Step 7:
Be careful about the communication
Getting your communication right is key to securing a diverse participation in dialogues.
The public sphere, including news outlets, is increasingly polarized so you will have to walk a fine line – keeping an equal distance from each ideological camp, at the same time trying to bring everybody into your conversation. This is a constant balancing act when promoting each and every dialogue.
On top of that comes your own ideological positioning – if your organization is considered liberal, you will have to make an effort to bring onboard conservative participants. Conversely, if your organization is deemed conservative, liberals might shy away. We all have political identities and there is no point in pretending you don’t. The rule of thumb is to be respectful of ideological diversity and attentive to one's own bias.
What has worked for us
Dialogue titles showing alternative viewpoints – we phrase the topics in a way which includes two leading positions people have on the issue in question. For example: Border wall: a disgrace to humanity or common sense?
Some people say this… others say that – in additional text or social media posts announcing the dialogue we cite phrases that are often heard in conversations on the issue. For example: Some people say the child allowance is wasting public money. Others think it is a highly needed social assistance.
Invitations to reflect – polarization feeds on simplified views and for-or-against alternatives. When phrasing topics we often rely on open questions unpacking the underlying question. For example: Patriotism: what does it mean to be Polish?
Things to be careful about
Your keywords might betray a position – we have discovered many times that some words and phrases that we use to describe social or political realities, were read as ideological statements by people holding opposing views. For example: democratic parties in reference to liberal opposition implies that ruling conservatives were not democratically-chosen.
Pictures say a thousand words – when choosing photos to illustrate your dialogues watch out for one-sided narratives. For example: photos from a Gaypride parade are not the best choice for a dialogue on LGBTQ rights.
Media and dialogue partners – being a liberally-minded CSO we always make an effort to reach out to conservative organizations and media. Promoting dialogues via liberal outlets and partnerships discourages conservative participants.
Who might increase your reach
Influencers:
Identify influencers discussing the dialogue topic (e.g., family, energy,
economy). Ensure these influencers present diverse perspectives on the
dialogue and ask them to share information about your event.Podcasters:
They are interested in new initiatives, tend to conduct longer conversations
and often have loyal followers. You will be able to explain the purpose of
dialogues and potentially receive endorsement in your recruitment effort.Journalists:
Leverage media opportunities like radio interviews or newspaper articles about your dialogue to spread the word and invite people to register.Local leaders:
Collaborate with respected community leaders to gain their support and have them promote your event. This is crucial when you are doing dialogues offline, in their communities.
