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AVOIDING HOSTILE MEETINGSBreaking the Development Logjam (ULI) – January 2006
by Debra Stein
It’s every developer’s nightmare: an audience of furious neighbors booing, throwing wads of paper, and shouting “Not in my backyard!” Fortunately, there are a variety of tools that developers can use to avoid negative emotions and angry behavior.
Don’t Make ‘Em Mad
Anger is a symptom of an underlying, negative emotion: people are really mad about something else. In an audience setting, the negative circumstances most likely to trigger citizen fury are frustration, humiliation, and unpleasant environmental conditions.
Frustration: When people think they have been unfairly treated, they get frustrated and then they get mad. Real estate development is intrinsically frustrating for neighbors because people living near the project site frequently experience a disproportionate level of negative impacts without enjoying disproportionate benefits, and that seems unfair. Large community meetings can also produce frustration and anger. Most neighbors show up expecting to speak, but instead, they get stuck listening to the developer and having to wait for their turn to speak. Developers can minimize disappointment and resulting anger by making certain that participants have realistic expectations about how the meeting will run: “I have a 20-minute presentation that describes the project and then I’d like to hear what you think about it.” Answer questions realistically, identifying sources of information if possible, and admit that some questions have no answers at the present time. Also explain actions that may seem arbitrary or unfair, such as letting some people who must leave early speak before others.
Loss of Face: People get angry when they feel insulted, manipulated, talked down to, or made to look ridiculous. In a university study of anger, 64 percent of angry people reported that they behave aggressively in order to repair their damaged self-image or enhance their self-esteem. Interestingly, women are more likely than men to get angry when they feel condescended to or ignored. Respectful treatment of audiences is always important, especially in volatile situations.
Environmental Conditions: Research confirms that people are much more likely to feel angry when exposed to unpredictable noise, strange music, high temperatures, or bad smells such as cigarette smoke. Intense crowding or inability to hear the speaker or see the slide screen can also lead to stress and resulting anger. When a meeting is likely to stir controversy, it’s important to pick the best environment possible.
Negative Signals: You can tell that the audience is experiencing negative emotions when participants display a very reliable signal of their feelings—covering their mouths with their hands while listening. When you see this, change your communications approach or shift subjects immediately.
Avoid Nasty Behavior
Just because someone feels angry doesn’t necessarily mean that person has to behave in an angry manner. There are several practical steps you can take to avoid hostile conduct, even when emotions are running high.
Set Ground Rules: Before launching into a presentation, take a few moments to set ground rules about how this portion of the meeting is going to run. Meeting rules typically include prohibitions on shouting, interruptions, profanity, or personal insults—and detail the procedure and timing for audience questions or comments. It is crucial, however, to get the audience to “buy into” your rules: “Is there anyone here who doesn’t understand these rules and agree to follow them?” Obtaining consensus on the ground rules makes it much easier to enforce them if people start behaving badly.
Maintain Eye Contact: It is easier to lash out at an impersonal, faceless enemy than to attack someone with whom one has a personal relationship. You can significantly decrease the chances that an audience will treat you badly if you can force participants to engage in eye contact with you, increasing the chance that people will engage in personal interaction with you.
Eliminate Anonymity: People are more likely to engage in antisocial conduct when they think they’re anonymous members of the crowd. Minimize aggressive behavior by making it easier to hold them personally responsible for antisocial actions. Use name tags; put out a sign-up sheet; call on citizens by name. Have speakers identify themselves before each comment or questions. Bright lights, mirrors, cameras, and rhetorical questions also help to reduce anonymity.
Anger Management Plan
Prepare an anger management plan to anticipate possible audience problems, to develop a strategy to avoid or respond to those problems, and to rehearse your responses. Ask yourself:
- What issues are likely to lead to a sense of frustration? How can I shape citizens’ expectations so they don’t get disappointed at the meeting?
- Are there any particular community leaders or activists who need lots of special attention? How will I demonstrated my respect for them?
- What can I do to make the setting as pleasant as possible?
- How can I encourage citizens to see themselves as individuals rather than anonymous members of the crowd?
- What fundamental ground rules should I suggest to maintain a civil discussion? What procedures should be used to manage audience input?
- What short, effective responses can I make to the most likely types of attacks I might face at the meeting?
Debra Stein is the president of the San Francisco-based public affairs firm, GCA Strategies. She is the author of several books on NIMBYism and her firm specializes in controversial land use projects across the nation. For more information, e-mail Stein, call her at 415-391-4100 or visit the GCA Strategies Web site at www.gcastrategies.com.
