Between the lines environmental diplomacy and critical thinking. Adaptively managed.
Open mic on the hill, stays on the hill 
Open forum, stays in the room
In an age of megaphone diplomacy, one-line petitions, polarising campaigns and inflammatory media headlines, we risk losing track of communicating nuanced issues in public while eroding trust on maintaining dialogue in private as tribalism threatens to destabilise collaborative efforts.
Thinking outside the narrative
A complex countryside is undergoing rapid change. Within an urbanising nation, land and environmental issues can be misconstrued, lack inconvenient context and are vulnerable to ‘gatekeeping‘ as politicians eye up the Overton Window. Without an ear to multiple underlying narratives, backstories, perceptions, affiliations – it can be hard to engage diverse audiences.
OK, time to think again (pic Geoff Eyre)
“When my information changes, I alter my conclusions”
Paul Samuelson
Backdoor diplomacy sitting alongside frontline advocacy
Rob offers a bespoke, off-the record, Chatham House Rule, ‘honest broker’ service (Track II diplomacy). He can open up back channel comms with the ‘right people‘ to maintain dialogue, ensures information flows two-ways, advise on framing controversial media, host ‘walk and talks’ to enable tricky conversations to take place, seek to move negotiations from positional adversarial to principled mutual gain.
Walk, talk, listen, inform, learn
Views without labels
Examples: environmental NGO rep walking with land manager. Gathering intelligence in the field. Advising govt on wildlife management issues. Providing advice on sensitive comms. Challenging organisations to evaluate how constituents perceive them. Enabling views to be heard without labels.
Brainstormers on the hill
“Better to be criticised by your friends than attacked by your enemies”
Rob Yorke
Feedback
After over 25 years in the rural sector, see what others say about his work and click on his other specialist input under Countryside Critical.
Ask questions or feedback on how this adaptive service evolves, or leave a comment below this blog (screen grab below)
“The test of a first-rate intelligence is the ability to hold two opposed ideas in the mind at the same time and still retain the ability to function”
F Scott Fitzgerald