Establishing expectations before starting is well worth the time. Successful engagement starts with the understanding your greater “why."
Consider
- Why is a particular engagement activity being considered now?
- What are the desired objectives or outcomes of the engagement activity? Share information? Gather feedback? Make important decisions?
- What is in-scope and out-of-scope for the engagement?
- What negotiables and non-negotiables that everyone should be aware of?
- Are there existing assumptions about the issue? If so, what are they?
- Is the engagement being undertaken to meet a pre-existing mandate or policy?
Consider the benefits of developing Terms of Reference, which are rules of engagement explicitly drafted and made available to all stakeholders. They are guided by the context and establish clarity, transparency, and accountability for:
- the purpose of the engagement
- the role of participants
- anticipated outcomes of the engagement
Terms of Reference may be short and less formal – even only a paragraph or two – or formal and robust for high-impact/high complexity engagement. They can be particularly helpful at the collaborate level, where groups are undertaking to work together as equal partners.
If Terms of Reference exist through a pre-existing process, initiative, or collaborative, ensure they align with your engagement plans.
Quick Tips
Terms of Reference may seem redundant when the engagement process is proceeding smoothly. However, they are well worth it in terms of setting ground rules and anticipating processes if difficult situations such as deadlocks and erosions of trust arise.
Resources
Six common objectives to consider as a starting point for identifying your own “why”.
Communicate your purpose with all relevant stakeholders as early as possible to create an understanding of the process and intended results. These resources provide guidance on communicating with busy physicians and other stakeholders.
If you are working to better understand physician needs around engagement, consider adapting these survey questions to gather physician input.