Engaged Outcomes

“It’s not getting the right message. It’s not having the right collateral. It’s relationships…earning trust and working through things in a much more human way.” 🤝

A powerful insight from Episode 36 of the Empower Podcast with Wendy Agar and Dr Rebecca Colvin.

As conversations around energy transition, regional change and community engagement continue to grow, this episode is a timely reminder that communication is never just about information.

It’s about trust.
It’s about understanding people’s social worlds.
And it’s about learning how to communicate across difference, not deepen division.

Dr Colvin shares thoughtful and practical insights into why communities respond so differently to change, and what leaders, organisations and engagement professionals can do to build more constructive conversations.

A valuable listen for anyone working across energy, infrastructure, agriculture, government or regional communities 🌏

Proudly supported by Powerlink.

What happens when communities, industries and governments all look at the same energy transition… and see completely different things?

Our latest episode of emPOWER explores the human side of communication during change, and why facts alone are rarely enough in contested environments.

Wendy Agar is joined by Dr Rebecca Colvin from the Australian National University’s Crawford School of Public Policy, whose research focuses on the social dimensions of energy and climate policy, particularly how regional communities navigate change around energy infrastructure and industries.

In this episode, we unpack ⚡ why conflict around renewable energy is often about far more than infrastructure 🧠 the role of trust, identity and “us vs them” dynamics in shaping community responses 💬 why you can’t “out-data outrage” 🤝 the importance of relationships over “perfect messaging” 🎨 what it means to “communicate like a cubist” and practical strategies for communicating across difference in complex environments.

If you work across renewable energy, infrastructure, engagement, government, leadership or regional communities, this conversation offers valuable insights into navigating complexity in a more human way.

Part of our Working in the Middle: Engagement on the Ground During the Energy Transition series, proudly supported by Powerlink Queensland.

🎧 Listen now: https://www.engagedoutcomes.com.au/empower-podcast