#MonthlyMyth: Tight communication reins = risk minimisation

#MonthlyMyth: Tight communication reins = risk minimisation

Many organisations try to minimise risk by 'holding the reins tight' when it comes to communicating with their communities and stakeholders around engagement processes and major projects/decisions. 

This so-called 'risk averse' approach tends to include carefully constructing tightly worded (yet often very uninformative) key messages and strictly withholding any information deemed potentially inflammatory or uncomfortable - even when inextricably relevant to the issue at hand.

There's also approval processes applied to the release of any information, which can slow down communication activities - sometimes to a considerable extent - depending on how rigid or intricate these processes are. 

While organisations tend to feel comfortable with this well-worn approach, the promise of 'safety' through control is generally just an illusion.  

Deliberation Ready: New 1-day training opportunity

Deliberation Ready: New 1-day training opportunity

Considering or about to embark on a deliberative engagement process?  It's time to get ready. 

MosaicLab's new training experience for managers, leaders and decision makers has been designed to help you, your organisation and your community/stakeholders to get the most out of your upcoming journey into the world of deliberation.

Learn how to overcome the challenges, avoid the pitfalls and embrace the opportunities of a deliberative processes at this exclusive, one day event to be held in the Melbourne CBD on the 28th June. 

#MONTHLYMYTH: DISTRUST IS DUE TO A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

#MONTHLYMYTH: DISTRUST IS DUE TO A LACK OF UNDERSTANDING

Our May #MonthlyMyth focuses on an assumption that is often made about the community by managers, project leads and technical 'experts'.  

Statements like "if only they understood X, Y or Z, they would see we were right!" are an indication of a potentially risky, yet common assumption that community opposition or distrust is based on ignorance or incapacity. 

11 ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHALLENGES & HOW TO OVERCOME THEM

11 ADVISORY COMMITTEE CHALLENGES & HOW TO OVERCOME THEM

Advisory committees – we love them and we hate them – and we can’t stop setting them up. They're possibly the number one method of engagement in Australia.

When used effectively, these groups (also called stakeholder/community reference groups and a whole host of other titles) can provide an opportunity to gather local knowledge and input, test ideas and proposals and improve communication and relationships.  However, when used improperly, run poorly, or put in place as a substitute for a comprehensive engagement process, they can create more risk than reward.

This post will help you to overcome some of the biggest challenges associated with advisory committees, and ensure that both organisation and group benefits from the experience.

#MONTHLYMYTH: LOW PARTICIPATION IS CAUSED BY LOW INTEREST

#MONTHLYMYTH: LOW PARTICIPATION IS CAUSED BY LOW INTEREST

Our monthly myth for March is here!  Low participation rates is a problem many organisations face when it comes to community engagement activities.  The cause of this, however, is not always obvious.  Today we're exploring some of the other (common) reasons that people don't get involved in your process. 

NEW GROUP DECISION MAKING VIDEO RESOURCE

NEW GROUP DECISION MAKING VIDEO RESOURCE

Group decision making processes (particularly deliberative processes such as citizens' juries, community panels and people's panels) can be both exciting and overwhelming for participants.

We all want every group we work with to get the most out of every moment they spend together, so, we created a handy, free video outlining some suggested 'do's and dont's' for participants that will help the whole group to get the most out of their journey. 

CRITICAL THINKING STUDY INSIGHTS PART 2: THE FACILITATOR

CRITICAL THINKING STUDY INSIGHTS PART 2: THE FACILITATOR

Recently, we posted an interview with Lyn Carson of Active Democracy and the newDemocracy Foundation, who is working in partnership with MosaicLab to research what happens when critical thinking skills, techniques and concepts are introduced to participants in a deliberative process. 

Today, in Part 2,  we're talking with MosaicLab co-founder Nicole Hunter, an experienced facilitator with extensive experience in deliberative engagement.  Nicole, alongside MosaicLab's other two co-founders Keith Greaves and Kimbra White, has been working to integrate critical theories into real, on-ground processes.  

#MONTHLYMYTH - EVERYDAY CITIZENS & COMPLEX TOPICS

#MONTHLYMYTH - EVERYDAY CITIZENS & COMPLEX TOPICS

Welcome to our February #MonthlyMyth post!  Today, we're exploring a commonly held belief that prevents many organisations from engaging in a meaningful way with citizens around complex, technical or information-rich issues. 

This one misconception can reduce an engagement process to a surface exercise without any real outcomes, create unintended and less than desirable consequences down the track and even prevent a potentially valuable engagement process from happening altogether. 

So let's get into it - what can everyday citizens REALLY handle and should we ask them to handle it?

CRITICAL THINKING STUDY INSIGHTS PART 1: THE RESEARCHER

CRITICAL THINKING STUDY INSIGHTS PART 1: THE RESEARCHER

If you happened to come across our previous post ‘A new venture into critical thinking’, you will know that MosaicLab is currently working on a fascinating research project with Lyn Carson of Active Democracy and the newDemocracy Foundation.   

A final report is now in development, and, excitingly, early indications suggest that introducing critical thinking concepts to participants during deliberative processes  can result in a number of  benefits. 

From increased trust (between both participants themselves and between participants and decision makers) to increased ability for participants to question and understand information (including complex or technical data), the work is highlighting how these skills can enhance and transform both processes and participants.

#MONTHLYMYTH - DECISION MAKERS & DELIBERATIVE PROCESSES

#MONTHLYMYTH - DECISION MAKERS & DELIBERATIVE PROCESSES

Welcome to MosaicLab's first ever #MonthlyMyth post.  There are a number of myths and misconceptions that often surface in relation to facilitation, deliberative democracy, outrage management, conflict management and community engagement more broadly. 

As part of our work to promote quality engagement practice and share information and learning we are addressing some of the most commonly expressed myths and misconceptions each month on our blog.  We hope you find this series interesting, informative, and perhaps a little surprising!