< SUMMARY 9 > ROLE PLAYING STRATEGY SESSION: KEY TECHNIQUE: << ROLE PLAYING STRATEGY SESSION: >> Gather your Core Group together for a Role Playing Strategy Session. State your proposal and ask yourselves: What is the strategy behind this proposal? What do you hope to accomplish? Then go through each of the key groups that you've identified for Role Playing and Role Play their reaction to your proposal. How would you react if you were them? A Role Playing Strategy Session is designed to answer in detail the question: What Will Happen If We Do This? ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** EXAMPLE: ROLE PLAYING STRATEGY SESSION: On a military low altitude flight issue, the Core Group proposed an action for consideration in a Role Playing Strategy Session. Proposal: our group will come out opposed to the flight path and rally support to that position. Each of the Key Groups identified as likely to be involved in the issue were Role Played for their reaction to this proposal (see Role Playing for identification of Key groups). RURAL NON-FARM OUTSIDERS: It was decided by Role Playing that this key group would, in general, strongly support the proposal. In fact, some members of this group would want to extend the position to outright opposition to the military. This group, though highly motivated, made up a very small percentage of the people in the flight path (less than 10 percent). ** RURAL NON-FARM LOCALS AND FARMERS: These 2 groups accounted for the vast majority of the people in the flight path. Role Playing suggested that they looked to the military as a source of educational and economic opportunity. Many had relatives or friends who had been in the military. Early contact suggested that opposition to the flight path would be interpreted as opposition to the military by members of these groups. If opposition to the flights was interpreted as opposition to the military by a significant number of these people then the issue would focus on the pro military vs anti military question instead of the effects of the flights on the people in the flight path. If the issue was raised in these terms, then these 2 groups could be expected to strongly support the military position. GENERAL PUBLIC: People outside the flight path had strong leanings towards the military for the same reasons (listed above) and not being in the flight path the general public had even less concern for the effects of the flights. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** THE MEDIA: Role Playing suggested that the general approach in the media would be to take the angle of stressing the more controversial aspects of the issue and would, therefore, tend to frame the issue in terms of those opposing the flights and those supporting the military. This would add to the serious problem of polarization in the community. ADVERSARY: Fully expecting the pro and anti military angle to be taken on the issue, the military would most likely define the issue as a test of support for `our boys in the service' and their need to train. GROUPS LEANING TOWARDS YOUR ADVERSARY: Veterans groups could be expected to fully support the military view if the issue was raised in terms of the pro and anti military positions. ** ROLE PLAYING STRATEGY SESSION: EXAMPLE RESULTS The result of the Role Playing Strategy Session on the low altitude flight issue was that the proposed position of coming out against the flight path would be interpreted as a position of opposition to the military by the vast majority of people in the communities involved. This would be further magnified by the press and military stressing this aspect of the issue. Given the preexisting conditions of strong support for the military in the region for both economic and patriotic reasons, it was concluded that the proposal to oppose the flight path would lead to an overwhelming opposition to the group with the result that the real issue of the effects of the flights on the residents of the flight path would be largely ignored. CONCLUSION: There would be almost no chance of success with the proposed position. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** BEST STRATEGY DEVELOPED BY LEARNING FROM YOUR MISTAKES BEFORE TAKING ACTION: As you test a proposal in the Role Playing Strategy Session you begin to identify problems and see unwanted consequences of your proposed action (or position). This process of testing and revising and testing again is how Strategy evolves. Your original proposal is only the beginning of the process. Most of the Strategy evolves as you try to address the problems with your early proposals. After a number of Role Playing Sessions on revisions of a proposal the final proposal may bear little resemblance to the original one. Good Strategy develops through the process of Role Playing Strategy as you revise and improve your proposals. ** REVISED PROPOSAL: EXAMPLE When a proposal goes through its first Role Playing Strategy Session serious problems are often discovered. Although initially discouraging to some members, the insights gained in this session can lead to a better proposal. For example, in the low altitude flight issue it was noted that many people expressed concerns for the effects of the flights if it was not in the context of the pro and anti military question. There was, therefore, a basis for common ground on the question of concern for the effects. Because of the overwhelming tendency by the press and the public to frame the issue in terms of the pro and anti military question, it was decided that the group must clearly state that they were not against the military and must acknowledge the military's need to train. At the same time, the group would state that they felt strongly that their legitimate concerns on the effects of the flights must be addressed before the flight path was sited. In keeping with this position, the group could then raise specific concerns on the effects of the flights (on people, children, livestock, property values, etc.) and begin to build a broad base of support in the community. