks of True Engagement
- True engagement is about more than providing information; it is about
engaging stakeholders in a discussion that can lead to strategies and solutions.
- True engagement occurs before decisions are made. It brings stakeholders
into the decision-making process as partners who are there to provide input,
understand the complexity of the issues we are facing and develop solutions
with us.
- True engagement takes more time. It's much faster to write a newsletter
article or submit a press release to the local paper, but the results won't
have the same impact. The more citizens are left out of the decision-making
process, the more frustrating and demanding they can become—which will
take up even more time than if had you included them in the first place.
Double the amount of time you'll need if the issue you are dealing with
is controversial (e.g. closing a building, changing a beloved program,
etc.).
- True public engagement creates new ways of thinking. Many times we fall
into the trap of believing that because we are closest to the issue, we
have all the answers. Or, we assume that parent or community stakeholders
won't have anything to add because they don't have the credentials or expertise.
But more often than not, when stakeholders are provided the background,
facts about the external forces driving the issue and other key pieces
of information, they come through with ideas we haven't considered—sometimes
because we are too close to the problem or issue.
- True public engagement starts in-house with district staff. One of the
most important stakeholders to involve are those within the district who
are affected by decisions. Teachers, custodians, secretaries and other
school employees have much to offer that can lead to strategies and solutions
and need to feel that their voice has been heard in order to represent
the school positively in the community. Leave them out and risk sabotage
later on.
Adapted from How is Public Engagement Different From Public
Relations? The Master Teacher, Inc. (2001).
