Love him or loathe him, many feel that Jeremy Clarkson has done more to raise awareness of the challenges facing farmers than the large scale organisations whose main role is to do just that! But I am not here to discuss his popularity, I was however very interested to witness his approach to community engagement in the second season of Clarkson's Farm.
For those who have not watched it, Jeremy Clarkson received daily emails from angry members of the community complaining about traffic management, unsightly car parks and the impact of people and traffic on the community. His reaction? To call them morons! Far from ideal! But with a bit of a prod from his advisers, he realised that things were going to go far more smoothly if he built a relationship with the people of Chadlington. So what did I take away from it? 1. Don't call the community morons for a start! 2. Don't expect to give the community freebies and sponsorship and for that to be considered meaningful engagement! 3. Do make time to meet people, understand each others' constraints, concerns and challenges and discuss ways to move forward that work for both parties. 4. Do share your decision making processes. 5. Do listen to feedback and give it proper consideration. 6. Do open up the channels of communication for ongoing discussions 7. Do meet in a mutually convenient place that will allow as many as possible to attend. 8. Do discuss the wider benefits for all. and finally 9. Do keep engaging, this is an ongoing process. Now I know television is edited, but it was amazing how quickly the tone of the discussions changed from both parties when they sat in a room together and discussed their challenges and concerns. If people don't understand your operating environment, constraints and decision making processes, how can you expect unwavering support - equally how can you expect people to feel comfortable engaging with you face to face when all they have received is aggressive and rude correspondence. Good communication works both ways and rarely do angry emails get anyone anywhere! Misinformation (Half the farm turning into a car park!?) flows quickly when there is not an opportunity to set the record straight - so stop it spreading by giving people the opportunity to hear direct from the source. Contrary to one comment about Clarkson not needing the money, I think most people recognise that a business has to be financially sustainable for it to be able to survive. When a land based business is successful it brings huge benefits to a community, from investment in renewables to employment, access to the natural environment, biodiversity and yes perhaps sponsorship for the local football team and free wildflower seed! So I most definitely don't approve of many of his behaviours, but I am pleased to see him engaging positively with his community. Long may it continue. If you want to discuss your approach to community engagement then please get in touch. Comments are closed.
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