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** NEED TO KEEP THE CORE GROUP TOGETHER: EXPERIENCE VALUABLE: Role Playing Strategy helps you improve your Strategy by using your group's most valuable resource: people. As you develop Strategy in your Role Playing Session the experience of all of the members of the Core Group comes into play. As proposals are modified and revised, members come to a better understanding of the situation. Each member brings a different background and point of view to the session and each session is a learning experience and adds to the insight of each of the members. It is in the best interests of the group to make every effort to keep the Role Playing Strategy Group (Core Group) together as your group evolves because this group is more valuable as it gains experience. READY TO TAKE ACTION: The Role Playing Strategy Session allows you to test your proposals and be in a good position to anticipate the probable consequences before taking action. @ < SUMMARY 10 > EXPANDED GROUP: INTEREST GROUP, LINKS, AND MOBILIZATION: << EXPANDED GROUP: STEERING COUNCIL AND PROJECT COMMITTEES: >> The Core Group may need to create Project Committees to help with the work. This marks a transition to the Expanded Group. The Core Group becomes the Steering Council and Project Committees provide a new focus of work. The Steering Council needs to work closely with and listen carefully to the Project Committees. As the Committees gain experience (ie: gathering information, role playing, giving input, etc.), the Steering Council can decide to focus more energy on Strategy and give Project Committees more responsibility in carrying out action. Keep the Committees small (1 to 7 members) to maintain the advantage of working in small groups while involving more people. It is especially important for the Steering Council to stay together as a group to maintain focus on overall Strategy while new people get adjusted to the process. After the Project Committees are well established, Steering Council members may decide to take a different role and can be replaced by Project Committee members. When reaching out to other groups, work through Links. Links are people with experience and background that enable them to work with a key group. Mobilize when necessary to bring people together for action. ** CORE GROUP: NEED TO INVOLVE INTEREST GROUP: Initially the Core Group (2 to 7 people) will be enough to set up the group and start to raise the issue. As the work load increases, members of the Core Group may need to ask a few individuals from the Interest Group (people interested in your issue but not yet actively involved) to help with special projects. In some situations, working with this limited number of people may be enough to resolve an issue. In other situations, the Core Group will need to reach out to bring in the skills and energies of more people from the Interest Group and organize them into Project Committees to help with the work. ** PROJECT COMMITTEES: The Core Group can form Project Committees (1 to 7 members) to work on any kind of project. The work of the committees may change as circumstances change or the committees may be standing committees (ie: Press Committee). Often Project Committees begin by gathering more information. For example, you may need more background information on your issue (What are peoples concerns? What have others done?), or information on regulations that apply to your situation, or information on key groups (your Adversary, Decision Makers, other groups, etc). ** EXPANDED GROUP: STEERING COUNCIL (Core Group) AND PROJECT COMMITTEES: PROJECT COMMITTEES are set up by the Core Group around the work that needs to be done. The involvement of Project Committees marks the end of the setup phase and a change in the structure of the group. To reflect this change the CORE GROUP becomes the STEERING COUNCIL. The Steering Council continues to make decisions related to Strategy (steering) and to test its proposals in Role Playing Strategy Sessions. In addition, it now takes on the responsibility of coordinating the activities of its Project Committees. The structure of the expanded group (Steering Council and Project Committees) allows more people to get involved in raising the issue while still retaining the advantages of working in small groups and consensus decision making. ** STEERING COUNCIL: NEED TO EXPAND ROLE OF PROJECT COMMITTEES: As the Project Committees become more involved in their work and gain experience in their project areas, it is important for the Steering Council to increase the Committees involvement in the process. For example: The Steering Council has decided that there may be a need for working with the County Legislature. A Legislature Project Committee is established to gather more information. Members of this Committee could attend Legislature meetings to develop a good understanding of how the