Dating the Decision Makers: Moving from Communications to Engagement Strategies

This guide by the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) outlines a shift from traditional one-way communications to 'engagement strategies' for sustainable development knowledge networks. It argues that behavioral change in policy-makers is driven by trust and relationships rather than information alone, proposing a systemic approach to building action-oriented relationships over time.

• The document distinguishes 'engagement' from traditional communications, defining engagement as a relationship-building process that moves people from being passive recipients of information to active partners in developing sustainable development solutions. This approach acknowledges that 'Relationships, not information, are at the centre of all communications' and that trust is the necessary bridge between knowledge and action.
• The guide proposes a 'stages of engagement' pyramid to manage relationships with decision-makers. This hierarchy consists of three levels: 'Information provision' (the broadest base, focusing on awareness), 'Nurturing relationships' (focused on two-way conversations and follow-ups), and 'Joint action' (the peak, typically involving funded projects or consulting where decision-makers contribute knowledge and relationships).
• Drawing from 'Permission Marketing' and 'moves management', the author suggests that knowledge networks should treat engagement like 'dating'. This involves offering incentives (customized information) to get a prospect to volunteer their attention, then providing a 'curriculum' of increasingly relevant messages to gradually change behavior.
• The document identifies specific roles within social psychology that facilitate the spread of innovative ideas: 'Mavens' (idea specialists/databanks), 'Connectors' (people specialists who act as 'social glue'), and 'Salespeople' (masters of emotional expression and persuasion).
• Effective communications strategies must target 'information brokers' rather than just decision-makers. For example, targeting the academic community can be more efficient for influencing government ministers, while targeting consulting firms can be more effective for reaching senior business leaders.
• The guide lists a diverse suite of communication tools, noting that civil society organizations often over-rely on print publications. It recommends leveraging personal contact for trust, stand-alone workshops for relationship building, and audio-visual materials for emotional impact, citing an IISD video on Inuit observations of climate change as more impactful than a working paper.

APA

International Institute for Sustainable Development (n.d.). Dating the Decision Makers: Moving from Communications to Engagement Strategies. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_engagement.pdf

Chicago

International Institute for Sustainable Development. Dating the Decision Makers: Moving from Communications to Engagement Strategies. n.d. https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_engagement.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=International Institute for Sustainable Development |title=Dating the Decision Makers: Moving from Communications to Engagement Strategies |url=https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_engagement.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{internationalinstituteforsustainabledevelopmentnddating, author = {{International Institute for Sustainable Development}}, title = {{Dating the Decision Makers: Moving from Communications to Engagement Strategies}}, institution = {International Institute for Sustainable Development}, url = {https://www.iisd.org/system/files/publications/networks_engagement.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }