Close
Blog
Leadership and stakeholder engagement are inseparable. To have impact leaders must be effective in engaging with their stakeholders. To engage with stakeholders it is necessary to know who they are! It is worthwhile to reflect on who your stakeholders are, what impact they have and how you engage with them.
When not coaching I can often be found exploring and enjoying the Gold Coast waterways on my WaveRunner. The Gold Coast Waterways Authority's area of responsibility includes hundreds of kilometres of canals, the Gold Coast Seaway, five rivers and the pristine waters of the southern part of Moreton Bay. Moreton Bay is home to 113,000 hectares of internationally significant listed wetlands. Gold Coast waterways are some of the busiest in Australia with 33,000 recreational boats. I have noticed that the Gold Coast Waterways Authority (GCWA) is very effective in engaging with a complex array of stakeholders. I recently met with Hal Morris, CEO of GCWA to discuss how he leads by engaging with stakeholders.
The waterways have many stakeholders. There are 12 government agencies involved in governing the waterways. The GCWA has produced an online guide called ‘Who’s Who in the Blue’. Users of the waterways can easily see which agency to consult with for which issue. This provides a clue to one way the GWCA engages with stakeholders. Provide clarity! Hal Morris explained to me that when a question is asked regarding the waterways the answers can be discordant. As an example the regulatory regime is framed toward transport but the question may be about a tourism operation. GCWA navigates stakeholders through the complexity and provides the answers. Stakeholders thus avoid the run around. How do you stop your stakeholders from getting the run around?
Gold Coast Waterways Authority partners closely with Maritime Services Queensland on the War on Wrecks initiative. This important activity ensures any vessels identified as derelicts or potential derelicts are removed from the waterways. If this partnership approach didn’t work so well neither body would be able to achieve their objectives. Which of your stakeholders more closely resemble a partnership style relationship?
In speaking with Hal he stressed the importance of meeting the requirements of the Gold Coast community. The number of community groups with opinions impacting management of the waterways is surprising. Stakeholders may be spread far and wide but the immediate community has priority.
During our discussion, Hal showed me the Spit Master Plan. It’s an impressive document and has won acclaim in the region. The Spit is a natural area at the northern end of the Gold Coast beaches. Strong views are held about its future management and development. Over 18 months there was deep and extensive community consultation to develop The Spit Master Plan.
GWCA regularly holds Meet the Board sessions where any member of the community can attend. These events are popular and attended by both supporters and critics. Cards are laid on the table and there’s no holding back. Even those who are critical don’t hesitate to provide feedback about how much they appreciate being heard.
Some great insights from Hal Morris and I thank him for the opportunity to understand more about stakeholder engagement in the context of our beautiful waterways. The accompanying photo is my WaveRunner on the Gold Coast Broadwater – my happy place!