legislative process works. (How do resolutions pass through the various subcommittees of the Legislature? What are the voting records and personalities of individual members? etc.). Once well established, the Legislature Committee might be asked to Role Play proposals related to the Legislature being considered by the Steering Council. Or they might be asked to work on the wording of a resolution to be presented to the Legislature. Steering Council members could also be members of Project Committees and report back to the Council or Project Committee members could be asked to attend a Steering Council meeting when more input is needed, especially when considering actions related to their project area. ** CRITICAL PHASE: CONTINUITY IN THE STEERING COUNCIL ESSENTIAL: The energy and enthusiasm that new people bring to a group is a great asset, but it has to be balanced with the potential for problems that can develop when people with less experience with the issue (ie: new people) and with a narrow focus (ie: their project areas) come into the group. Members of the Steering Council need to stay together as a group during this transition to keep the focus on the overall strategy of the group while new people get adjusted to the process. Bring 1 or 2 Project Committees members into Steering Council meetings as needed when considering proposals related to their project areas for their input and to build on their experience. When people are more experienced and familiar with the process then some of the original Steering Council members (formally Core Group members) may decide to take a different role (ie: work on a Project Committee or be less active). The Steering Council can then bring new people in from the Project Committees to replace them. Throughout this process it is important to continue to maintain the small group size (2-7) of the Steering Council and the Project Committees. ** STEERING COUNCIL SETS STRATEGY: PROJECT COMMITTEES CARRY OUT ACTION: As the Project Committees take on increased responsibility, the Steering Council may decide to begin to involve the Committees in taking action related to their project areas. For example, the Steering Council has worked with the Legislature Committee on the wording of a resolution and on Role Playing the Legislature's reaction to it. The Steering Council could then decide to work jointly with the Project Committee in getting the resolution passed through the legislature or it might decide to give the Legislature Committee responsibility for the passage of the resolution. As time goes on and its responsibilities increase, the Steering Council may decide to focus more of its energies on developing Strategy and begin to rely more on the experience of the Project Committees to carry out action to implement those Strategies. The Steering Council needs to work closely with each of the Project Committees and the Project Committees need to work with each other to keep the actions coordinated. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** DEVELOPING LINKS: Often it is necessary to establish contact with other key groups involved in the issue. A Project Committee gathering information on a Key Group would be in a good position to begin to reach out to that group. At times this may involve establishing contact between groups that do not normally work together and that may have very different points of view or culture (ie: locals and outsiders, rural and urban, etc.). Developing Links involves finding people who have the experience and background to serve as a bridge between the 2 groups. You are looking for people who are familiar with the customs, attitudes and feelings of members of that group. (ie: people who originally came from that group, people with friends or relatives in that group, people who already have a working relationship with that group, etc.) For example, a low altitude flight group found that an Amish community was in the proposed flight path. The flight group chose one of its members who had worked with the Amish (cutting wood and working at their saw mills) to serve as a Link. His role was to translate between the 2 cultures and be involved in any Role Playing of that group. (The more diverse the groups, the more important it is that all communication between the groups be through the Link.) Finding people to serve as a Link is critical to working with other groups because it allows even groups with widely divergent points of view to work together in areas of common interest. ** MOBILIZATION: REACHING OUT TO THE WIDEST GROUP: Mobilization is an important aspect of the expanded group. It involves reaching out to include in some action (ie: attend a public meeting, write letters, etc.) people who have interest in the issue but may have limited time and can only be occasionally involved. When calling on people to become involved, make sure they can see some effect of their involvement so they will have a strong incentive to come back into action when needed again. For example, the Steering Council has decided to call a Mobilization of people to show support for the group's resolution at the next meeting of the Legislature. The Steering Council, Legislature Committee, and Press Committee could all work together on the project to make sure the people are Mobilized and know exactly what they are trying to accomplish. A well attended Legislature meeting would have good coverage in the press and those attending could see some results for their effort. Be aware