educating decision makers: introduction and presentation skills module 27: lecture 1

Educating Decision Makers: Introduction and Presentation Skills

Module 27: Lecture 1

Developed by: Meyer Updated: 6-2004 U5-m27-s2

Objectives

Students will be able to: identify the responsibilities of federal, state and

municipal government in the decision making process.

recognize general characteristics of land use officials.

List potential outside factors that influence behavior positions of decision makers.

identify levels of participation among decision makers.

list forms of nonverbal communication that influence presentations.


Educating decision makers

Module outline - 3 lectures: Identify the Audience, Explore how to reach them, Overview working programs Identify the Audience

Who are these decision makers? What motivates their decisions? What decisions are they making? (Why should I care?)

Explore how to reach them How do I structure my message? How can I communicate it effectively? How can they use it?

Working programs What are some examples of effective programs? How do they work? Where can I find them?


Importance of audience

Audience

Design

Development

Evaluate

Implement

TIM

E

MOST significant

Amount of timeBUILDS directly

On ideas about

AUDIENCE




MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

STATE GOVERNMENT

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

•LEGISLATIVE

EXECUTIVE

JUDICIAL


Municipal Government

State Government

Federal Government


Federal Government examples: Environmental Protection

Agency US Department of

Agriculture Natural Resource

Conservation Service Responsibilities:

Management of national lands

Laws that set national environmental standards (i.e., Clean Water Act)



State Government

Federal Government


State government examples: Department of Natural

Resources Pollution Control Agency Soil and Water

Conservation Services Responsibilities:

Management of state lands

Statutes that translate national standards to the state level



State Government

Federal Government


Municipal government examples: Planning Departments Public Utilities Roads Maintenance

Responsibilities: Management of local

lands Land use ordinances


MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT

STATE GOVERNMENT

FEDERAL GOVERNMENT • Dir

ect

Infl

uen

ce o

n L

and

scap

e



Educating Decision Makers

Land use officials are: Often volunteers Variable levels of

education Receive limited training Sometimes appointed

for political reasons Legislators and

Administrators High member turnover

http://www.impactweb.com/arcassano/home.htm



http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/guide/aware.htm



BehaviorPositions

Hopes Needs Visions

InterestsIntentions

FearsIndividual andCollective ExperienceHistory

Assumptions

PerceptionsFeelings

WorldviewCulture

WoundsUnresolved PersonalOr Group Traumas



http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/guide/particip.htm



Level of Participation Expectations

Not interested Process seems credible

Uninvolved Easy access to information

Passively interested Read, think about information

Somewhat active Easy way to comment, Discuss, comment Process and solution are understandable

Occasionally active Concerns are answeredAttend events, comment

Actively involved Provide substantive inputHave influence

Core team Work will be appreciated Commitment to solve problem

http://www.usbr.gov/pmts/guide/particip.htm



PresenterPresenter AudienceAudience

Distrust

SelectiveReporting

IncompleteData

Difficulty understanding the subject

Personal Ethics

Hostility and Outrage

Disagreements on the acceptable magnitude of risk

Mental shortcuts

Lack of motivation to change

Unrealistic Optimism

Desire and demand for scientific certainty

Reluctance to change strongly held beliefs

Unwillingness to see the audience as equal partners

Belief that the public cannot understand science

Limits to knowledge of subject

Personal Ethics



Forms of Nonverbal Communication: Smile Constant eye contact Raised eyebrows Frown Avoiding eye contact Silence Shrug of shoulders Rolling eyes Tapping fingers or feet Yawning Wrinkling forehead Looking at watch Sighing Ducks in and out of meeting

http://bmrc.berkeley.edu/~tsmurf/smile.gif



Identifying audiences and contacts Check government websites Read past committee minutes Attend regularly scheduled meetings of officials



FOCUS!!! Local decision makers Cities and towns where education will make the

MOST difference Key contacts and target audiences

Educating Decision Makers: Introduction and Presentation Skills

Module 27: Lecture 2


Objectives

Students will be able to: outline steps in the planning process for educating

decision makers. evaluate the effectiveness of program goals. explain useful approaches to communication for

educating decision makers. recognize guidelines for risk communication. describe approaches to reaching local officials. indicate logistical strategies for presenting information. identify measures for addressing changes group

dynamics.



Planning Process Define the watershed and nested hydrologic units Conduct an initial outreach; organize stakeholder and

technical teams Collect relevant watershed and community assessment

information Establish broad consensual goals and/or conduct a

visioning session Analyze and evaluate information; identify and address

data gaps Assess, prioritize, and analyze key concerns and issues Develop outreach objectives and strategies for

implementation Implement, evaluate, and adapt selected management

actions


Educating decision makers: A Case Study

Case: The Connecticut River is the

largest river in the northeast, and no city resides at its mouth. It has many unique features and remains in relatively pristine condition. However, the surrounding watershed holds over 400 towns and 2 million residents. Growing land use pressures threaten the health of the watershed.

