Engagement – it’s the make or break factor in a change project.
So, how to go about maximising engagement?
I recently interviewed 12 extension and natural resource management professionals in Qld, NSW and Victoria. They described 25 farmer engagement projects they felt were successful.*
‘Success’, here, was really about attendance. All these projects had high attendance from farmers – a tough crowd to attract!
Strikingly, 4 design factors were common to almost every project.
I’m pretty sure these success factors are universal.
You can download a One-pager about the model here: www.enablingchange.com.au
* This was part of a project funded by Department of Primary Industries, Qld – thanks Niall and team!
Here’s the model:
Here’s an example of the four factors in action:
Here’s detail on the factors:
Pop
To get people to notice and buzz about your event there should be at least one surprising aspect that breaks their expectations.
Even just an out-of-the-ordinary title can be enough.
Here’s an example: ‘Small Landholder Long Lunch’. Would this unexpected title grab your attention?
Power-up
Your project should promise to increase people’s power to act on a real scarcity, problem or frustration they’re facing. That’s the value you offer.
Notably, successful events were absolutely focused on positive solutions. They didn’t argue with people, instead they aimed to increase self-efficacy by depicting/demonstrating exactly how to perform pivotal practical steps people could immediately put into practice.
Nothing builds self-efficacy and lowers fears like seeing how to do something successfully.
“I learnt from the first event that the speaker had to offer take-home advice with actions they could put into place right away, not just entertain them.”
– Lori McKern, Hunter LLS
Ideally, it’s good to go beyond simple depictions/demonstrations and let your audience actually touch and feel, experiment, and play with new skills, products and technologies. Learning by doing is always best.
By the way, it’s also good to mix diverse content, so there’s something for everyone. It’s better to offer a taster of 5 subjects, rather than go into depth on one subject. For example, you might organise multiple stations so people could choose their own subject and get in-depth answers they want.
Peer role models
Real, ordinary peers honestly sharing their struggles, lessons and successes is the best way to generate hope and self-efficacy.
Virtually all the successful engagement projects highlighted respected peers who were ahead of the game but not too different from the audience, for example a similar farmer who’s experimenting with new fertiliser practices.
In fact, it’s best if the invitations are sent in the name of those respected peers themselves, rather than the government agency.
And, vitally, keep in mind that learning is a social process so the audience should also have a chance hear each others’ stories and achievements.
Pleasure
Make it fun. Your acid test should be, ‘Would I want to go even if I wasn’t being paid?’
Here’s some examples from the extension field:
• Farmers tasting wheatgrass juice from good and bad soils, comparing the sweetness. (Thanks James Diack, Soil for Life).
• Farmers digging up and tasing tillage radishes from good and bad soils. (Thanks James Diack, Soil for Life).
• Farmers seeing soil bugs in a microscope, with a microbiologist comparing dead (glyphosate) soil with live soil. (Thanks Helen McCosker, Carbon 8)
• Farmers bringing their own soil to get tested.
• A bus trip: “So much happens when they’re on the bus talking. Farmers share their huge knowledge and skills. They love to hear what others are doing! They chatted all day, with the facilitator occasionally prompting questions.” – Renee Madsen, Fitzroy Basin Association.
And remember the food! Food gets everyone’s attention. It’s the glue that builds relationships, aiding easy interactions. Always put the food in the invitation – it’s good to have people salivating when they’re reading about your event!
Here is a wonderful example from Phillip Island Landcare, ‘Bunny Boiler Challenge’. A rabbit control information night that’s simultaneously a fun social event with tasty rabbit stews, ‘pin the tail on the rabbit’ games, rabbit poems and more. There is so much pleasure here, it’s unmissable!
“We had 110 folks turn up in March with a mad scramble at the end for tables. It’s 90% fun and eating and 10% reality, with music, poetry and an expert talk in rabbit control techniques.” – Joel Geoghegan, one of the organisers.
I hope this model is useful folks. Feel free to offer comments and suggestions. – Les