of the dangers involved in Mobilizing large groups of people (see Show Of Strength). ** SPECIAL CASE: RAPID MOVEMENT OF NEW PEOPLE INTO YOUR GROUP: Ideally the Steering Council would bring new people into the Project Committees as the need arose. However, there may be times when a number of new people move to become involved in an issue almost all at once. Two common occasions of rapid movement of new people into a group are: 1) right after the group starts up when many people realize they may be involved in the issue and 2) after the group has been established for a while and has made some progress or has some high profile coverage in the media (ie: Public Hearings). Right after a group just starts up is often the most demanding case because the group is still in the process of setting up. The key in both cases is to make it clear that your group is defined by its Strategy of raising concerns without framing the issue in terms of sides (See: Concerned Position). When many new people suddenly become interested in your group it is often advisable to consider having an Information Meeting. ** INFORMATION MEETING: 3 GOALS: 1) EXCHANGE INFORMATION: The purpose of an Information Meeting is to exchange information. > No Decisions Are Made At This Meeting.< Your group presents the information you have and listens to what people think and feel about the issue. Make a list of their concerns. 2) PRESENT YOUR POSITION: Your goal in forming your group is to raise concerns about the issue and to reach out to build a broad base of support in your community to have those concerns addressed. You have decided the best way to do this is to avoid framing the issue in terms of sides because you are trying to avoid polarizing people and alienating potential supporters by forcing them to choose sides. Instead you want to bring together everyone who has any concern about the issue into a powerful base of support to insure that you concerns will be addressed. If a more definitive position on the issue is needed in the future (ie: an issue requiring a yes or no decision) you will wait until it is necessary to take that position, and it will be based on how well your concerns have been addressed. (see: Choosing A Position). 3) IDENTIFY PEOPLE WILLING TO WORK: Have a sign up sheet and identify people who would like to work on Project Committees. Find out what aspects of the issue they are most interested in and what project areas they might be willing to work on. Find if they have special skills that may be needed by your group. ** INFORMATION MEETING: PROBLEM AREAS: RESISTANCE TO YOUR GROUPS POSITION: Often when people are directly impacted by an issue they are emotionally involved and feel the need to take a strong stand. It is expected by the time of the Information Meeting, the Core Group has already come to grips with its emotional reaction to the issue and has decided on the clear advantages of a Concerned Position. Be patient with those who want to take a strong position and encourage them to work with your group to raise concerns without polarizing people into taking sides. Often even people strongly committed to a confrontational approach will begin to see the advantages after working with your group. If people are still strongly committed to taking sides and confrontation and show no signs of being willing to change then it might be necessary to acknowledge this clear difference in your views and suggest that they may feel better starting a new group based on their position. Raising concerns from their own point of view would be preferable to continuing with your group because this basic difference in approach could be very disruptive. STRONG INTEREST IN SPECIFIC AREAS: When gathering people to work on Project Committees, if people have very strong interest in certain areas then it may be better to encourage them to work in their areas of interest rather then trying to move them into areas outside their interest. Even if not needed immediately, their work may be useful in the future. @ < SUMMARY 11 > << GUIDELINES FOR EFFECTIVE ACTION >> ------------------------------- * SEE CURRENT SITUATION CLEARLY * Rise Above Personal Involvement And Get The Detached Overview: * FOCUS ON KEY AREAS * To Gradually Improve Your Situation And Move Towards Addressing Your Concerns * TAKE ACTION * Based On A Strategy * BUILD ON GAINS * By Leaving A Way Out ** * SEE CURRENT SITUATION CLEARLY * Rise Above Personal Involvement And Get The Detached Overview: Size up your current situation. Look at it from different angles. What do you see happening now and where is it headed? Look for opportunities as well as problem areas. Have each member of your Steering Council give their view of what you are facing. Make a summary of the most important aspects of your current situation. Re-evaluate as conditions change or as new information comes in. You Are Trying To See Your Situation Clearly Without Reacting Emotionally. EXAMPLE: A project that could have serious impacts was proposed for a rural area. By the time people first found out about it, there were only a few days left in the official comment period. Although the issue had the potential for involving a large number of people, there was not enough time to organize . ** * FOCUS ON KEY AREAS * To Gradually Improve Your Situation And Move Towards Addressing Your Concerns In any situation there are a number of forces at work. Some aspects are working towards improving your situation (ie: in the limited comment