Ep 53 Emily Jenke On A New Way Of Decision Making, Democracy And The Opinion Trap

Democracy, as we know it, is under threat, says DemocracyCo's Emily Jenke. We only have to look at the world around us, with Trump, Brexit and even the political uncertainty in Australia. The public is disengaged because politicians aren't listening. All that's left for the public is opinion, and opinion is ineffective and at times dangerous. Opinions swirl in the social media vortex leading to knee jerk reactions and a decision making process that is, at best, broken. In response, Emily, along with her friend Emma Lawson, started DemocracyCo, a company aiming to give all sectors of the community a voice in the key decisions affecting them. It is DemocracyCo's job to get involved in some of the most contentious community issues. Emily and Emma have facilitated Citizens' Juries to tackle reducing the numbers of unwanted dogs and cats, road safety for motorists and cyclists, and the high profile Nuclear Waste debate in South Australia (which we also talk about back in Ep 34), with the world's largest Citizens' Jury of 350 members. DemocracyCo's work is getting noticed globally. They're now working with the Singapore government, a country with different political and cultural values to Australia, and an interesting case study for the Adelaide company. Emily talks about the fascinating decision-making approach applied by DemocracyCo - it's a new way of decision making for issues large and small - and shares how we can apply these processes in business and our personal lives. Our chat also covers leadership, group dynamics, public engagement, politics, business and much more. For more information about DemocracyCo, visit http://democracyco.com.au This episode is sponsored by Funding Options. If you're in the market for a home loan, commercial finance, an investment loan, equipment, a car or even refinancing, talk to Funding Options. They'll do the hard work for you .. find the best deal for your needs, guide you through the process and save you time and money. Contact Funding Options' managing director, former AFL captain Dom Cassisi, who was also an early Rooster Radio guest. Visit http://fundingoptions.com.au and get in touch with Dom. Rooster Radio is hosted by Andrew Montesi and James Begley. Connect with Rooster Radio - sign up to our mailing list and join our Facebook community: http://roosterradio.biz http://facebook.com/roosterradioHQ For media, content and marketing services, visit: apiroconsulting.com (Andrew Montesi) For leadership and and high performance services, visit: jamesbegley.com.au (James Begley)