Problem: How can we design an outreach

program that targets land use decision makers in the watershed to help them create plans that diminish potential watershed threats?



Planning Process Define the watershed and nested hydrologic

units



CASE: In 1993 the University of

Connecticut Cooperative Extension teamed with the Nature Conservancy and the Town of Chester. Their efforts initially focused on the Chester Creek Watershed.

Later efforts were expanded to the Eightmile and Salmon River watersheds. Each of these was chosen because of its significant effect on the water quality of Lower Connecticut River.



Planning process Define the watershed and nested hydrologic

units Conduct an initial outreach; organize stakeholder

and technical teams



Numerous Counties Over 400 Towns



Chester town government: Town Selectmen Inland Wetland Commission Planning and Zoning Connecticut River Estuary Regional Planning Agency Connecticut River Valley and Shoreline Visitors Council Conservation Commission Inland Wetland Officer Park and Recreation

Commission Park and Recreation Director Road Committee Tree Warden Water Pollution Control

Authority



Local watershed advisory committees: Town Selectmen Inland Wetland

Commission Planning and Zoning Conservation Commission Economic Development

Commission Land Trust River and Lake

Committees Neighborhood

Organizations Key Local Businesses



Resource team partners: UConn Cooperative

Extension Nature Conservancy Silvio O. Conte National

Wildlife Refuge Connecticut Department of

Environmental Protection Connecticut River

Watershed Council USEPA Region 1 National Parks Service -

Rivers and Trails



Planning process Define the watershed and nested hydrologic

units Conduct an initial outreach; organize stakeholder

and technical teams Collect relevant watershed and community

assessment information Establish broad consensual goals and/or

conduct a visioning session



Visioning exercise What should this program look like? What is important to our message? How will we deliver the program?



What should this program look like? Geographically focused campaign, which seeks

to instill a sense of community What is important to our message?

Incorporation of specifics about local watershed natural resources and available professional resources.

How will we deliver the program? Nonpoint Education for Municipal Officials

(NEMO) program


Is this goal specific or relevant? Municipal leaders will learn to identify common

characteristics of watersheds. Municipal leaders will learn to identify six

threatened characteristics of the St. Louis River Watershed.



Is this goal measurable or time sensitive? We will teach municipal leaders to love their

watershed. Municipal leaders will express a higher level of

concern for watershed preservation after completion of the outreach presentation.



UConn goals for municipal officials To become familiar with the natural resources (location

and functionality) in the watershed To become familiar with land use patterns (permanently

preserved areas, developed areas, forested areas…) within the watershed

To determine growth and preservation areas within the watershed based upon the natural resources and existing land use patterns

To determine goals for planning and regulatory initiatives that will support the growth and preservation areas

To communicate the goals for the growth and preservation areas to the watershed communities




UConn goals for municipal officials (continued) To incorporate comments received through the

communication effort To identify opportunities for all land use volunteers to

become involved in the implementation of the goals To communicate the final goals and opportunities for

members of the community to participate in implementation To initiate plans (involving the community) based upon the

goals for the growth and preservation areas To update zoning, subdivision and inland wetland

regulations to reflect the planning documents To continue to communicate and support and community or

land use volunteer (commission) efforts regarding the watershed project goals


UConn goals for municipal officials To become familiar with the natural resources (location

and functionality) in the watershed To become familiar with land use patterns (permanently

preserved areas, developed areas, forested areas…) within the watershed

To determine growth and preservation areas within the watershed based upon the natural resources and existing land use patterns

To determine goals for planning and regulatory initiatives that will support the growth and preservation areas

To communicate the goals for the growth and preservation areas to the watershed communities



UConn goals for municipal officials To incorporate comments received through the

communication effort To identify opportunities for all land use volunteers to

become involved in the implementation of the goals To communicate the final goals and opportunities for

members of the community to participate in implementation To initiate plans (involving the community) based upon the

goals for the growth and preservation areas To update zoning, subdivision and inland wetland

regulations to reflect the planning documents To continue to communicate and support and community or

land use volunteer (commission) efforts regarding the watershed project goals




Planning process Define the watershed and nested hydrologic units Conduct an initial outreach; organize stakeholder and




data gaps Assess, prioritize, and analyze key concerns and issues



Describes risk as a range

Illustrates Uncertainty

The color coding follows a convention used by the National NEMO program (nemo.uconn.edu), and are associated with studies showing that when impervious surface values are greater than 25%, streams are likely to have water quality problems, and values from 10-25% indicate the watershed is "at risk" for water quality problems.

Relevant Measure








implementation



Convincing messages have

underlying logic (logos)

ethics, likeability, courage (ethos)

passion, touching of heart strings (pathos)

Aristotle


Approaches to communicationApproach Implication

National ResearchCouncil

Mental Models

Hazard PlusOutrage

Three-Challenge

ConvergenceCommunication

Effective communication must includeExchange of Information

Presenter must understand how his/her audience thinks

Audience must 1) understand information, 2) feel involved, 3) communicate effectively

Effective communication must first address audience feelings and concernsAudience must be involved in communication process




Seven cardinal rules of risk communication Accept and involve the public as a legitimate

partner Plan and carefully evaluate your efforts Listen to the public’s specific concerns Be honest, frank, and open Coordinate and collaborate with other credible

sources Meet the needs of the media Speak clearly and with compassion


Approaches to reaching local officials Focus on helping them to

ask the right questions Present information within

context of their mandated responsibilities

Focus on commissions with legal responsibility for issue presented

Address both planning and regulation

Present programs continually

Address both site level and “big picture” issues

Approaches to reaching local officials Keep presentations

simple, direct and non-technical

Choose presenters that can speak effectively to commissioners

Admit knowledge boundaries

Determine ahead of time what will and will not be provided as follow-up information/duties



Logistical tips for presentations Make sure that you have at least

1-hour of presentation time Try to reach each member when

advertising Ensure that content is lively and

relates to participants worlds Don’t be afraid to use humor. Use current technology to

convey your point Use local examples to illustrate

your points

Logistical tips for presentations Clearly define your identity,

objectives & connections with other programs

Try to be invited rather than thrusting yourself

Work with your initial contact to widen your audience

Don’t overlook potential participants

Try to bring multiple commissions together in a single workshop

Try to gain support of the chief executive officer to boost participation

Try to arrange a presentation date that is not the commissions regular meeting time




Design tips Audience survey Dress the part Values spectrum Include social context Build from existing

views Create a safe

environment Positive presentation Debrief and synthesis








implementation Implement, evaluate, and adapt selected management

actions



Group energy, interest or attention wanes: Increase your own energy,

animation or pace Have the group do

something physical or take a break

Ask for feedback The group is unresponsive:

Increase your own energy, animation or pace

Have the group do something physical or take a break

Ask for feedback

Only part of the group participates: Structure discussion so

everyone talks Ask if others have feedback

or opinions to share During a break, ask quiet

people why they are not participating

Group is getting highly emotional: Let it go if irrelevant to group

progress Take a break, see if you can

discuss the conflict privately Intervene with a conflict

resolution technique



References: Anderson, M.; Anderson, S.R.; Laeger-Hagemeister, M.; Scheffert, D.R.; Steinberg, R. (1999).

Facilitation Resources: Dealing with Group Conflict. Vol. 6. University of Minnesota Extension Service PC-07437-S & BU-07434-S.

Bureau of Reclamation Communication: Decision Process Guidebook @ http://www.usbr.gov/Decision-Process/aware.htm

Covello, V.T. & Allen, F. W. (1994). Seven cardinal rules of risk communication. US EPA document OPA-87-020.

Covello V., & Sandman, P. (2001). “Risk communication: Evolution and Revolution.” in Solutions to an Environment in Peril. Ed. Wolbarst A. Baltimore, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press.

Duluth Streams Website @ http://www.duluthstreams.org/understanding/impact_impervious.html Gibbons, J. (2000). Challenges facing educational programs for local land use officials. Available at

http://nemo.uconn.edu/publications/index.htm#technical. Kane, L.M. & Worthey, T.E. (2000). Watersheds of A Last Great Place: A Replicable Watershed

Project Model. Presented at the Watershed Management 2000 Conference. Available at http://nemo.uconn.edu/publications/index.htm#technical.

Lundgren, R. (1994). Risk Communication: A Handbook for Communicating Environmental, Safety and Health Risks. Columbus, OH: Battelle Press.

MacPherson, C.; Tonning, B.; Faalasli, E. Getting in Step: Engaging and Involving Stakeholders in Your Watershed. USEPA. Available @ http://www.epa.gov/owow/watershed/outreach/documents/stakeholderguide.pdf

University of Minnesota Extension Service. (1999). “Dealing with Group Conflict.” Vol 6. Dealing with Group Conflict. PC-07437-S.

educating decision makers: introduction and presentation skills module 27: lecture 1

Documents

decision makers http

decision makers module

state level slide

responsibilities of

clean water act slide

examples of effective

national standards

s4 importance of audience