The Importance of Citizen Engagement to Governments Today

Although trust in Government in Canada is on the rise (Edelman Trust Barometer 2010) declining trust in government and political process over the past decade, as well as declining civic participation, indicates that government must clearly and authentically demonstrate a commitment to involving citizens in meaningful public discourse – beyond traditional approaches to informing and consulting and toward a new approach to engaging all citizen and technical stakeholder perspectives to contribute in meaningful ways to public policy decisions. We have recently witnessed the transition from the shareholder world to the stakeholder world where business and governments have lost the ability to operate unilaterally. (www.weforum.org)

Contribution to "distrust" in governments can happen by employing techniques that are more about informing and/or directive than consultative, which have netted few clear results, have offered no feedback or other evidence that citizen ideas and concerns have been sincerely considered or integrated, lead to no discernable citizen inclusion in decision making and implementation following consultation, and some less-than-transparent government consultations have contributed to a sense among citizens of their having been manipulated by government in a hurried attempt to retrofit citizen approval on some predetermined outcome favoured by government.

Citizen engagement as a philosophy and practice has grown substantially, both nationally and internationally, over the past decade. International trends in citizen engagement are now influencing Nova Scotia, and there appears to be an emerging practice and growing level of expectation and awareness among citizens that their governments will take steps to involve them more often and in more meaningful ways. In this greater dialogue all stakeholders share accountability.

As the largest and most resourceful employer, in most provinces and states, and the key legislator, much is expected of government and civil service. Citizens and technical stakeholders are hungry to be included in the development of strategies and public policy in ways that engage their values and expertise respectfully. Now, governments and civil servants must push down their silo walls and demonstrate the leadership, the will and capacity to seek and secure meaningful engagement with their citizens and be seen to be advancing the shared interests of citizens in a world of interdependence.

Involvement of citizens and stakeholders in any decision making process also necessitates transparency and an organizational readiness to implement the results of that process. This is a direct function of leadership. To successfully maintain the integrity of any engagement process, leadership must strategically develop a resilient and robust organizational culture that moves transformatively in anticipation of change and in change - regardless of the circumstances. This leadership builds on the good work achieved to date and examines its role and processes in designing new ways to collaborate with its stakeholders and citizens on an ongoing basis.

About the Author: Judith Richardson, MA, BA, B.Ed, MEC

Recipient of International Coach of the Year, Canadian Progress Club Women of Excellence Award as Entrepreneur and Innovator, and the Saint Mary’s Distinguished Community Service Award, Judith works and plays across North America, Europe, Jamaica, Siberia, Australia, Sweden, Israel and Russia. As CEO & Principle of PONO Consultants International Inc, Judith Richardson is a recognized Organizational Strategist and Executive Coach, inspirational speaker, and influential teacher. She combines exuberant optimism and play with seriously-honed skills, limitless thinking, a piercing intelligence and an uncanny ability to weave in concrete concepts – grounding vision when we aren’t even aware of it. www.ponoconsultants.com

Permission is granted to copy or distribute this article in its entirety as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the author is attached. For permission to reproduce specific articles, send an email to: judith@ponoconsultants.com ©2010 Judith Richardson. All rights reserved.

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