The deliberative public manager: Engaging citizens in productive public conversations

This document explores the underutilized approach to public policy making identified as public deliberation. My particular interest is in public deliberation as convened and facilitated by public managers in local government. My research is based on data gathered from focus groups, interviews with practitioners, interviews with subject matter experts, and a literature review. I also drew on my own experience. The goal of the interviews was to identify the approaches and procedures used by public managers who are identified as being particularly skillful and effective at engaging citizens in the deliberative process. I wanted to learn: How does a sample of government managers who believe in the value of public deliberation practice and perceive public deliberation?The interview sample was not intended to be representative of public managers rather, I chose to interview individuals from whom a great deal could be learned. The participants were selected on the basis of experience with public involvement, reputation, diversity, and willingness to reflect on their experiences.Based on this research, I have drawn a picture of the issues and challenges facing public managers in engaging citizens in public deliberation, and the strategies used by the successful deliberative public manager. In listening to the voices of the public managers I interviewed, I heard them talk about three key issues they face in regard to public deliberation. (1) Traditional public participation hinders citizen involvement. (2) Many public managers are not motivated to be agents for public deliberation. (3) Many public managers lack the skills needed to be effective leaders of public deliberation.The research revealed five strategies that are important for public managers who want to engage citizens in deliberative dialogue. (1) Prepare yourself by clarifying personal purpose and strengthening listening skills. (2) Actively seek opportunities to engage citizens in deliberative dialogue. (3) Create safe space for deliberative dialogue. (4) Involve the community in naming and framing the issues. (5) Ask good questions.After reporting on the research findings, the document goes on to provide a theoretically-based educational framing for practical street-level guidance for public managers who want to lead their communities in a deliberative process.