This document discusses methods for engaging stakeholders and building consensus in economic development strategic planning. It outlines various engagement approaches, including consensus organizing models, choosing a facilitator, group brainstorming, nominal group techniques, Delphi techniques, and interviewing. The goal is to incorporate diverse perspectives, generate ideas, and build support for plans through inclusive processes. Key benefits noted are gathering insights, engaging expertise, building skills and capacity, and generating interest to aid implementation.

1. Economic Development Strategic
Planning
1
Jim Damicis
Senior Vice President
Camoin Associates
April 19-20, 2018
Atlanta, GA

2. 2
Agenda & Key Points
Importance of Engagement
Who to Include
Methods
Exercise
Consensus Building for Strategic Planning
Agenda:

3. Objective:
Demonstrate different approaches, tools and
methods to bring local representatives into the
planning process and build consensus
Consensus Building
Stakeholder Ownership
3

4. common barriers
focus on personalities & positions
o focus on shared interests & goals instead
lack of motivation for working together for
change
being in the “comfort zone”
4

5. Market
Feasibility
Financial
Feasibility
Citizen/Political
Feasibility
Organizational
Capacity
Technical
Feasibility
Ingredients for a Successful Plan
5

6. 6
Benefits of involving others
Gathers important insights & perceptions
• Strengths, weaknesses & opportunities
Engages broad array of expertise & talents
Builds capacity, skills & knowledge
Generates vested interest, understanding
& support
Brings increased resources to implement
plan

7. 7
 Form reliable, replicable, processes for
working well together
 Trust developed across boundaries of
disciplines, interests and perspectives
 Stakeholders “join in” rather than “buy in”
 Implementation begins during planning
 Maverick & Boutique
Engagement builds capacity for implementation

8. 8
Examples of who to include
 Banks & financial
institutions
 Business leaders
 Chambers of
commerce
 Citizens (youth to
retiree)
 City/county planners
 Convention bureau
directors
 EDO reps
 Elected officials
 Department heads
 Human service orgs
 Local media
 Neighborhood groups
 ED partners
 Workforce leaders
 Utility providers

9. Methods for building consensus
Consensus Organizing Model
Choosing a Facilitator
Group Brainstorming Technique
Nominal Group
Process Technique
Delphi Technique
Interviewing Techniques
9

10. Consensus organizing model
seeks pragmatic solutions based on common
self-interest
non-confrontational alternative
engages residents in creative & participatory
manner
o relationships
o collaboration
o joint process
10

11. Consensus organizing model benefits
provides shared sense of empowerment
leverages talents & expertise of members
develops sustainable vested interest in
outcomes
11

12. Consensus organizing model
STEP1
bring all
stakeholders
to the table
1
STEP2
create a
purpose
statement
for the group
to help focus
efforts
2
STEP3
ensure
everyone is
operating
from same
knowledge
base
3
STEP4
seek to
enable
everyone to
have their
say
4
STEP5
identify next
steps
including
plans to
reconvene
5
12

13. Choosing a facilitator
skilled facilitators design, structure & manage
facilitator qualities to consider
o highly respected & legitimized by group members
o neutral, third party, without any known biases
o possessing relevant expertise
o high comfort level with community leaders & volunteers
o personality which will fit well with the group chemistry
13

14. Facilitated group discussions advantages
generate several ideas in relatively short period of
time
gives all participants an equal opportunity to
express & clarify
can help participants develop relationships
can help to build momentum for strategic planning
efforts
14

15. Facilitated group discussions disadvantages
participants likely to change their minds
group think
participants may feel pressure to compromise
beliefs & views
strong personality may heavily sway majority
opinion
15

16. Group brainstorming
useful for encouraging creative & highly energetic
discussions
generates a lot of ideas in a short period of time
any & all ideas are strongly encouraged
less structured discussion
16

17. Group brainstorming
review the rules of brainstorming with the entire group
provide a brief overview of topic or problem
allow a minute or two of silence
invite people to call out their ideas
group ideas according to similar themes
present results & invite feedback
17

18. Nominal group technique
structured problem-solving or idea-
generating process
non-threatening environment to express &
discuss their ideas
designed to enable participation & input by
everyone
18

19. Nominal group technique
particularly effective for groups where
participants are not very familiar with each
other
limiting each groups to no more than 10-to-12
members
o ensure diverse representation
requires at least two hours
19

20. Nominal group technique
establish the discussion ground rules
provide 5 to 10 minutes for members to
introduce themselves
employ ice-breaking techniques if needed
20

21. When to use nominal group technique
some group members are more vocal than others
some group members think better in silence
concern about member participation
21

22. When to use nominal group technique
the group does not easily generate ideas
some members are new to the group
controversial issues or matters to discuss
o anticipated conflict
22

23. Nominal group technique process
• state
subject
1
• quiet
time
2 • present
individual
ideas
3
• clarify
ideas
4
• prioritize
ideas
5
• balloting
6 • present &
discuss
results
7
23

24. Delphi technique
can be used to
o determine & prioritize problems or solutions, set goals
o evaluate different strategies or programs, etc
collects input through questionnaires
attributes
o anonymous response
o interaction & controlled feedback
o statistical group response
24

25. Delphi technique
• identify
respondents
1
• develop
questionnaire
2 • develop
follow-up
questionnaire
(s)
3
• develop &
share
summary
report
4
25

26. Delphi technique advantages
anonymity
bridges disparate opinions or individuals
participants can fill out questionnaire when their
schedule permits
26

27. Delphi technique disadvantages
eliminates extreme positions or ideas
forces a middle of the road consensus
time consuming
requires commitment to continued participation
27

28. Interviewing techniques
one-on-one basis or 2 to 5 community leaders
ask the same questions
base unique questions on expertise/interest area
interviewer is typically a member of the strategic planning team
all feedback received is handled confidentially
yields data set to analyze & interpret
28

29. 29
1. Adaptive Planning
2. Strategic Doing
3. Innovation Engineering
4. Design Thinking
5. Hack-a-thons
6. Futures Generative Dialogues – Weak
Signals
7. Storing Telling – verbally, in writing and
visually
8. Cafes
Alternative Techniques

30. Basic ground rules
respect
be open-minded toward everyone‘s thoughts
actively listen
no one person knows everything
contribute points that build on the discussion
avoid using language that passes judgment on ideas
look for common ground & win-win opportunities
30

31. 31
1. At periodic intervals aligned with key
milestones…
a. hold briefings for community stakeholders
b. prepare progress reports
c. write personal letters
d. make personal telephone calls
e. talk with people individually
2. Coordinate activities as part of
broader, well-planned PR strategy
Public outreach checklist

32. Contact Information
o jim@camoinassociates.com
o www.camoinassociates.com
o Twitter: @jdamicis
o Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/jdamicis
o Economic Development Navigator: www.camoinassociates.com/navigator
Economic Development
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