Strategic and sincere outreach is fast track to problem solving.

Organizational change, success, and progress can affect community partners and constituents. Whether the opportunity appears advantageous or disruptive, change can create anxiety because there is an element of the unknown. Engaging the community can be advantageous to both the organization and its constituents, but it’s critical for the organization to be both honest and productive, and to develop a thorough communication plan.

If you’re presenting a project that affects the community that is entirely positive — perhaps your organization is funding and managing the renovation of abandoned property that has become an eyesore into a public park — its likely backlash will be minimal if it exists at all. Conversely, if you are turning greenspace into a much-needed, but visually unappealing recycling center, reactions may be strong and mixed.

Most professionals are aware of these challenges before they begin. It’s not unusual for the internal organizational response to be to resist active engagement. In this case, management may suggest a closed survey or poll, which allows the organization to control the information and gives them the choice to release the results or not. While these methods and the instincts that drive them may seem sound, the results may not be positive.

It's more productive to start by clearly defining the topic and framing it in a positive or neutral way. Keeping the team small should ensure this process will not become too cumbersome. Before you begin creating the message, take time to identify your target audience and their level of engagement. Making sure that your message is objective is critical. Discounting areas of concern will alienate those who don’t agree and you’ll lose their perspective and certainly their potential support.

Spending time to create a clear communication plan and honest messaging is important. If the project or situation has broad reach, sending a press release that outlines the scope and timeline is a consideration.

Preparing leadership to respond to the press and community leaders is a constructive exercise. Developing clear message points and conducting mock interviews provide the opportunity to hone the message and prepare for possible questions.

Most importantly, work directly with the public to understand their concerns. This will open the door to collaborate on solutions. Community feedback around divisive issues sometimes reveals that constituents who are interested in specific projects or subjects were not aware of the opportunity to share their views, or participate in the process.

It's important throughout the process to share information and allow the community to participate. An event designed to engage community participation, including community, civic and faith-based organizations, may build trust and allow each constituent to understand the others’ view and priorities.

Having someone from the host organization greet people as they enter reinforces that all participants are welcome to engage in the process and be heard. Providing a place for people to share their contact information to receive updates on the process.

A clear agenda ensures that relevant information is shared and keeps the event on track. It’s critical to the process that members of the organization are genuinely willing to listen. Keep your introductory message as objective as possible and provide opportunities for breaks in remarks. Allowing people the opportunity to ask questions will show that everyone has the opportunity to share their thoughts, and no one is excluded from the conversation.

Providing a print-out of relevant information keeps participants focused on accurate information during the meeting and gives them something to share with neighbors and friends afterwards. In addition, it can include contact information for follow-up questions.

As part of this meeting, or perhaps in a follow up, see if people are willing to meet to develop solutions. Social media can play a role in the process of informing the community of new information and the opportunity to connect.

Managing issues that are likely to meet resistance are unavoidable. But effective planning can make it easier. Keeping in mind that the people who are resistant are as passionate about enhancing the community as you are should enable you to see that they are potential partners rather than enemies.