By Jeff Julin
"All business begins with the public permission and exists by public approval." - Arthur W. Page
The concept that the public confers a "license to operate" on an organization was true when Arthur Page said it in 1939 and, nearly 70 years later, it still is. This statement
captures the essence of true community engagement.
Community engagement is more than regulations, mandates or guidelines. It's about capturing ideas, securing trust and building relationships with stakeholders who are critical
to an organization's success.
Whether it's an environmental cleanup, infill development or mass transit construction, a project can permanently change people's lives and alter community character.
In today's atmosphere, public communications require more interaction and relationship building than ever before. To be successful, stakeholders must feel they have a role in
shaping what is happening around them. Often, governmental requirements for community engagement do not create sufficient opportunities for understanding, cooperation and mutual
success.
A successful ongoing community engagement program should be transparent and fair, as well as accomplish four primary business objectives for your organization:
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Cultivate long-standing, win-win relationships;
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Build a stronger community;
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Create sustained economic vitality; and,
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Engender goodwill within the community, which can help your organization grow.
At MGA Communications, we've developed the 3E Model for Community Engagement to deliver results by educating, engaging and empowering stakeholders to be productive project
participants and ensure mutual success.
*As a part of educating, you need to build awareness and understanding. At the outset of your program, make sure you have a good understanding of the current situation and
where you need to go by asking yourself these key questions:
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What does the organization have to win or lose?
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What do the stakeholders have to win or lose?
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Is there common ground?
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What if all parties don't get on board?
Use proven research methods to educate yourself about your stakeholders; seek to understand their needs, fears, desires and communications preferences. You must also educate
your stakeholders about the scope and purpose of your project. A consistent communications effort throughout your project is necessary to reinforce trust and avoid confusion.
*Next comes engagement--deploying the involvement tools. To build the strong relationships necessary for a successful public involvement effort, people need to feel that you
are giving them access to information in a timely and transparent manner. The "anytime, anywhere" approach helps engage stakeholders on a personal level. Proven tools such as
community information lines and Web sites can funnel comments, concerns and ideas directly to your project team and help you better respond to your stakeholders. Keep a pulse on
community issues by systematically tracking media coverage, events and the feedback you receive.
*The third step is turning input into action through empowerment. The success of your project often hinges on whether the community feels it has been empowered to have an
impact on your project during its development. To engage them, create an internal culture that is truly committed to open dialogue and consideration of all feedback. Identify when
input will be most helpful and how it should be delivered, but at all costs, avoid over-committing or under-delivering. Make sure you can clearly demonstrate how comments were
analyzed and, where appropriate, integrated into the project.
Community involvement programs don't happen overnight. It takes time for you to understand the community's values, beliefs and characteristics, and to design and implement a
program that makes a tangible difference in the community. Successful programs not only make a difference in the community but also support your organization's brand and business
objectives. PRN
CONTACT:
Jeff Julin, APR, is 2008 chair and CEO of the PRSA and president of Denver-based MGA Communications. He can be reached at [email protected] or [email protected].