Effective Public Meetings

CONDUCTING EFFECTIVE PUBLIC MEETINGS Nan Stager and John Krauss, National League of Cities, June 29, 2009)

This seminar emphasizes the role of public input in the decision making process.

One of the keys is to address the problems early in the process. The public is more likely to take psychological ownership in the decision and is more likely to comply with it. Public input processes educate the public about the complexities of the issues and give the public a real voice in decision making.

I: Story Boarding technique for Public Input

A. Participants respond to a question raised by a facilitator by writing their response and then posting it for all to see

B. Responses are then grouped by theme (Benefits are it enables persons to quickly express concerns in an anonymous manner, gets a lot of opinions out in a short time period, gives a "snapshot" of opinions and provides the means to provide an agenda, address concerns and develop options.)

II. Interest Based Negotiation

-Separate people from the problem (Avoid emotional attachments, personal issues with problem etc.)

-Focus on Interests, not positions (Position is what you have decided on, Interest is what caused you to do decide): Interests on both sides are often compatible-for every interest, there exists more than one option to satisfy it.

-Generate options for mutual gain. (Generate multiple options, think outside the box, LOOK FOR MUTUAL GAIN, invent ways to make their decision easy, help the other side save face)

-Insist on Objective Criteria-an independent standard-(Differences should be settled on principle, not pressure; objective criteria applies to both sides; parties should agree on relevant objective criteria and how to get it

III: Know your "Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement" (BATNA)

-Basically there is usually more than one alternative to a negotiated agreement-choose the best one

-Judge every alternative against the BATNA

Thoughts on "breaking the positional bargaining cycle"

-Treat positions as possible options

-Don't get defensive, ask for criticism

-Recast personal attacks as attacks on the problem

-Focus on future, not on the past

-Don't react, counteract


FRAMING THE ISSUE:

Framing the issue involves stating an issue in a way that both identifies what is at issue and what reflects most concerns and interests with the issue

-Goal of Framing: Create a common definition of the problem acceptable to all

FRAMING PROCEDURE:

1. Identify the parties common interests

2. Put the issue and interest in the form of a question (such as "what options are there", or "how can we"

3. If parties still argue, go back and re-frame the issue again


RULES OF FRAMING

1. One issue at a time

2. Neutrally-no one should feel blames

3. Mutually-Both/all parties should feel it is an issue they want or need to resolve

4. Short-use as few words as possible

5. Future orientation

6. Frame in terms of getting to resolution-HOW parties will resolve the issue

7. Frame the issue, don't solve it.

Thoughts on Framing Issues:

-Rule of "most obnoxious option" -Write down an option (usually the first will be the most obnoxious) and say "are there any other options?"