Stakeholders : Aliens or Allies? 94 th Annual Conference of Local Government Hobart - June 2006 PDF Management Services Pty Ltd

Workshop Objectives To think strategically about stakeholder involvement in council activity To better engage stakeholders by understanding their different needs To build relationships that deliver for council and for stakeholders

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd What’s so important about stakeholders? Clearer interdependencies urban planning and health resource use and the environment community connection and prosperity … and all of the above

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd 1.People and society require resources to meet their needs, including achieve health and well-being 2.Economics is the process of resource allocation 3.Resources are limited in supply as well as in nature and must be sustainable Triple Bottom Line What’s so important about stakeholders?

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd Short-comings of isolated expertise and ‘silos’ Increasing expectations consumers civil engagement Resource efficiency What’s so important about stakeholders?

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd “…suppression of mutual loathing in search of resources” adapted from/ascribed to Chris Murray Director of Learning and Development, CABE, UK Working with stakeholders – a definition?

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd unpredictable uncooperative unaccountable one-eyed reliable reasonable compliant cooperative Aliens Allies not like ‘us’ more like ‘us’ Working with stakeholders – the experience?

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd Who will be affected? Who might influence the result? Identifying stakeholders Consider impacts beyond immediate goals? social economic environmental

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd Question: Identify likely stakeholders who will be affected by this scenario? Exercise Question: What are their needs? Scenario: Wide local community impact – identified with group

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd Influence Interest Low High Influence and Interest Inform Partner Engage Consult

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd Networking aligning activities Cooperation Collaboration Degrees of engagement exchanging information Consulting seeking input providing mutual support sharing resources Coordination more effort but greater returns Partnership equals: Sustainable relationships Joint plans Written Protocols Clearer Roles

PDF Management Services Pty Ltd Fit the strategy to the stakeholder – one size does not fit all Some of the best allies may look like aliens – at first sight Summary Manage any partnerships proactively