Effective environmental professionals work from the outside in. And they aren't surprised when that occasionally causes friction with the internal world. The art of challenging is very useful at such moments. Of course, practice makes perfect, but you can also draw inspiration from books, films, podcasts, and more. Because how do you address colleagues, managers, or executives? And is more than a healthy dose of courage needed?
In his practical book published last year Power and Courage Erik Pool pays explicit attention to the work practice of careful contradiction, both individually and collectively. The book is one of the outcomes of the program Dialogue and Ethics where Pool is the director. In the wake of, among other things, the childcare benefits scandal and the earthquake file in Groningen, the national government launched this program to work on an open and safe communication culture, in which ethical reflection and dialogue are standard practice. It resulted in discussions, research, books, podcasts, and publications about and for civil servants who dare or want to work from the outside in. Pool calls them boundary workers,
Officials who have one foot in a government organization and the other in the everyday lives of people and businesses are outsiders in both worlds. In the community, they represent a government decision or law that isn't understood, while in the government world, they bring in the criticism and problems they see on the street or hear at the counter and at public consultations. Their knowledge is worth its weight in gold for well-functioning government organizations, but they often lack the (decision-making) position that reflects this.
In the chapter on Dialogue and Contradiction, seven fundamental tones for (collective) contradiction are outlined:
- The nay-sayer: ‘I decline the honor.’
- The depth: ‘What is this about?’
- The armchair quarterback: ‘Stop pressuring me.’
- It can also be done differently.‘
- The long-term view: ‘What does the next government want?’
- The contrarian: ‘You're mistaken.’
- The mirror: ‘We are blind to what we see.’
Beautiful, but becoming inspired by these styles of contradiction is far from enough to actually apply it. Or, as Pool writes:
1) You must be able to handle dependency and power dynamics, and 2) be sensitive on an emotional level. You must be able3) to empathize with others and 4) stay connected without necessarily making things easy for them. It is also necessary that you 5) do not let fear rule when you speak or receive contradictory feedback. Furthermore, you want to be 6) effective with what you say, which presupposes the right tone, language, timing, and (conversational) technique. And very often, it comes down to 7) improvisational talent because every moment, every situation, and every relationship is different and never standard. (p. 200)
That's quite a list. And at the same time: practice makes perfect. Reflection, intervision, and good preparation can help any environmental professional (boundary worker) go a long way. It Power and Courage Workbook Here are concrete tips for contradiction techniques when dealing with the (national) government. Let's name five here that definitely apply to every environmental professional:
- Write down what you want to say beforehand.
- Ask for ’permission’ to disagree
- If you find it difficult to give criticism, make your own discomfort explicit.
- You can interpret contradiction differently than contradiction. For example, there are also alternatives.
- Pay close attention to the setting and timing in which contradiction can be effective.
Naturally, the SOM practice also offers a toolbox of instruments that assist with dissent. One of these is creating interest analyses and assessing the ZOPA and BATNAs of the key stakeholders. This forms a solid foundation for your dissent because the analysis goes beyond the intuition of a colleague or manager, and shows which scenario is plausible if we do not handle stakeholder interests carefully (enough).
You can find out more about Power and Courage, as well as information about the Dialogue and Ethics program, at here.