period example, the potential for a lot of people becoming involved could work to improve your situation). Other forces may be working against improvement (ie: time running out in the comment period could seriously limit your ability to mobilize your support). A change in the balance of these forces could move the situation in a new direction. In a Role Playing Strategy Session look for key areas to focus on that could change the balance. Be creative. Play with many different approaches (Often even impractical ideas can lead to insights that may be useful for developing more practical ones). Look carefully at the probable consequences. You have limited energies and resources so you will want to focus on key areas that have a realistic chance of improving your situation over time. EXAMPLE: To deal with the pressing problem of the limited comment period, a group formed and focused a major part of its energies into trying to find some way to get the comment period extended . ** * TAKE ACTION * Based On A Strategy Make decisions based on accurate and well documented information. Because taking action often involves a series of steps, you will need to work to develop a Strategy (plan of action) that can move you step by step towards your goal of changing the balance in a key area. Carefully test your proposals in a Role Playing Strategy Session to find the best plan. Revise and retest your proposals until you are confident they will have the desired results before taking any action. EXAMPLE: After researching regulations related to public involvement in the review process, the group found that a copy of the Environmental Assessment for the project should have been available locally and was not. After a Role Playing Strategy Session, they decided to raise this issue in the press and work with local and state agencies to put pressure on the Siting Agency to grant an extension of the comment period to comply with the law. ** * BUILD ON GAINS * By Leaving A Way Out Your goal is to work through incremental gains to move your Adversary (and/or the Decision Makers) into a position where they will have to deal with your concerns. That is, into a position where they will realize that it is more in their interest to work with your group to address your concerns than to continue as Adversaries (see Resolution By Strength). When they reach this point, it is to your advantage to make it easier for them by working to give them a face saving way out (see Resolution By Negotiation). Once you've made gains in one area, you can begin the process again (Guidelines) as you move towards having more of your concerns addressed. EXAMPLE: With the support of the local government, the involvement of State agencies, and wide coverage in the local press the Agency proposing the project had little choice but to grant an extension of the Comment Period . Not only did the group gain the time they needed to begin to raise their concerns, but they also gained recognition and credibility by having the public involvement issue resolved in their favor . By focusing on a key area, they were now in a strong position to raise concerns. ** EXAMPLE: REGIONAL OFFICE (Decision Makers): >> SEE CURRENT SITUATION CLEARLY: A group made repeated attempts to raise concerns related to an environmental issue with the Regional Office of the Environmental Department but made no progress. >> FOCUS ON KEY AREAS: After reevaluating their situation and contacting other groups involved in the issue, it was learned that the decisions related to this issue were being made at the Department Headquarters in the State Capital and not at the Regional Office. The group worked to find the people in charge of the issue at the Headquarters and refocused their efforts on the people actually making the decisions. >> TAKE ACTION: Following this new approach, the group concentrated on developing a good working relationship with the people in the Department Headquarters and got specific answers to their questions . >> BUILDING ON GAINS: After focusing on and working closely with the people making the decisions, the group was able to make real progress towards increasing public involvement by getting public hearings and a comment period. ** EXAMPLE: SOLID WASTE ISSUE (Need To Refocus): >> SEE CURRENT SITUATION CLEARLY: The County Legislature was proposing a trash incinerator as a solution to the County's solid waste problem. A group formed to raise concerns because they thought too little effort was made in considering alternatives. >> FOCUS ON KEY AREAS: At first the group focused on health related issues concerning the incinerator emissions. But information related to the health effects was inconclusive and the community did not respond to these concerns. After re-evaluating their situation, the group decided to refocus on the issue of the cost of the incinerator and the long term indebtedness that the county would have to incur. Weren't there more cost effective alternatives? >> TAKE ACTION: Raising the cost issue struck a responsive chord in the community. In addition, it was found that the contracts to run the incinerator also required that the county would have to guarantee certain levels of trash (for years into the future) or pay large penalties. This could discourage recycling efforts. These issues were raised in the press and before the Legislature . >> BUILD ON GAINS: With serious questions about cost, long term indebtedness, and the need to guarantee waste levels, the group worked to