I’ve always said: if you want something to last, start with a solid foundation. Whether it’s a sports team, a business, or a community initiative, true strength is built from the ground up.
When it comes to stakeholder engagement, the same rule applies. The magic doesn’t happen in the boardroom. It happens at the grassroots, in conversations, relationships, and small, consistent actions that build trust and ownership.
Here’s how to embrace bottom-up engagement and unlock the power of people at every level.
1. Start where people are, not where you are. Too often, engagement starts with an agenda. “Here’s our plan, what do you think?” But real connection starts with listening. People on the ground already have ideas, frustrations, and solutions. They just need someone to listen.
Practical tip: Get out there. Have conversations in community halls, local cafés, and site offices, not just formal meetings. Ask open questions like:
“What’s working well here?”
“If you could change one thing, what would it be?”
When you meet people where they are, physically and emotionally, you show respect. And that’s where trust begins.
2. Make it easy for people to get involved. If engagement feels complicated, people switch off. If it feels natural, they lean in.
Practical tip: Ditch the jargon. Use plain, positive language. Replace ‘stakeholder engagement strategy’ with ‘how we work together’. Make feedback simple, use quick polls, short check-ins, or open WhatsApp groups (if appropriate). When people can contribute without a pile of forms or red tape, they’re more likely to stay involved.
3. Empower, don’t control. Grassroots engagement works because it gives people a sense of ownership, not instruction. You’re not handing down decisions, you’re building them together.
Practical tip: When people come up with ideas, give them the tools and trust to act. Instead of saying, “We’ll take that away and review it,” say, “How can we help you make that happen?” Autonomy builds momentum. The more people feel trusted, the more they contribute.
4. Spot the champions and cheer them on. In every community or organisation, there are ‘quiet champions’, people who care deeply, get things done, and influence others just by being themselves. Find them. Support them. Celebrate them.
Practical tip: When someone takes initiative, recognise it, publicly if possible. A simple thank-you, a mention in a meeting, or a post on your internal network goes a long way. Recognition creates ripple effects. When one person feels valued, others start stepping up too.
5. Build small wins into big success. Grassroots engagement isn’t about grand gestures, it’s about consistency. It’s the small wins that build big change.
Practical tip: Break large goals into visible, achievable steps. Celebrate progress regularly. For example, if a community group improves a local space, share the before-and-after photos. Remind everyone that this is progress they created. Small wins create belief, and belief drives performance.
6. Stay curious, stay present. You can’t lead from behind a desk. The best leaders stay curious, they ask questions, listen, and keep learning from the people they serve.
Practical tip: Schedule time each month to ‘walk the ground’. Visit sites, chat informally, and observe. Not to check up, but to check in. You’ll learn more in one authentic conversation than from a dozen reports.
7. Make feedback a two-way street. Engagement only works when people see results. When they speak up, they need to know it made a difference.
Practical tip: Always close the loop. Share back what was heard and what’s changing because of it, even if the answer is, “We can’t do that right now, but here’s why.” Transparency builds credibility faster than perfection ever will.
Grassroots engagement isn’t soft, it’s smart. It’s about creating energy, ownership, and connection from the ground up. When people feel trusted, listened to, and empowered, they don’t just participate, they lead. Remember: leadership isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about creating the space for others to be heard.
Start small, stay consistent, and celebrate progress. Because when you build from the bottom up, you don’t just create projects, you create communities that last.
Rapport North 