The Mindset of Collaborative Engagement

In the first blog post, six aspects of public engagement were introduced.  Drawing on examples from the William D. Ruckelshaus Center (a collaborative policy and research center that facilitates the resolution of complex public policy challenges in Washington State and beyond) and the author’s two decades of research, training, and practice in public engagement and collaboration, the first aspect, “The Mindset of Collaborative Engagement,” will be explored in this second post.

At the heart of any successful public engagement is the mindset leaders and managers bring to the process. A collaborative approach is key to fostering trust and delivering effective policy outcomes, as demonstrated by research from the Ruckelshaus Center has demonstrated time and again. But what does a collaborative mindset look like in practice?

A collaborative mindset begins with the belief that communities are not passive recipients of policy decisions but active participants in shaping them. This approach, grounded in the principles of agile government, emphasizes adaptability, openness, and the ability to respond to feedback. Instead of rigid, top-down processes, public engagement becomes a flexible, iterative partnership between governments and citizens.

The Center’s Project for Civic Health exemplifies this mindset – an initiative, led in partnership with the Washington State Office of the Lieutenant Governor, the University of Washington Evans School of Public Policy and Governance, and the Jackson Foundation. The Project for Civic Health seeks to improve civic health and reduce polarization in Washington State, and provides a model that other governments may wish to adapt. The project brings together diverse stakeholders, including elected officials and community leaders, to address challenges related to civic engagement, collaboration, and trust in government. Through participatory processes, such as summits and ongoing dialogues, the project works to co-create solutions that foster stronger civic collaboration and more responsive governance.

This statewide effort began with Washington Lt. Governor Denny Heck’s observation that polarization was at an all-time high and the civic health of Washington was in jeopardy. Instead of developing a set of top-down solutions, Lt. Governor Heck started with a listening tour across the state to understand how communities perceived this situation. While he knew there was a problem, Lt. Governor Heck also knew that the strongest solutions would come from communities and not from the top down- exemplifying the collaborative engagement mindset.

After Lt. Governor Heck’s tour, the work expanded.  The Center took what he learned and produced the Common Ground for the Common Good report: https://projectforcivichealth.org/common-good-for-the-common-ground/.  This report signalled interest in hearing from the community instead of developing top-down solutions. It became the basis for an October 2023 Summit for Civic Health convening, which gathered some 200 civic and elected leaders from across Washington to provide additional perspective and co-create solutions to improve civic health.

By bringing together diverse stakeholders—elected leaders, community members, and interest groups—this initiative fosters an environment that values different perspectives and points to collaborative solutions. This integrative approach not only builds trust but also leads to more innovative and effective policies.

In fostering this mindset, public leaders should focus on building relationships, practicing active listening, and remaining open to adaptation as community needs evolve instead of developing top-down approaches without community voice. Emphasizing collaboration over control helps create a more inclusive process when public engagement is necessary for developing policy solutions.

In the next post, we will discuss the next aspect, “Developing the purpose of engagement.”