Phase 1

Exploring and Engaging

Phase 1 is essentially about raising the energy for change and dialogue. In this phase, stakeholders explore the Stakeholder Dialogue’s context, taking other existing initiatives and the people involved into account. This requires understanding the external context, the factors that will influence the dialogue, and the dynamics of the complex system in which the Stakeholder Dialogue will take place. Talking to selected but relevant stakeholders and opinion-leaders informally in this phase can help to understand the prospects and potential obstacles for dialogue and change. A small cross-sector team of engaged people, called the Core Group (Container), can meet at various opportunities, exchange ideas and receive inputs from interested and knowledgeable people in this phase.

Expected results of Phase 1

• Trust among key stakeholders
• Explicit resonance for the dialogic initiative or change process
• Credibility for implementation
• Participating stakeholders identified
• Context and external influencing factors explored

How to create resonance?
How to understand the context?
How to build a "good" container for change?

Do you want to check if your project has covered the most important aspects of Phase 1? Our tool Dialogic Change Model Phase 1 will help you assess the progress of your Stakeholder Dialogue and give recommendations on what needs to be done to step into the next phase of engagement.