Harnessing the Power of the Persuadables

Building Community Engagement

London, Ontario January 19th, 2016 Graham Saul, Ecology Ottawa Lindsay Telfer, Canadian Freshwater Alliance Raj Gill, Canadian Freshwater Alliance

Who are you?

Engagement organizing mixes the age-old organizing principle of ‘organize people where they are at’, with a new world of tactics and tools that let us do this more

effectively.

What is Engagement Organizing?

1.  Have a clear theory of change 2.  Know who your people are 3.  Plan for successful engagement 4.  The importance of data 5.  Tell good stories 6.  Raising friends…and funds

7.  Overcoming your engagement challenges

Agenda

Theory of change

Theory of change

•  What impact (or change) are you seeking (be as specific as possible)?

•  How will increasing

engagement aide in achieving that impact?

What do “we” need to do to create the change we want to see?

If we do X activity… Then Y will change…

Because…

Step 1: Theory of change

Ecology Ottawa

If we do X activity then Y change will result because...

•  2 minutes individually •  5 minutes share at your table •  5 minutes big group debrief

Theory of change - exercise

1.  Identify a specific change that your organization is working towards. 2.  Think specifically how you need “people” to help you achieve this

change. 3.  Develop an “If” “then” “because” sentence that encapsulates this.

Theory of Change – case study

Planning for engagement success

Recruiting your people

Who is your audience?

“Oblivious”

15%

“Choir” (sold)

15% “Atheists”

(reject)

5%

65%

“Congregation” (receptive)

•  Who are your people? • Where will you find them? • Who do you most need to reach for your theory of change?

Know your people

•  Targeted audience

•  First ads

appeared at a football game

•  Willie Nelson

spokesperson •  Stories of

cowboys •  Shared values

of pride & responsibility!

Know your people - case study

Ecology Ottawa

Recruitment

Currentstrategiesofrecruitment

• Websitesign-up•  Events•  •  • 

Newpoten3alstrategiesforrecruitment

•  Canvassprogram•  •  •  • 

Remember: who is your audience and where do you find them?

Engagement

Leadership Development

Leadership Development

Ecology Ottawa

Plan for engagement success – case study

•  Increasing engagement

•  Supporting communications strategies

•  Broadening supporter-base

Recruitment

Engagement

Leadership Development

1.  Have a clear theory of change 2.  Know who your people are 3.  Plan for successful engagement 4.  The importance of data 5.  Tell good stories 6.  Raise friends …and funds! 7.  Overcoming your engagement

challenges

Training Agenda

DATA

Ecology Ottawa’s Nation Builder Tour

Tell good stories

Why do stories matter?

Thetruthaboutstoriesisthat’sallweare.-ThomasKing

Theuniverseismadeofstories,notofatoms.-MurielRukeyser

the x

story

the y

story

the z

story

Your brain on stories

Your heart on stories

Political stories

Corporate stories

Movement stories

What makes a good story?

•  Values •  Action •  Emotion •  Heroes •  Protagonist

values emotion action

What makes a good story?

Tell the right story to the right audience!

You are not your audience.

Storytelling is a practice of leadership.

Each of us has a compelling story to tell.

Ganz Method of Public Narrative

story of

self

story of

us

story of

now

Creating Public Narrative: Linking stories of Self, Us & Now

The Ganz Method

PURPOSE

Barack Obama’s 2004 DNC Speech

1.   Your personal inspiration – why do you do the important work you do?

2.   From personal to professional – what is it about this community that would inspire people to join your efforts?

3.   Urgency – why do you need people to join your efforts NOW?!?

Tell good stories – worksheet S1

•  10 minutes individually •  2 minutes each with a partner •  10 minute big group debrief

Tell good stories – worksheet

• In 2 minute or less, have one member of your group describe one specific engagement or communications challenge your group is currently facing.

• Other participants: listen, offer 5 minutes or of ideas for overcoming the challenge based on something you’ve learned in this training and/or from your own experience.

• In 1 minute tell us what you heard.

In the gently warm seat!

INTEGRATION

•  Whatarewedoingnow?•  Whatdoweneedtobedoing?•  WhatcanIdofirst?

Integration

Wrap-up