How does public engagement differ from business as usual?
Today’s leaders and officials are usually in the business of “managing” the public, often through various forms of pseudo-engagement such as carefully staged and tightly controlled “town halls.” Rather than being given the opportunity to understand the pros and the cons of different policy options, the public is on the receiving end of focus group-tested “messaging” and talking points. While these strategies sometimes work in the short-term, over time they leave people feeling manipulated and suspicious. And they hinder people from thinking effectively about the problems and challenges facing their communities and the nation. For their part, officials and decision makers who are legitimately interested in communicating with stakeholders are often unsure of how to engage a frequently cynical and sometimes hostile public.
