Listen first.  It is often said that communication is a two-way street.  Think of it more as an alley—one person at a time, and you yield first.  When people are upset, often their first and greatest need is to know that they are legitimately being heard, and you can’t listen when you are speaking.

Don’t assume. We often assume that we know what others’ concerns are, and just as often we are wrong.  Do your research before planning your communication activities.  And don’t be lulled into thinking that no news is good news.  There may be issues brewing under the surface.

Call an ace an ace.  Be aware of the expectations you are setting with your stakeholders.  If you’re merely keeping them apprised of a situation, without opportunity for input, don’t call it participation.  The more transparent you are about your plans, the less likely you’ll set false expectations.

Write a plan.  Resist the urge to shoot from the hip just because there is no legal requirement for preparing a plan.  Like all undertakings, public involvement requires sound planning if you want to be effective—from researching the needs of your stakeholders to scoping your timeline, budget, and evaluation process.

 Shift your thinking.  Public meetings often are viewed as the first milestone of public involvement for environmental projects.  Ideally, however, public meetings should be the culmination of involvement activities.  Stakeholder outreach should occur at the outset—before decisions are made and positions are set.