Loyalty
“member engagement”
Hannah Fenton
Good Food Oxford
November 2015
Aim & learning objectives
Aim: To use the concept of loyalty to choose how to
engage people in a work or voluntary context
By the end of the session you will be able to…
• Identify some examples of loyalty
• Label the “loyalty ladder” with its definitions
• Match a case study example to the ladder and
identify one suitable next step
• Give one next step of how to apply this to your
work or volunteering
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
Why is loyalty important?
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
The “Loyalty Ladder”
In pairs…
You have 5 mins!
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
How does it work?
In fours…
You have 5 mins!
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
Make a “Big List” of everyone
Sort the list into 5 categories:
1s: People aware and active – recognise the crisis.
2s: Aware but not active.
3s: Neither aware nor active. Be curious what is going on from them. A
lot is probably happening in their lives. They are being swayed by
you or the 5s.
4s: Not interested.
5s: Question or disagree with you. These are really important – to
understand their criticism. They are the ones who are gateways into
understand why everyone else is hesitant or defensive.
You don’t have to reach everyone.
The “Tipping Point” may be just 15 – 25%
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
Number
Characteristics
What to aim for in relation to
them
Risks
1
Natural allies. They are working
in the same territory as you.
Community groups, especially
sustainability, local food,
renewable energy
Possible partners
Interested in related issues –
allotments, community safety,
shared childcare, emergency
preparedness.
Make sure they know what
you’re doing. Support their work
and ask them to support yours.
Create relationships, but don’t
spend too much time on them.
Spend time building these
alliances – they help you to get
established in your community.
Go to their meetings, don’t just
expect them to come to yours.
Take time to understand their
priorities, and figure out together
how Transition supports these.
These people are often busy with
other things – getting on with
family, career, surviving. You
need to be really clear about how
your work helps them, and if you
want something from them, what
is it & whether they can give it.
Respect their No.
Don’t spend any time trying to
“convert” them. Find another
way to be in a relationship.
Know who these groups are and
have a strategy to counter
anything they do to block, harm
or denigrate you.
Learn from their arguments –
what they’re thinking is what’s
stopping 4s and maybe 3s from
joining you.
Build relationships early so they
don’t feel put out or competitive.
2
3
Indifferent. Usually these are the
majority, so any headway here
can really help expand your base
of support
4
Not interested. They give a clear
“No”.
5
Opposition.
Groups or people who feel
threatened by what you’re doing
and will actively stir up
opposition. E.g. anti-wind lobby
in the UK.
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
If you don’t enter this as a truly
two way process – listening to
and supporting their agenda –
they may feel used by you.
If you ask for too much these
people will resent it.
Trying to persuade these people
will make you seem evangelical,
pushy.
If you’re not prepared for
opposition they can take the
initiative and you are left reacting
from a place of hurt or surprise.
Don’t get personal. Don’t get into
slanging matches.
What next?
You have 2 mins!
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
Recap and beyond…
Aim: To use the concept of loyalty to choose how to
engage people in a work or voluntary context
By the end of the session you will be able to…
• Identify some examples of loyalty
• Label the “loyalty ladder” with its definitions
• Match a case study example to the ladder and
identify one suitable next step
• Give one next step of how to apply this to your
work or volunteering
Any thoughts or
s
Hannah Fenton, Good Food Oxford
Loyalty
Greyfriars Bobby was a Skye Terrier
who became known in 19th-century
Edinburgh for supposedly spending 14
years guarding the grave of his owner
until he died himself on 14 January
1872. Bobby belonged to John Gray, who
worked for the Edinburgh City Police as a
night watchman.