Articles
What do you do when you have an unpopular position to present to your colleagues at the firm, or to a client during a compliance training session? One would think that lawyers might excel in such settings, but leading a meeting or giving a presentation that requires buy-in and consensus is not always easy for many attorneys. Mastering a few new practical skills for managing a difficult group can help.
Say No To Venting
What happens if everyone is against you? Contrary to popular wisdom, allowing a group to vent is not all that productive. Years of research demonstrate that people believe more strongly in the things they say out loud. As a result, “venters” tend to just get more entrenched in their positions. Moreover, as all people tend to be lazy language-users, you risk that some meeting members will just borrow the arguments of the venters without thinking them through.
Also note that an argument over ideas does not always lead to smarter, sharper, better answers as J.S. Mill thought it did. Indeed, a meeting participant’s hostile charge is not any more likely to be smarter than any other contribution to the meeting! Thus, rather than honing a point, an argument is just as likely to derail the discussion. Similarly, leaders/facilitators also are not often at their best in defensive mode and are therefore less likely to present the smartest other side of the story.
Get Personal
“Hello . . . Hello . . . Hello . . . How are you?” One of the best things you can do as facilitator to set a tone of goodwill is to establish a broader personal relationship with meeting participants before the session begins. Make a point to say hello to as many participants as you can, to greet them warmly and ask a specific question: “What are you working on? How was the weekend?” It may sound corny, but you will reap benefits by reminding the others in the room that there is a broader context to your relationship than the issue on the table.
Not only does this engender goodwill, but participants will also be more likely to speak up if they feel that they have a rapport with you as a result of speaking to you one-on-one. Moreover, meeting participants this way can help quell your own stage fright.
Pull The Sting
As in the courtroom, be the first to raise the tough issues. If you expect that the meeting will prompt adversarial thoughts, say so upfront: “The things we are going to talk about today are not easy, and there may be no single position, no single right answer. That said, I am confident that what I have to present is part of the right answer.” Don’t draw a line in the sand when you don’t have to, and you’ll have less to fight about.
Step Aside
When possible, acknowledge other paths as augmenting, not conflicting with yours. If a participant says, “But we should be doing this . . .,” consider a response such as, “The best risk management comes at the same problem several different ways. I’d like to see us doing all these things.”
Take It Outside
If a participant takes on your points or position directly—“This is stupid . . .”—consider responding with something like, “You have deep thoughts on this already, and I do want to hear them. But I want to get through all my material so that everyone else can assess it themselves. Let’s talk on the next break.”
Take A Seat
Many speech teachers have advocated asking hostile audience members to stand to make their point, in a larger group, at least. The theory is that the participants will be unnerved by the attention they call to themselves by standing. I must say that I don’t like this approach for a couple of reasons. Sometimes, it has the reverse effect, getting these people more invested in their hostile position! It’s also an awkward request, and presenters can look as if they are trying out a trick they learned in speech class.
Leading a hostile group is never fun, but it can be successful. Resist the urge to give in to the venting and try a few of these tips to keep participants engaged and open-minded.
