How to avoid common pitfalls in community engagement

I have been approached to provide support with community engagement for a community project which made me think about how vital it is to do it right. Bad engagement can make or break your project and trust can be severely harmed. This is particularly so for projects that impact local communities.

In this blog, I'll explore the role of community engagement, tips on how to apply the IAP2 framework effectively, and what common pitfalls to avoid.

Why Community Engagement Matters in Project Management

When you’re managing a project that directly impacts a community, engagement with that community isn’t just a “nice to have”—it’s essential. Here’s why:

• Builds Trust: Transparent communication and involving community members from the start helps build trust. People are more likely to support a project when they feel heard and see that their concerns are being addressed.

• Improves Project Outcomes: Engaging the community can uncover critical insights, identify potential problems early on, and ensure that the project aligns with community needs.

• Reduces Resistance: By involving stakeholders from the start, you reduce the likelihood of opposition or protests down the road. People are more likely to support a project they’ve had a hand in shaping.

• Ensures Sustainability: A well-engaged community is more likely to take ownership of the project, ensuring its long-term success and sustainability.

  
  

The IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation

The IAP2 developed a widely recognised framework known as the Public Participation Spectrum, which outlines five levels of community engagement. Each level represents increasing degrees of public influence on the decision-making process:

1. Inform: Providing the public with balanced and objective information.

2. Consult: Asking for feedback on analysis, alternatives, and decisions.

3. Involve: Working directly with the public throughout the process to ensure concerns are understood.

4. Collaborate: Partnering with the public in each aspect of decision-making, including developing alternatives and identifying the preferred solution.

5. Empower: Giving the public the final decision-making power.

   
   

How to Apply the IAP2 Method in Project Management

To effectively apply the IAP2 method to your project, follow these steps:

1. Identify Stakeholders Early

Start by identifying all stakeholders who will be affected by or have an interest in your project. This includes not just community leaders or large organizations, but also local residents, small businesses, advocacy groups, and anyone else impacted.

Tip: Conduct a stakeholder analysis to map out who needs to be informed, consulted, or empowered, based on their level of interest and influence.

2. Choose the Right Level of Engagement

Using the IAP2 Spectrum, decide on the appropriate level of engagement for each stakeholder group. Not every group needs to be "empowered"—sometimes simply informing them is sufficient. However, for more sensitive or high-impact projects, deeper involvement (consulting, collaborating) is crucial.

Tip: Be transparent about what level of influence stakeholders will have. Misleading them about their level of control can backfire and lead to distrust.

3. Tailor Your Engagement Methods

The way you engage with stakeholders will depend on your chosen level of engagement. For example, an "Inform" strategy might involve newsletters or public announcements, while a "Collaborate" approach could include workshops, focus groups, or even co-design sessions.

Tip: Consider diverse formats to accommodate different preferences—town halls, surveys, social media updates, or virtual meetings, for example.

4. Close the Loop

Once you’ve gathered input from the community, ensure that you communicate back to them how their feedback was used (or why it wasn’t). This builds transparency and accountability, which fosters trust.

Tip: Create a summary report or host a follow-up meeting to explain the final decisions and how they were influenced by community input.

What Common Pitfalls to avoid

Despite the best intentions, there are several common mistakes that project managers often make when it comes to community engagement:

1. Overpromising and Under-delivering

If you promise to empower a community in decision-making but only "consult" them, expect backlash. Be clear about what level of influence they have.

2. Engaging Too Late

Waiting until a project is well underway to involve the community can create friction. Early engagement allows stakeholders to influence key decisions and feel a sense of ownership over the project.

3. Using a One-size-fits-all Approach

Different stakeholders have different needs. A blanket approach—such as only sending out emails—can alienate portions of the community who prefer other methods of communication or feel left out of the conversation.

4. Ignoring Feedback

Gathering feedback and then ignoring it can be worse than not asking for it in the first place. Even if you can’t implement every suggestion, acknowledging and addressing feedback is essential for maintaining trust.

5. Not Providing Enough Information

Failing to provide clear, accurate, and timely information leaves the community feeling in the dark, which can lead to confusion, speculation, and resistance.

What Not to Do in Community Engagement

• Don’t treat it as a checkbox exercise: Community engagement isn’t just a procedural step—it’s a continuous process of building relationships and trust.

• Don’t disregard dissenting voices: It’s easy to focus only on positive feedback, but listening to critics and addressing their concerns is crucial to avoiding future resistance. I recently attended the Changemaker workshop run by Australian Rural Leadership Foundation. We spent quite a bit of time on the need to collect different perspectives and how to be curious. A simple technique is to say yes and instead of yes but.

• Don’t be reactive instead of proactive: Engaging the community only when there’s a problem or when you need something is a mistake. Build relationships with stakeholders long before issues arise.

  
  

Effective community engagement is key to ensuring that projects not only meet the objectives but also have lasting positive impacts on the communities they serve. By involving the right stakeholders at the right level, and by listening and responding to community input, you create a foundation of trust and collaboration.

Remember to avoid common pitfalls, engage early, and be transparent throughout the process. By doing so, you’ll not only manage your project more effectively but also leave a legacy of goodwill and community support.

Contact us for help with your project.