Let go of the old way

Are you still trying to connect with people the old way?

On LinkedIn an economic developer posted this:

Local government has spent years bending over backward to get more public engagement. We’ve expanded meetings, flooded social media with updates, hosted town halls, and created endless platforms for feedback. And yet, after all of that effort, participation is still abysmal, misinformation is still rampant, and the loudest voices still drive the conversation while the majority remains disengaged. I am going to say what no one wants to say out loud: public engagement is broken.

There was more, but you get the idea. He was trying to reach people using the old-way of doing things.

The Survey of Rural Challenges results are now out.

We looked at all ten years (2015 to 2024) and found persistent challenges, fast-moving challenges, and slow-building challenges. We also found appreciating assets, demographic shifts, and external views. See the results here. And rural people shared long comments with us too.

And there were plenty of comments about Old Way Thinking.

• There is a group of us that are willing to try new things and looking for ideas. There are some in town who are stuck in the old way of doing things. We are starting small and I think the big will come. With each idea, it seems like more ideas are starting to happen. (2019)

• …seems like the old ways of doing things will be less practical and more nostalgic. (2019)

• We have 1890’s beautiful architecture, young people do live here but the old guard is old including city council. Everything is structured to old ways, views and even meeting times. The farmer market is on Thursdays morn when most families work, they didn’t sell enough so the farmers went to larger cities and its turned into a meeting spot for the unemployed and senior crafters. Downtown is well loved and tattered corners… (2024)

• We’re at a crossroads here with the challenges to the Old Way by many new people moving in to be a part of an industry the Old Guard doesn’t understand.   However, there are some bright spots on Main Street, and we are optimistic about the future.  🙂 (2024)

The solution for that economic developer is easy – Stop having meetings.

No one wants to go to meetings, and many don’t have the time.

Please don’t call it a listening session, no one goes to those because they don’t believe you are listening.

Meet people where they are.

• Parents often take their kids to sporting events. Show up and talk to them one-on-one.

• Call the local pastor (s) and see if you can provide lunch after church and ask the people what they want.

• Visit the high schools and talk to a civics class (do they still have those?) or an entrepreneurial class.

• Spend some time with your chamber director and see if they would host a coffee for the businesses during hours they are NOT open, such as early morning or evening. 

Note to elected officials: Don’t make this a photo op for your campaign, either. It’s fake, and people can smell your insincerity.

Rural residents had plenty to say about meetings in the Survey of Rural Challenges too.

• I have … been going to the Reimagine Rural meetings to get involved as much as I can to help our beautiful little town. (2024)

• I volunteered as President of the local Chamber of Commerce for two years, working all events, running & going to meetings. I worked to rebuild bridges that bad actors, old thinking and the pandemic wrecked. And then I burned out and stepped down. (2024)

• “I’m on the EDC , I’ve been to 3 meetings & it seems to be the same strategy  at each meeting to table it all until the next meeting. I have been an active member for 1 month &  I’m  very frustrated.(2024)

• I don’t have the time or money to open a business beyond my consulting work with small towns and nonprofit organizations. I have dreamed of opening a coffee shop that served as a third place with space for meetings for organizations and nonprofits that need a place to gather.(2024)

Build relationships – this is probably the most important thing you can do.

Get out and about, attend events, sponsor things, visit the businesses (and spend some money) and get to know your community and your people. Here’s a few ideas you could try:

• Host a ‘meet the mayor’ at your local coffee shop.

• Get out of city hall, or the board room, and go where there’s energy and excitement.

• You can work with people in your public parks!

• Go to pool and bowling leagues.

• Visit the nursing home at lunchtime.

Relationships don’t happen overnight, but they can happen.