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The Art of the Conversation

Sounds simple, right? Yet so many of us don’t know how to have a good conversation. And good conversations matter! They’re at the heart of community building – at the heart of good consultations. And why should you care about that? Well, maybe the idea or issue you’re tackling for your final project is going to impact or require support from a specific community. That stakeholder is going to need to be consulted. After all, whether we’re talking about a rural resource-based community or an Indigenous nation or a group of concerned citizens, no one wants to be told what to do and everyone wants to have a say in the outcome.

Let’s start with good conversation etiquette.

Conversation Pro Tips

Practice active listening: One of the most important elements of any true conversation is listening. Practice active listening by giving your full attention to the person speaking and actively engage with what they are saying.
Ask open-ended questions: Don’t ask questions that will only generate yes or no answers. Ask bigger, fuller questions that give the person you’re speaking with the chance to really open up. And every good question, of course, will lead to more good questions, from you or the person you’re speaking with. Then you’re rolling!
Speak clearly and confidently: Communicate your thoughts and ideas clearly and confidently, using appropriate body language, tone and volume.
Use appropriate nonverbal cues: Nonverbal cues such as eye contact, facial expressions and body language can enhance your conversation and help you convey your message more effectively.
Use appropriate language: Use appropriate language that is easy to understand and avoid using jargon or technical terms that others may not be familiar with.
Be concise: Try to convey your message in a clear and concise manner, avoiding unnecessary details or rambling.
Practice empathy: Put yourself in the shoes of the person you’re communicating with and try to understand their perspective and feelings.

Got it? Good. Now, let’s look at how to apply good conversation techniques to good consultation.

What is Consultation?

Stakeholder consultation is an essential tool for individuals and organizations to communicate and engage with those who have an interest in a specific activity or outcome. These meetings provide a forum for stakeholders to express their opinions, provide feedback and engage in a dialogue with the individual or organization.

Benefits of holding stakeholder meetings

Increased engagement and trust: Stakeholder meetings demonstrate that an organization is interested in engaging with its stakeholders and taking their perspectives into account. This can help build trust and foster a sense of community among stakeholders.
Identification of issues and opportunities: Stakeholder meetings provide an opportunity for stakeholders to share their views, concerns and ideas with the organization. This can help identify issues and opportunities that the organization may not have been aware of otherwise.
Improved decision-making: By soliciting feedback and input from stakeholders, an organization can make better-informed decisions that are aligned with stakeholder needs and expectations.
Improved relationships: Stakeholder meetings can help build stronger relationships between an organization and its stakeholders. This can lead to increased loyalty, better collaboration and greater support for the organization’s goals and initiatives.
Enhanced reputation: Holding stakeholder meetings demonstrates that an organization is committed to transparency, accountability and responsiveness to stakeholder needs. This can enhance the organization’s reputation and brand image, which can in turn attract new stakeholders and customers.

How to Conduct Meaningful Consultation

Consultation should begin as early as possible in any solution-making process, ideally before any formal proposal or plan is developed. This allows individuals and/or groups the opportunity to feel as if they’re part of the process and are able to influence the outcome.
Be clear about the purpose of the consultation and why you’re asking for the involvement of those you’re consulting.
Don’t give an ultimatum or dictate terms, but rather make your case and demonstrate why the consultation is an invitation to engage in open-ended conversation.
Really focus on listening.
Be open, honest and transparent. Don’t try to lead the other person to your desired result. Be willing to incorporate new ideas into your thinking. In a perfect world, a consultation leads to an evolved, co-created idea that establishes a sense of shared ownership.
Ask the right questions to understand every aspect of what the other person is feeling and what their desired outcome is.
Leave the conversation with a relationship built and the door open to further communication and collaboration.

Task

Make a list of the communities and stakeholders that might be impacted by – or who should have a voice in – the idea your final project is tackling. Be sure to carefully research your list as you don’t want to have any surprises later when change and relationship-building will be harder. If you’re not sure if your list is complete, ask for advice from your peers or teacher.

Once you have a complete list, reach out to those you want to consult and ask to have a conversation by Zoom or Skype, following the advice outlined above. It might not be easy, but you’ll never be sorry that you made the effort and your idea will certainly be better if you consult the issue’s stakeholders.

Practice your own stakeholder consultation

1. Get into small groups and assign a stakeholder role to each member (conservation group, Indigenous elder, developer, hunting organization, local business, etc) and, if needed, state the position that the stakeholder should have during the stakeholder engagement simulation.

2. Outline your idea and your rationale.

3. Give the “stakeholders” some time to do a bit of research and prepare their response to your concept, allowing them to decide whether they agree, disagree or need more information.

4. Have each stakeholder state their opinion on the idea being discussed. Have them ask questions, provide feedback or offer recommendations.

5. Answer any questions and address any stakeholder concerns as best you can. If they disagree with your project, ask them for help in improving the concept or for what it would take to have them support your idea. Of course, disagreement isn’t necessarily a sign that your idea is wrong or needs improvement.

6. Review the consultation process and discuss which stakeholder had the most to lose or was impacted by the idea the most. Weigh stakeholder opinions carefully and decide how you can address at least some, if not all, of the stakeholder concerns.