Unlocking the Potential of Shared Collaboration for Councillors and Executives

Introduction

Engaging effectively with Councillors is a critical component of achieving meaningful community outcomes. Chief Executive Officers and Directors within councils often encounter challenges when councillors, despite their shared commitment to serving the community, exhibit different levels of understanding, motivation, and concerns about various initiatives.

The Stages of Concern (SoC) Model, a framework for understanding how individuals respond to change, can provide a structured approach to engaging Councillors at their respective stages of concern.

This blog explores how the SoC Model can be utilised by CEOs and Directors to navigate the complexities of local government decision-making, ensuring that Councillors are fully engaged and aligned in delivering positive community outcomes.

A case study is included to illustrate the practical application of this model in local government.

Understanding the Stages of Concern Model

The Stages of Concern Model outlines how individuals react to change. The model identifies seven stages of concern. Each stage has it own unquie challenges and can see people moving forward and backward at any given time. The seven stages are:

Awareness
Informational
Personal
Management
Consequence
Collaboration
Refocusing

Understanding these stages allows Council Executives to tailor their engagement strategies to meet Councillors where they are, addressing their concerns effectively and fostering productive discussions.

Identifying Councillors' Stages of Concern

Councillors come from diverse backgrounds, bringing different perspectives and levels of experience to council decision-making. Some may be seasoned representatives with a strategic vision, while others may be newly elected and still navigating their role. CEOs and Directors must assess where each councillor sits on the SoC spectrum regarding a particular initiative.

New Councillors often fall within the awareness or informational stages. They need education and support to build confidence in their decision-making.

Experienced Councillors may be at the collaboration or refocusing stages, seeking ways to enhance council initiatives based on past learnings.

Sceptical Councillors might be stuck in the personal stage, concerned about political ramifications or personal beliefs.

So how do you assess which stage of concern they have? You ask them.

"Hey Councillor, this is an important issue for our Community and we are seeing a divergence of views and concerns. Can you help me understand what is your biggest concern about this topic"?

Once the Councillor has outlined their biggest concern you can assess it against the seven stages of concern to see where they are at. Listen for statements similar to the one outlined below to assess where they are currently at with their concerns.

Awareness – Unaware or uninterested in the initiative.
Informational – Interested in learning more but not yet engaged.
Personal – Concerned about the impact on oneself.
Management – Focused on logistical and operational aspects.
Consequence – Concerned about how the change affects the community.
Collaboration – Interested in working with others to optimise outcomes.
Refocusing – Seeking improvements and innovations to maximise benefits.

Once you have a view on which stage of concern they have you can start to plan your approach more effectively. Below I have outlined some practical engagement tactics that are aligned to the SoC Model:

Awareness & Informational Stages: Provide clear, accessible information. Use workshops, briefing papers, and one-on-one meetings to introduce key concepts.
Personal Stage: Acknowledge concerns and provide reassurances. Highlight personal benefits and support structures to facilitate transition.
Management Stage: Offer detailed implementation plans and address logistical concerns. Provide project timelines, funding models, and case studies to illustrate feasibility.
Consequence Stage: Focus on data-driven impacts. Demonstrate community benefits through pilot programs, testimonials, and benchmarking reports.
Collaboration Stage: Engage councillors in co-design processes. Establish working groups or committees where they can contribute ideas.
Refocusing Stage: Encourage innovation and forward-thinking. Support councillors in advocating for policy improvements and strategic enhancements.

Building Consensus for Community Outcomes

One of the greatest challenges in local government is achieving consensus among councillors with different priorities and levels of concern. By understanding the SoC Model, CEOs and Directors can create a structured engagement plan that ensures every councillor feels heard and valued.

Key techniques include:

Facilitated Discussions: Structured meetings where councillors can express concerns and explore solutions collaboratively.
Scenario Planning: Presenting different policy scenarios to illustrate potential community impacts and trade-offs.
Mentorship and Peer Learning: Pairing experienced councillors with new ones to facilitate knowledge transfer and shared understanding.
Stakeholder Engagement: Involving community members and experts to provide external perspectives, helping councillors see beyond personal concerns.

Case Study: Implementing a Climate Action Strategy in a Metropolitan Council

Background

A metropolitan council in Victoria sought to implement an ambitious Climate Action Strategy aimed at reducing carbon emissions and increasing sustainability efforts. The CEO and Directors encountered a spectrum of reactions from councillors, ranging from enthusiastic support to deep scepticism.

Application of the Stages of Concern Model

Assessing Councillors’ Concerns
- Some councillors were unaware of the strategy’s urgency (Awareness Stage).
- Others wanted more details on costs and logistics (Management Stage).
- A few were deeply concerned about how residents would react to increased rates (Personal Stage).
- Some were eager to enhance the policy further (Refocusing Stage).
Tailored Engagement Strategies
- Informational sessions were held to educate councillors about climate science and local impacts.
- Financial briefings addressed cost concerns and demonstrated long-term savings.
- Community consultation forums provided councillors with direct resident feedback to ease political concerns.
- Working groups allowed pro-active councillors to contribute ideas and enhance the strategy.
Outcome
- By addressing Councillor's concerns at each stage the CEO and Directors secured majority support for the strategy.
- The initiative was implement with modifications that improved its feasibility and community buy-in
- Working groups allowed proactive Councillors to contribute ideas and enhance the strategy

Conclusion

The Stages of Concern Model provides a valuable framework for CEOs and Directors navigating councillor engagement in local government. By recognising where each councillor stands in terms of concern and tailoring engagement strategies accordingly, council executives can foster productive discussions, mitigate resistance, and drive initiatives forward effectively.

Understanding and addressing councillors’ concerns ensures better decision-making, leading to policies and programs that deliver meaningful benefits to the community. By adopting the SoC Model, councils can transform resistance into collaboration and innovation, ultimately creating stronger, more engaged local government leadership.