A survey of 1400 Iranians conducted a few years ago by researchers found that 14 percent of them saw their country’s nuclear program as sacred. Given the current U.S. political fallout over the Iran nuclear deal, that fact might get your attention.
What’s it mean? We’re currently working on a project with sacred sites as a major issue so we’re thinking a lot about the subject. The sense of sacredness and personal values are extremely important concepts and part of almost all of the courses that we teach. Click on the first article below…I think that you’ll find it interesting.
Godec
Battle Tested
For the first time, researchers (including those at the Centre for the Resolution of Intractable Conflict at Oxford University) are examining the pathology of war the way that biologists study the pathology of disease. The science is starting to disprove things that “everybody knows.”
We usually think that the other side is abnormal, deluded, cruel, or just insane. But research now suggests that terrorists and insurgents are basically just like us. They don’t lack empathy – it just seems to be distributed differently.
Some of these new research conclusions are very similar to strategies that we’ve used for years in our work regarding conflict and emotional people. It’s also clear that acknowledgement and symbolic concessions (apologies) play incredibly important roles at every level of conflict resolution.
You won’t find all the magic answers here but it’s worth reading:
Make Your Emails Less Rude
Most of your work-related communication probably happens via email. You exchange information; ask or instruct people to do things, try to convince or work to build relationships with them.
Don’t take email for granted and don’t ignore the nuances and tone of your messages:
You Probably Won’t Read any Further than This…
Five times as many people read headlines as read the accompanying copy. That was largely true even back before the Web. Headlines grab so that you can drag people in and keep them:
It’s reported that Albert Einstein once said, “Everything should be made as simple as possible, but not simpler.” Translating tough science and policy into language that non-experts can grasp is a major part of the job. Here’s a very good article about making it simple enough:
Successful screenwriters know story and audience. Following are some great lessons from Tinseltown….
Trust Me When I’m Talking to You
Every time you open your mouth in front of an audience, you either grow or diminish in their eyes. So let’s grow…
Navigating the wide world of techno-babble:
Don’t forget to breathe…
You’ll probably never go pro, but there are some lessons here:
Great speakers become catalysts. They inspire and create change in people’s thinking, motivations and actions. Pretty good goal, huh?
You Always Remember your First Time…
If you’re getting this particular newsletter for the first time, I hope it was good for you.
In the past, you’ve received occasional emails from the League of Extraordinary Trainers. That collection of IAP2 trainers has technically disbanded but four of us – John Godec, Wendy Lowe, Marty Rozelle and Doug Sarno (plus Debra Duerr) — are also partners in The Participation Company and still providing world-class training so you’ll be getting occasional emails from us.
We hope you’ll stick with us. This newsletter’s been publishing for several years to provide real content that you can use. I think you’ll find something you’ll like in every issue. But, if you choose to do so, opting out is easy. Just know that we’ll miss you. Badly.
Great Training & Coaching
If you or your crew could use a little coaching or a refresher in working with the public, we can help. Controversy and tough issues are our specialty.
* “As government employees we have our fair share of training. Not many rise to the level, as this one did, where you can say that it is one of the best courses you’ve ever taken.”
* “That was definitely one of the very best training experiences I have had, and without question it was the presenter & participants who made it so!”
* “…class I attended yesterday was the most professional, interesting, and worthwhile … class I ever attended.”
The full slate of 2016 training dates and places is coming soon, but for the time being you can plan on the following:
The newly updated International Association for Public Participation (IAP2) Foundations course:
* Chicago, IL: September 21 – 25, 2015
* Arlington, VA: February 1 – 5, 2016
The IAP2 Emotion, Outrage and Public Participation course:
* Orlando, FL October 28 – 29, 2015
Just click on http://theparticipationcompany.com for all of the details and to register.
The Participation Company LLC is a strategic partner and provider for the International City/County Management Association (ICMA).
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Remember: We waste our time surfing the Worldwide Interweb so you don’t have to…