How do you have an efficient Stakeholders Dialogue – blog 3 out of 4

What is needed to have a good stakeholder dialogue? How can you be certain that you will reach all the intended stakeholders? Motivate and instigate them for your corporate social responsibility (CSR)? Stakeholders dialogue is an important part of ISO 26000. Being a marketing and communication expert, I am offering my help to target and enhance this in the most efficient and effective way to achieve your goal.

Blog 1, the first of the four blogs, is an introduction. Blog 2, clarifies and includes recommendations as to how you can, as a Project, CSR or Communications manager, prepare a stakeholders dialogue for a more control result! Blog 3 - helps you – as a project, communications or CSR manager – to actually communicate with your stakeholders in an off-line stakeholders dialogue. However, an on-line dialogue is, of course is nowadays another option.

Six insights for a focused off-line dialogue

To ensure the necessary trust within a relaxed atmosphere whilst 'harvesting' the desired result - the following six insights are detailed:

1. Acclimatization

Make sure the stakeholders have the room and time, to introduce and express themselves and their own expectations, to set the dialogue in motion.

Why? Relationships need to develop and are more important than content.

2. Frameworks for interaction 

Ask or choose a moderator as spokesperson to lead the dialogue in the right direction. Once the request for a meeting has been made - set some ground rules. The most important rule being - to listen to one other! It is also good to set the agenda and establish certain matters, with regard to mobile phones, toilet location, coffee and/or breaks for smoking.

3. Presentation

As a presentation is a part of the stakeholders dialogue - here are a few quick tips: to prepare, read Lianne Ebbink's blogs, a Dutch presentation professional, 'Being in the Room', coupled with 'Toast Masters' or refer, on YouTube, to 'TedX', for inspiration.

4. Tools and Methods

Assuming you have already studied the composition of the group and the space available (see blog 2), put this knowledge to good use by giving participants space to, express and articulate their CSR interests. Provide a balanced programme. Start with the expected 'harvest' yield, then select appropriate divergent and convergent methods. This can be achieved within smaller groups being brought together. The number of tools is numerous - from 'hot seat' presentation, story telling, mind mapping, brainstorming, interviews to 'energizers' and relaxation! A good moderator knows how to 'drop' a level of high energy flow and get the stakeholders back 'on track' to maintain an interactive one.

5. Confirmation of Agreement

Specify, list and confirm agreement at the end of a dialogue.

- Which CSR issues contribute to the sustainable development for all stakeholders;

- What are relevant to your own organization and of those stakeholders;

- Which agreements are made about actions, tasks and planning;

   and

-  Has the right focus has been found!

6. The importance of informal dialogue

Plan enough room for an informal break(s) or time: e.g. coffee, drinks or a buffet lunch. Make sure enough time is given to digest the previous dialogue(s), to build on and enhance relationships. Never underestimate this - an environment, which gives an important opportunity to 'target', brainstorm and exchange ideas, will be a great asset!

Practical examples

In the book 'De implementation van MVO. Praktijkcases en tools voor ISO 26000'*

(* Translation - Implementation of Corporate Social Responsibility with Examples and Tools of ISO 26000' -> English book can be bought soon) there are nine listed cases described - among which is:-

Alliander

Case 3 about Alliander - specialist when it comes to complex private energy grids and installations - (page 102 - 113, the most relevant part being on pages 112-113), describes a number of lessons that can be attributes to 'communication and dialogue':

1. Assist business units, by translating Alliander's CSR policies and priorities;

2. Use CSR language when talking about CSR;

3. Give attention to suppliers and even more to the dialogue undertaking joint internal chains and processes.

4. Exploit the knowledge of potential chain managers involved in core procedures, in shaping the CSR processes.

Maasvlakte

'Stakeholdermanagement bij Maasvlakte 2'* (N.B. This is not from the ISO 26000 book!)

Chairman, Thomas Louden, asked the following question in a Dutch interview:

‘The process of stakeholders being directly involved in the planning takes time.

Did the time, involved, finally pay off?’ To which Feenstra replied: ’It does take time and energy but it dissipates the time traditional litigatation would have cost!’

Online dialogue – also an option

Gemeente Amsterdam

During the construction of the Amsterdam's Noord/Zuid Line underground station, many mistakes were made. The continuing controversy and the subsidence, of several buildings on the Vijzelgracht, ensured that the construction of the 'Line' was, in places, between September 2008 and August 2009, temporarily halted! Ultimately, a committee advised that, the Noord/Zuid Line, had to be finished! The Amsterdam's City Council decided to have better information and contact with their stakeholders, as one of their improvements. These is why the City Council went on to incorporate and include, online dialogue through Twitter, Facebook, Flickr and YouTube.

Imtech promotes GreenTalent

'From a sustainable concept to fly larvae' also relates to online dialogue with stakeholders via a creative communication concept. It answered Royal Imtech's questions, as how you can involve stakeholders in future challenges? How can you work with them in terms of sustainability and co-operation? Last but not least, - how can you become a more accessible expert?

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions, requests or comments related to this blog or the next –and last- blog about this subject.