Power is always at play and often in surprising and unexpected ways. In this deliberation disaster we let you know where power issues tend to lie, what you can do about them, and what your role is in tackling them.

WORKING WITH POWER & PRIVILEGE

Power dynamics are at play in every engagement process. You have an obligation to notice these power imbalances, identify where they are happening, examine the impact they are having, and work to rebalance them. Ignoring these issues in a deliberative process compromises the principles of deliberative engagement.

So where are the power problems likely to lurk? What can be done about them?
What’s your role as a project manager, leader, decision-maker or facilitator in addressing them?

Let’s dive into this deliberation disaster (so you can avoid deliberation disaster!) and explore. We’ve got 5 practical steps you can take to address this issue and more …

WHERE IS POWER AT PLAY?

When you think about power in the context of engagement, what comes to mind? Power and privilege are present in surprising ways such as:

the host organisation is a gatekeeper with power over access to information
decision makers can determine the level of influence they will not only offer to participants but also have the power to honour or renege on that commitment
technical experts hold data and technical understanding and can impact access to ideas and answers
facilitators hold power in controlling the design of the process, having the ability to influence how people interact, set up the environment people walk into and can have power over whether all voices are heard
participants can have different levels of power depending on factors that reduce or enhance their ability to participate equally to others – such as education, citizenship, language, socioeconomic status and many more
external forces such as the media and people who have access to the media can exert power over your process through their access to and control over communication channels.

WHAT CAN GO WRONG?

If we pretend power and privilege isn’t present and ignore the signs that something is out of balance, the process, participants, the organisation and the project outcomes can all suffer.

Some examples of signs we might see when power dynamics are negatively impacting a process are:

decision makers appetite to offer influence is not commensurate with how important the issue is and/or the expectations of participants
information relevant to the issue people are being engaged around is being held back from participants either because the organisation doesn’t think people will understand it, because it is deemed to sensitive or because it’s feared the information paints them in a negative light.
some participants are not able to meaningfully engage in the process or are relegated to a less meaningful role in the process and diverse voices and new perspectives are missed.

there is a perception or narrative that everyday people can’t engage in-depth in the issue because it is too complex and only experts could hold the answers or add value
quieter voices we hear from less are not being heard through the process.

WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?

Overcoming power and privilege in a group setting, whether as a facilitator, project manager, or decision maker, involves a mix of awareness, strategy, and communication.

The good news is, there are lots of things we can do to address it. Here are just 5 examples of practical steps to consider:

Design with inclusivity in mind: The movement of DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) or what we like to call JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion 😊) is fast becoming an important expectation of all processes. Think about power and privilege (including your own) as you design the process and consider how diverse voices will be represented at every stage of the journey (not just within the deliberating group itself).

Be Transparent about decision-making: Clearly explain how decisions will be made, who will make them, and how inputs from the group will influence outcomes. Transparency helps to mitigate feelings of powerlessness. This helps to reduce decision-maker power to remove or reduce influence– a public promise is much more difficult to pull back from.

Use inclusive language: Be mindful of language that might exclude or diminish certain people. Opt for language that is neutral, respectful, and inclusive. This sounds simple, but is often more nuanced than you might think and words do matter. It applies to your communication about the process, information inputs and facilitation of the sessions.

Foster an inclusive environment: Actively work to create an environment where all participants feel comfortable and valued. In a facilitation context, this can involve adapting the physical space, as well as the ways people can contribute (e.g., using small group discussions instead of speaking from a podium). This can sometimes also be as simple as how people are greeted, how much time is invested in supporting people to get to know each other, and time allowed for people to build trust in each other, the facilitators and eventually the host organisation.

Educate about implicit bias: Consider incorporating training or discussions about implicit bias and its effects on group dynamics in your deliberative process. This can help members become more aware of their own biases and how they might affect others, and also builds a language that participants can use to help deal with tricky conversations. Check out our resource on brain biases here.

There are many more!

WHAT’S MY ROLE IN THIS?

Power is something we need to be aware of from the outset when we are planning for engagement. When determining a strategic approach and deciding on key elements such as the level of influence being offered, the promise being made and the dilemma being put to people all require careful consideration to ensure power imbalance doesn’t steer us in the wrong direction.

Project managers and engagement professionals

Your role is to listen to your gut when something feels off, champion best practice, connect with the leaders and decision makers that have power and engage them effectively, and take on a change-management mindset if needed.

This includes engaging your decision makers in your process effectively in terms of setting strategic direction with their input, preparing them for the ride of deliberation and the discomfort that might arise for them at some points of the process, and ensuring their role is clear.

This work can be challenging, but it is worth noting that even if you’re working in an organisation that is seemingly leading in the engagement space, building a culture of best practice takes continual leadership, advocacy and effort. This work is never done.

Facilitators

A good facilitator offers honest advice that helps you to set up your process effectively, and challenges you to consider the risks and opportunities in new ways. They can provide support to have the internal conversations that are necessary, and give you fresh perspectives on process design that help to undo power problems.

When a facilitator is present, their role is to continually reveal and even out power imbalances, ensuring everyone feels enabled, ultimately fostering a sense of collective strength within the group. This is the beauty of a well-designed, well-facilitated deliberative process built on strong principles.

Power is always at play:

Get it wrong and you emphasis a growing sense of disconnection and disempowerment amongst the groups.
Get it right and the deliberating group will slowly transform from a collection of disconnected people with many perspectives to a group of colleagues that are working as an effective team. This experience for the individuals within this group leads to a sense of achievement with integrity, and demonstrates that society can overcome polarisation and solve complex problems together.

Leaders and decision makers

While the final decision generally sits with this cohort, there are key areas in a deliberative process where decision-makers need to let go of a little control and prepare themselves to put on the hat of listener and observer at some points in the process. This can feel unnatural and unusual to some in this group, and it helps if there are senior champions for the process that can normalise the experience for their peers.

This article around the role of decision makers in deliberative engagement might help.