Originally published 20 December 2003. This article is retained from the tCI archive. Law, policy or practice may have changed since publication.
Comprehensive consultation means getting to grips with the full range of stakeholders.
And there are so many of them. Where have they all come from?
The truth is that the impact of many decisions has not always been fully appreciated. Public policy decisions in particular have to be taken in such complex environments with such interlocking relationships between agencies and their programmes that the law of unintended consequences often operates.
But civic society has become wise - and has gradually learned to organise. Aided hugely by new technology, and supported by capacity-building measures from umbrella bodies and national pressure groups, there are now thousands of community and voluntary organisations in every county. Add to this, the established trade associations, companies and professional associations. Then there are all the other statutory bodies…….
Few of these are newly-arrived, but the communications revolution makes us all more aware of those whom our decisions affect. And the same forces make those stakeholders far more aware of the issues upon which we have opinions. Result - an intensive and growing consultation agenda!
When organisations finally identify the full range of stakeholders whom they should properly consult - it can be a real shock. Hundreds of thousands of bodies including well-established, institutionalised movements as well as what is now called the adhocracy - pressure groups that come and go as events unfold.
Once they have been identified, much more data is now needed about stakeholders than ever before. Names and addresses are simply not enough. Consultors now need to understand exactly whom each stakeholder body represents, how (and when) they take decisions, how they relate to other stakeholders, and crucially, what is the best way to engage with them.
Hence the need for regularly updated stakeholder databases, for techniques of stakeholder profiling and for a proper strategy for communicating with them. All this takes effort - and few organisations are yet properly staffed for this task. Outsource it if necessary - but ensure it is done. Develop a stakeholder portal - so that consultees can interact directly - and update the information you hold on them. And use stakeholder mapping to decide where to focus most management attention.
Trigger points
- Build the stakeholder database - and ensure it is up-to-date.
- Hold a Stakeholder Mapping Workshop to determine priorities
This is the 3rd Tuesday Topic; a full list of subjects covered is available for Institute members and is a valuable resource covering so many aspects of consultation and engagement