get the legislature to vote to delay the bonding for the project until more cost effective alternatives could be explored . ** EXAMPLE: SITING COMMISSION (Early In The Process): >> SEE CURRENT SITUATION CLEARLY: A commission had begun the process of siting a Nuclear Waste facility. The criteria for siting the facility were being publicly evaluated before any specific site was chosen so when the final site was chosen no comments could be made on the site selecting criteria. A few people in a remote rural area (a likely site), decide to get together to try to lessen the likelihood that it would be put in their area. >> FOCUS ON KEY AREAS: Since moving Nuclear Waste to remote sites would involve more travel on secondary roads and more exposure to road hazards, the group decided to focus on transportation issues. Review of siting criteria showed risks associated with transportation may have been underestimated. >> TAKE ACTION: The group worked through people with a background in science to present the position that no site could be considered safe unless it was rated safe in both on-site and transportation factors. To widen support, the group worked with local government agencies to raise these issues. >> BUILD ON GAINS: Based on the information presented, the Siting Commission changed criteria making transportation factors a more important consideration in site selection . By focusing on key areas early in the process, the group was able to influence critical aspects of site selection. This resulted in a better selection process and excluded many areas (like theirs) with poor road access . ** EXAMPLE: LOW ALTITUDE FLIGHTS (Let Your Adversary Organize For You): >> SEE CURRENT SITUATION CLEARLY: A low altitude flight group realized that they would have a serious problem organizing people who were widely scattered in a number of rural towns in the flight path. The group needed a method of letting people know they would be in the flight path and of getting them motivated to take action. >> FOCUS ON KEY AREAS: In Role Playing Strategy Sessions, testing a number of different approaches, they came up with the idea: if the people in the flight path could be overflown and experience the effects of the flights (while the comment period was still open) then a lot more people would become involved. >> TAKE ACTION: The group worked with the County Legislature to ask for a 2 week period of test flights so people could comment on the real effects of the Flights before the project was approved (rather than commenting on a study of the probable effects of the flights in the Environmental Assessment). The group also worked to raise the issue in the press. >> BUILD ON GAINS: After increased pressure, the military eventually agreed to a 2 day period of scheduled and announced demonstration flights . These flights lead to a massive reaction by people in the proposed flight path with the result that many more people became involved in the issue . @ < SUMMARY 12 > SHOW OF STRENGTH: BALANCE NEEDED: << SHOW OF STRENGTH: BALANCE NEEDED: >> In the Resolution Phase, you are trying to balance a Show Of Strength, to make sure your concerns are taken seriously, with an effort at finding common ground, so you can work with your Adversary and/or the Decision Makers to address your concerns. You may need to move back and forth between these two positions while addressing different aspects of your issue. The key is balance: to use just enough pressure to have your concerns taken seriously, while not doing permanent damage to the potential for a working relationship with your Adversary and the Decision Makers to resolve the issue. ** YOUR CURRENT POSITION: RAISING CONCERNS AND NOT TAKING SIDES: Up to this point you have been raising concerns and working towards building a broad base of support in your community to have your concerns addressed (see Choosing A Position). As you get closer to the Resolution Phase, you will begin to draw on the base of support that you have been building so you can mobilize strength for your position on the issue. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** EVALUATE YOUR STRENGTH IN TERMS OF YOUR POSITION AND BASE OF SUPPORT: Your position is that the concerns that you have raised need to be addressed. Do you have a good solid case for your position on the issue or at least certain aspects of the issue? What are the strongest points in your position? The weakest? Be as realistic and objective as possible so you can focus on your real strengths and be ready to defend yourself where you are weakest. Evaluate your base of support? Do you have a broad base of support in your community to have your concerns addressed? Identify the areas where your support is strongest, where it is weakest. Can you reach out to strengthen support where it is weak? What part of your base of support will be most easily mobilized if a show of strength is necessary? Begin to look at what aspects of your position and base of support can be combined to increase your strength. What aspects are best to avoid? How would you rate your overall strength in terms of your position and your base of support? ** EVALUATE YOUR ADVERSARY'S STRENGTH: WHAT ARE YOU UP AGAINST? Look realistically at the strengths and weaknesses of your Adversary's position on the issue. Is your Adversary's position open to criticism from the perspective of a fair and reasonable observer? What are the strong points of their case? What are the weak points? Next look at your Adversary's base of support in terms of support in the community. Do segments of the public strongly support your Adversary's position? Where is their support strongest? Where is it weakest? Make a detailed list. Role Play their situation. If you were them how would you view their situation? Are they aware of their own strength? Are they aware of their weakness? How would you be getting ready for resolving the issue if you were them? ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** TIMING: NOW OR LATER: The timing on when the resolution of an issue takes place can often be influenced to some degree. Look at your situation and decide how timing could play a role. For example, if your group's present position and base of support looks about as strong as it will ever get and your Adversary seems to be gaining support then it is in your interest to consider working to come to the Resolution Phase as soon as possible. On the other hand, if it looks like you will gain strength with more time or your Adversary's strength will weaken over time (more than yours) then working for a delay would be an approach to consider. If you need to slow down the process, the discovery of new information related to the issue or a serious lack of available information can often be used to justify a delay. ** FOCUS EFFORTS ON INFLUENCING 2 KEY GROUPS: ADVERSARY AND DECISION MAKERS: Besides your Adversary, there is another key group you will want to focus your efforts on influencing: the Decision Makers. Decision Makers are those people who make decisions that may effect the outcome of the issue. They may be regulatory agencies, government bodies, (town boards, county legislatures, state agencies, federal agencies, etc.), or they may be members of the public (as in a referendum, proposition on the ballet, or an election). Occasionally your Adversary is also the Decision Maker. Use your influence in your community to make both your Adversary and/or the Decision Makers aware of your concerns. Even if the public is not directly involved in the decision, public opinion has a strong influence on many decisions, especially on decisions involving elected officials. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** ARE YOUR ADVERSARY AND/OR THE DECISION MAKERS TAKING YOU SERIOUSLY? In a Role Playing Session, Role Play your Adversary. How would you view your group if you were them? Based on their recent actions and position and your knowledge of them, decide if they are taking your group seriously. Are they really aware of the strengths of your position and your base of support in the community to have your concerns addressed? Are they aware of the support you have outside of your group? Often you will discover that there are aspects of your strength that your Adversary may not be fully aware of. Do the same Role Playing for any Decision Makers. ** NEED FOR A SHOW OF STRENGTH: As you begin to get ready for the Resolution Phase, you may need to look for ways of making your Adversary and/or the Decision Makers more aware of your strengths as a group. For example, if your Role Playing has revealed that your Adversary (and/or the Decision Makers) are not taking you seriously then you may decide to look towards an action or a position to make them aware of the fact that your group's concerns must be addressed. Sometimes this may call for a some- what strong move to `get their attention' (see Confrontation). Other times it may only require looking for ways to gently remind them of your strengths. It may be that a Show Of Strength is called for. Perhaps what is needed is an overwhelming turn out at a public hearing to show that many people are concerned with your issue, or it may be that all that is needed is a series of letters to the Editor of the local paper from respected community members to show that you have a broad base of support outside your group. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** FOCUS ATTENTION ON THE STRENGTH OF YOUR POSITION AND YOUR BASE OF SUPPORT: Making your Adversary and/or the Decision Makers aware of your position on the issue is an important part of the process. Often, even more important is making them aware of your base of support for having your concerns addressed. All decisions are influenced to some degree by public opinion and often your concerns are taken more seriously when they have a broad base of support or support by key elements of the community. PRESENTING YOUR POSITION: THE PUBLIC CASE: There are 2 aspects to the presentation of your concerns. First, and often most important, is the case you present to the public. You are presenting your concerns to `the court of public opinion' by appealing to standards of reason and fairness. You are asking people to put themselves in your shoes and answer the questions: `Do you have legitimate concerns and are they being addressed? and `Are you being treated fairly?'. Often the court of public opinion can render a judgement that can have more impact than a legal case. ** PRESENTING YOUR POSITION: THE LEGAL CASE: There may be legal aspects of your issue. Legal cases can involve either regulatory agencies or the courts. Do you have a legal case? Is there compliance with relevant regulations? If you think you have good grounds for raising legal aspects of the case then you could consider seeking limited low cost legal advice. You may decide to raise the legal issues as part of your case to the public. Unless your legal case is overwhelming you are often better off using it indirectly rather than as a primary effort. Raising legal issues can often be used to support your main Strategy of raising concerns and developing a broad base of support to influence your Adversary and/or the Decision Makers. