Climbing the ladder of engagement

When you get people involved in your project, it’s vital that you always give them the possibility of getting involved at their own pace and on their own terms.

If someone just attended a meeting because she was curious to know more, it can be overwhelming and a little bit scary to end up feeling pressured into take on tasks and more responsibility than they feel ready for right away.

It’s a shame if someone’s budding civic desire is crushed by meetings and formalities. So invite people to conversation salons, to plant tomatoes in the courtyard-day or to a communal kitchen where those who are curious can get a good sense of the project, the tasks and the other people taking part.

If they leave with a good impression and can contribute with something meaningful right form the beginning, it’s more than likely that they will climb the next steps on the “ladder of engagement” all by themselves.

There’s just a world of difference between taking the first step to get involved in a project because you feel obligated to, or because you are enthusiastic and have begun to see the point of it all…