Campus Dining Today Spring 2021 - 29

RE ASO N S WH Y
EN G AG EME NT FAIL S
Sometimes clarity comes from knowing what doesn't work and why various approaches/methods
won't lead to desired results.
From our experience, here are the top ten reasons why campus engagement fails:

Limited Participation - outreach efforts with the highest levels of

Communication Disunity - if everybody on the internal team is not on the

Stakeholders are Not Representative - being certain those involved

Moving Too Quickly to Engage - credibility is easily lost by beginning

Starting Too Narrow - when the issues at hand are communicated or framed

Being Defensive - not being open to feedback that may in some cases be

Poor Facilitation - there's no trust gained when stakeholders feel like outsiders,

Overreacting to Personal Agendas - engagement gets off-track when

Telling or Simply Collecting Data Points - remember engagement is

10.

participation are framed/promoted to touch stakeholders personally (easier, faster, less
expensive, more options, better quality, etc.).

same page about engagement objectives/process, the outreach with stakeholders can
become fragmented and poorly communicated.

in the outreach are in fact representative (in terms of the " universe " of affected
stakeholders) is fundamental to engagement success.

outreach without adequate discovery or attempting to more fully understand the
breadth and depth of the issue.

too narrowly at the start, the possibilities for consensus and a clear path forward are
minimized. Don't make assumptions about what people need or want. Be direct and
inquisitive about seeking answers.

critical, or using engagement to prove a point, is a dead-end street in terms of trustbuilding.

by facilitating with terms/nomenclature that people don't readily understand or not
showing respect for ideas both large and small.

mountains get made out of mole hills or the loudest voice becomes the focus.

about their story, not yours. Engagement energy fades quickly without active listening,
genuine interest, an educational approach, and lively participation.

No Plan for Troubleshooting -

sometimes engagement leads to
controversy and can get off-track fast. Thinking through possible stumbling blocks and
potential resolutions in advance should be part of the planning.

A rt & Scienc e of Engag ement | CAMPUS DINING TODAY

Campus Dining Today Spring 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Campus Dining Today Spring 2021