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** LIMITED USEFULNESS OF A LEGAL CASE: Many groups are tempted to see the legal route as the solution to all their problems. This is rarely the case because there are a number of serious disadvantages in relying too heavily on `going to court': 1) THE ODDS ARE AGAINST YOU WINNING: Only a few grassroots groups have been able to resolve their issue in the courts. 2) A LEGAL CASE IS OFTEN VERY EXPENSIVE: The cost of taking a case through the legal process of resolving an issue is often beyond the fund raising ability of a grassroots organization. 3) FUND RAISING FOR A LEGAL CASE CAN DO SERIOUS DAMAGE TO YOUR GROUP: People who were willing to spend time and energy in working with others to resolve your issue can rapidly lose interest after a few unsuccessful attempts at fund raising for a legal case. The sense of enthusiasm that comes from knowing that you are having an effect on your issue can disappear when the power to resolve the issue leaves your group and is placed in the hands of others (ie: lawyers and judges). 4) YOUR ADVERSARY CAN `TIE YOU UP IN COURT': Rather than resolving the issue in court, your Adversary may decide to delay and extend the legal process so that you will run out of money before the issue is ever legally resolved. ** EFFECTIVE USE OF A LEGAL CASE: A legal case can be used to advantage in certain situations: 1) TO BUY TIME: Often cost effective legal measures can be found to gain delays or extensions in the process of resolving an issue. 2) TO RAISE THE ISSUE IN THE MEDIA: Cost effective legal moves can be made to bring attention to the legal aspects of your position without necessarily resolving the legal case. 3) TO GO TO COURT WITHOUT PAYING THE COSTS: If your legal case looks very promising and has the potential for setting legal precedents or has the potential for winning money in damages then some legal organizations may be interested in taking on your case for no fee or payment only if you win damages. (Note: check carefully the background and reputation of any organization you are considering to represent your group.) ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** PRESENTING YOUR POSITION: COMBINED PUBLIC AND LEGAL CASE: Often the best presentation of your position is a combination of the public and legal case. Cost effective legal measures to buy time and emphasize aspects of your case can be used to strengthen your case before the public. In presenting your position to the public remember to avoid obscure legal and overly technical aspects of the issue and instead emphasize a clear common sense approach. Often it is most effective to use your legal case to support your public case in order to put more pressure on your Adversary and the Decision Makers to address your concerns. FOR A SHOW OF STRENGTH MOBILIZE YOUR BASE OF SUPPORT IN KEYS AREAS: Besides presenting your position to influence your Adversary and the Decision Makers, you will want to increase awareness of your base of support. For a show of strength, mobilize from keys areas: your group, other groups and influential people, the Press and public opinion. ** KEY AREAS FOR MOBILIZATION: YOUR GROUP: Get the members of your group active in carrying out your group's current Strategy. Find people to work on key projects. Build more support for your group. Let members know know how important it is to be available when you need to `mobilize the troops' for a Show Of Strength. OTHER GROUPS AND INFLUENTIAL PEOPLE: Reach out to other groups and respected members of your community to support your concerns to show that support for your concerns extends beyond your group. Be especially aware what groups and individuals may have the most impact on your Adversary and the Decision Makers. THE PRESS AND GENERAL PUBLIC: There are few groups in a democratic society that can ignore public opinion. When you appeal to the public to view your issue in terms of reason and fairness, many people can identify with your situation even if not directly involved. Raise your issue in the press. For example, sending a carefully thought out letter to the editor of your paper could spark a debate in the letters to the editor column. This could lead to an editorial on the issue that could lead to more public involvement. ** Mountain Vision Software R # 1 Box 222 Colton, N Y 13625 ** EXAMPLE: MOBILIZATION OF A KEY GROUP: The low altitude flight group was careful to stress that they were not `against' the military and that their concerns were the effects of the flights. Because of this approach, they were able to reach out to other groups in the community. They were even able to work indirectly (through Links) with a local Veterans' Group to raise an important issue. Because many Vietnam Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome had moved to rural areas to avoid the startle effect of loud sudden noises, the Veterans Group came out publicly raising concerns that the startle effect of low altitude flights could have serious effects on Vietnam Veterans in the flight path recovering from this syndrome. Having a Veteran's Group raise this issue had much more impact on the military and the public than raising the issue by the low altitude flight group. @