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So much has been written about this seemingly-trivial digression from serious news that it seems an indulgence to delve further into it for a Tuesday Topic. However, it presents such a brilliant illustration of three common consultation pitfalls that this is an opportunity not to be missed. Firstly, the confused question.

Public engagement is not recession-proof. There are those who argue that global economic meltdown, failing banks, and stock market freefalls create a situation that cries out for greater citizen involvement. After all, as of last week, we’re all a lot more involved …at least in shoring up the financial system. But sadly, such optimists, whilst

In a world where consultation fatigue is a real issue – and organisations have to work hard to get citizens and stakeholders interested – it may be surprising to note how many consultations fall short of offering them anything meaningful to consider. In the ideal model, the consultor lays out the context for a forthcoming

For those whose lot it is to consult the public at large – rather than identifiable stakeholder organisations, there has always been a nagging issue. How do we know that those who have responded to us mirror the views of those that didn’t? In other words, what about the silent majority? Professional market researchers can,

The ability to elicit people’s views through new technology has many advantages. It is a form of mass publishing that lets the audience decide whether or not they want to participate; they can do so at a time, and increasingly a place, of their own choosing – and it saves a small forest of trees!

Our mature democracy has taken against political practitioners. They compete with estate agents and tabloid journalists for the wooden spoon of professional popularity, and our media delights in pouring scorn on their activities. Thoughtful commentators have long worried that this is a serious challenge to our democracy, and initiatives such as the Power Commission have

Officials who need to prepare and write consultation papers will confirm that one of the biggest challenges is to address a variety of different audiences. Of course it depends upon the context and the subject-matter. Asking residents what they think of the new layout of the local park is obviously different from the Treasury seeking

What various stakeholders think of you matters increasingly in this image-conscious world. Indeed, you can now take degree courses in reputation management, and the term itself is becoming popular as a general description of what your PR department is all about. But what part does consultation play in building, securing and defending an organisation’s reputation?