Transcript Document
Leading the Way Toward More
Collaborative Local Governance
Presented by Bill Rizzo
Local Government Specialist
UW-Extension Local Government Center
[email protected]
608-265-6273
Main Points
Local governance (vs. government)
Traditional Local Governance
The nature of modern community problems
Collaborative Local Governance
Debate & Discussion vs. Dialogue & Deliberation
Tips for local leaders
Leading the way – opportunity is knocking
Local Governance
More than government
Addressing local issues
Surfacing, naming and framing issues
Dialogue and deliberation about responses to issues
Generating alternative responses
Choosing a course of action
Participants
Local elected officials
Citizens
The civic sector (community organizations & institutions)
Traditional Local Governance
Issues often named and framed only by elected
officials and established stakeholders & groups
“Whole community” engagement rare
Positions on issues often taken, promoted, defended
Discussion, debate to defend, promote positions
Polarization can lead to a win-lose dynamic
Traditional Local Governance Roles
Elected Local Officials
Civic Sector
surfacing, naming, framing, discussion, debate, decisionmaking
surfacing, naming, framing, adopting & promoting positions
Citizens
voting, reacting to alternatives or decisions already made
Problem Types
Problem
Type
Problem
Definition
Problem
Solution
Responsible
Parties
I
Clear
Clear
Expert
II
Clear
Unclear
Expert
Constituent
III
Unclear
Unclear
Various/
Collaboration
(Michael Huggins, Public Collaboration Associates, 2013)
Wicked Problems (Type III)
Complex, interdependent issues
Lack a clear problem definition
Conflicting values and perspectives
Multiple stakeholders
No right or wrong, only better or worse
Key to success is collaboration & engagement
Collaborative Local Governance
Addressing community issues as a community-wide
responsibility and activity
elected officials, citizens, and community organizations and
institutions all have a role…and a responsibility…to engage
Underlying assumptions
Regardless of demographic makeup, communities are highly
diverse, in terms of needs and perspectives
The best local policy decisions are those which are wellinformed by the broadest set of perspectives, and which
address the broadest set of community needs
Collaborative Local Governance Roles
Local Elected Officials
Civic Sector
Convene and participate in community dialogues, learn,
deliberate, generate alternative responses, make decisions
Convene and participate in community dialogues, learn,
deliberate, and participate in generating alternative
responses
Citizens
Participate in community dialogues, learn, deliberate, and
participate in generating alternative responses
Debate & Discussion vs.
Dialogue and Deliberation
(Taken, in part, from a PPT from Eric Giordano, WIPPS, 2013)
Debate
Discussion
Dialogue
Deliberation
• Compete
• Argue
• Promote
Opinion
• See Majority
• Persuade/Dig in
• Tight Structure
• Express
• Usually fast
• Clarifies
• Win/Lose
• Exchange
• Discuss
• Build
relationships
• Understand
• Reach across
• Loose structure
• Listen
• Usually slow
• Clarifies
• No decision
• Search for shared
meaning
• Inquire, explore, discover
• Share stories, perspectives,
and experiences
• Listen to learn
• Examine assumptions
• Explore alternative
points of view
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Weigh alternatives
Choose
Make choices
Seek overlap
Seek common ground
Flexible structure
Learn
Usually slow
Clarifies
Make decisions
Tips for Local Leaders
Work to establish a civil local governance environment
Elected officials often want to engage more effectively but
often don’t know how…teach and encourage them
Start with a small, non-controversial issue to develop
confidence and momentum
Find the champions and deliberation entrepreneurs, get
them involved, and get their support
Share your successes
Remember that credit for success is infinitely divisible
Try to make collaborative governance a community habit
Leadership Opportunities
If you’re an elected official, talk to your colleagues
If you’re not, talk to your elected officials
Start talking about collaborative governance locally
Start a local civility project
Become a trained dialogue facilitator
Tap into a network…read, learn, share
Convene an community issue dialogue, but start
small and with a ‘cool’ or inert issue
Leading the Way Toward More
Collaborative Local Governance
Presented by Bill Rizzo
Local Government Specialist
UW-Extension Local Government Center
[email protected]
608-265-6273