A1: From Conflict to Common Ground: the Planner as Expert and Facilitator

Increasingly, communities don’t just expect to be included in planning and decision making processes — they demand it. While increased public involvement in policy-making is a victory for democracy and civic engagement, it can be a nightmare for planners trying to navigate complex issues and assert expertise. And, since almost all engagement processes involve some degree of conflict it’s important for planners to understand how to manage disagreements and competing priorities in order to find common ground. This session will highlight methods and skills that help manage conflict and balance the planner’s dual role as expert and facilitator. 

 

Learning Objectives:

• Gaining knowledge about methods to apply in designing engagement processes.

• Understanding strategies to help manage conflict. 

• Gaining knowledge about tools to help people with differing viewpoints find common ground.