A DaaF/D event harnesses the wisdom of the people to begin an effective community problem solving effort. The event embraces the idea that the people who are most impacted by a community challenge should be the people who work together to define the problem and identify possible solutions. If specific expertise is needed, experts can always be brought in later.
It’s been shown that we learn best by doing. A 2.5-hour DaaF/D Event event is approximately 80% doing and 20% coaching. The main phases and activities are:
- Each table is provided a list of icebreaker topics or questions to discuss while sharing the meal. The icebreakers are fun and non-controversial, drawing on common life experiences so as to build a spirit of camaraderie.
- After dinner, people move to the audience seating area of the room. The Moderator reviews the ground rules and introduces the community challenge to be discussed.
- In front of the audience are five empty chairs, labeled:
- Agree-strongly
- Agree
- Neutral
- Disagree
- Disagree-strongly
Five volunteers from the audience take the empty chairs, spur-of-the-moment, for the dialogue to begin. Five perspectives from the volunteers are augmented by audience observations. The dialogue lasts about 45-minutes.
- Concluding remarks are offered by the Moderator, and people are asked to return to their dinner tables for desert and further dialogue. Prompting questions are provided to explore the evening’s topic from even more angles. Many people at this stage don’t want the discussion to end – “we’re just getting started” – is often the sentiment. Participants typically leave feeling that a shift has occurred.
- At an emotional level they are reminded that we don’t have to hate, fear, or resent one another. That we can collaborate to accomplish something worthy. It’s so simple it should be common sense, yet in today’s world these positive realizations are profound for many of the participants.
In addition to developing skills that allow constructive dialogue and collaborative problem-framing, a well-structured DaaF/D delivers a jump start toward actually using Community Problem Solving methods to meet the challenge being faced. The group arrives at a shared understanding of the challenge. Further, the perspectives and interests of various stakeholders are understood. The stage has been set for working together to define the problem and consider an effective solution that balances the legitimate interests of all stakeholders. Inspired by the quality of the dialogue, some participants have gone on to develop their individual skills in productive discourse and collaborative problem solving.
Click here to read how the resort city of South Haven, Michigan used DaaF/D and Polis to gain deep insight into challenge to the community posed by short-term rentals. Or to learn more, please email Ted Wetzel or call him at 330-607-6829