Building Common Ground - Improving the legitimacy of public policy.

Background 

Reform to address the big issues we face is becoming harder.  

As a society we are becoming more divided and less trusting of each other and government.  

This loss of trust is affecting government’s social licence to address sticky and complex public policy issues.  

Now more than ever, governments need to work with communities and stakeholders to go on a journey of reform. We need processes that help us enable communities and stakeholders to intentionally build ‘common ground’ - where it may not yet exist. 

This involves communities and or stakeholders going on a journey with government. It involves working together to find a way that most of us can ‘live with’ the way forward. 

Overview 

This training introduces the concept of common ground- exploring why it matters and how it can be used to support policy development on complex, divisive issues. Through reflection, discussion, and real-world case studies, participants examine trust, self-interest, and the impact of their own mindsets on achieving effective and impactful engagement.   

The session highlights that building common ground is not automatic but depends on intentional design, focusing on four key elements:  

1. People - involving the right mix, 

2. Space - creating space for perspectives to shift,  

3. Shared Truth - Building shared understanding through trusted information, and  

4. Process - ensuring respectful, well-facilitated processes 

Key Learnings  

Participants will gain the following learning outcomes  

1. Clear understanding of what common ground means in a deliberative context and how it helps to address complex public issues.  

2. Personal insights – ‘aha’ moments regarding their own ‘mindset’s and how it affects how it impacts on their approach to engagement and consequential public policy.  

3. Practical steps for building common ground. 

4. How to attract diverse participants – move beyond the loud voices.  

5. How to frame issues for effective conversation across divides.  

6. How to foster shared learning and trust in information, and  

7. How to create respectful, well-facilitated environments that enable meaningful dialogue and agreement. 

Who is this training for?

Anyone working in or with a deep interest in public policy, whether that be in Local, State or Federal Government, consulting or other organisations who aim to influence policy.

About your trainer

Emma is Co-CEO of DemocracyCo and has been successfully designing and delivering large scale, complex engagement projects, often on polarising or controversial issues, for over 12 years. Having also worked in policy, politics, and Parliaments, in Australia and the UK during her 15 year public sector career; Emma has a deep understanding of the environment in which DemocracyCo’s work is undertaken.

Emma is an extraordinary strategic thinker and planner, and has a unique ability to design and project manage large and complex engagement projects with a seemingly unending library of ideas and approaches at her disposal.

Emma is the driving force behind DemocracyCo’s reputation for quality engagement design, using her love for planning and project management to great effect to deliver real outcomes for clients and their communities.

Can't make this session time but still interested in the training? Register your interest for a future session by emailing emma@democracyco.com.au and we will update you when new training sessions are released.