Reshaping the Advocacy Debatefor Stronger Communities

Stephen AbramCredit: Ken Haycock & Wendy NewmanNevada Library AssociationOct. 5, 2012

Death by Opportunity

Funding is Attitudinal

Sadly…

Library leaders are seen positively but not perceived to work with politicians or other community leaders for community development or betterment.

Issues

Transformation not information.Infrastructure not institution.Necessity not nice to have.Future rather than past.Return on investment (for me) not altruism for others.

The 70’s

Old realities: generation gap power in numbers “squeaky wheel” confrontation

expected money available

Now

New Realities “boomers” in power numbers = mandate interest groups less influential confrontation no longer

effective money available but only for

government priorities and emergencies

The Playbook

The Decision-maker’s environmentThe Decision-maker’s environment

volatility of the public mood/staff moralegeneral dissatisfaction, distaste for the governing/administrative process and those within itpublic expectations tax relief spending cuts social program maintenance deficit reduction

The Decision-maker’s environmentThe Decision-maker’s environment

the reality that revenues grow more slowly than expenditurestrickle down effect: federal-provincial municipal-institutionalresult: cost containment, fiscal

conservatism, “hanging tough” look for “real savings” and

“scapegoats” less responsive to special

interests

The Decision-maker’s environmentThe Decision-maker’s environment

What points can we make that are more compelling than their need to “hang tough” in the current environment?

What is Lobbying?

Influencing decision-makers in the legislative process to take a certain position which they may otherwise not have taken.

Leadership Defined

Leadership is a process of social influence through which one person is able to enlist the aid and support of others in the accomplishment of a common task.

Universal Principles

Trust

CharacterCompetenceConfidenceCredibilityCongruence

.

What Works

What Works with Politicians

CoalitionsNetworks of groups and individualsInfluential: personal values and beliefs and measures of ideology; belief about the outcome.Motivation: satisfying constituents, gaining influence, making good policy

What Does Not Work

Major Inhibitors

“Relationships cause people to want to be with you, but respect causes them to want to be empowered by you.”

“The reality is that difficulties seldom defeat people; lack of faith in themselves usually does it.”

Advocacy Defined

What is Advocacy?What is Advocacy?

creating a common agenda with decision-makerslobbying effectivelyworking with the mediadelivering the right message to the right personnetwork of advocates

Three things to remember:

People do things for their reasons not yoursPeople pay attention to the things that they love and valueTell people what they need to hear, not what you want them to know.

What is Lobbying?

Influencing decision-makers in the legislative process to take a certain position which they may otherwise not have taken.

What is Public Relations?What is Public Relations?

Getting the library’s message across

This is who we are and what we do, this is when and where we do it and for whom...

What is Marketing? What is Marketing?

finding out what the customer needs and changing, when necessary, to meet those needs

who are you, and what do you need, how, where and when can we best deliver it to you, tell you about it, [and what are you willing to pay?]

What is Advocacy? What is Advocacy?

marketing an issue support and

awareness are built incrementally

your agenda will be greatly assisted by what we have to offer

Advocacy is:Advocacy is:

telling a library storycreating conditions that allow others to act on your behalfexpanding someone’s consciousnessevoking or creating memoriesconfirming your identityenhancing awareness, appreciation, support

Advocacy is:Advocacy is:

an exercise in creativity and initiativean art and a sciencecreating relationships, partnerships, coalitionsrespecting other people’s views, priorities and reasonsa responsibility of leadersabout potential and the future: the survival of libraries

BetrayalBetrayal

One of the main roles of an advocate is to “wake up” ourselves and others, and it is often through some form of betrayal that we receive such a wakeup call.

Advocacy Roles

Roles in AdvocacyRoles in Advocacy

It is critical that groups in the same environment are working in a coordinated and congruent manner toward the same objectives.

Roles in AdvocacyRoles in Advocacy

Decision makers feel uncertain and confused when groups or individuals supposedly working together assert different priorities.It also gives them an excuse to do nothing.

What’s at Stake?What’s at Stake?

Library users tell us of: the need for the librarian as a gateway and navigator to the increasingly overwhelming world of information and knowledge. the need for the library as a public place for browsing and for intellectual discourse.the need for the electronic delivery of full text information and graphics to the user’s desktop.

What’s at Stake?What’s at Stake?

Research tells us that the public and our users are consistently more supportive of libraries, librarians and library funding than our decision makers.

What’s at Stake?What’s at Stake?

“People love their libraries, but libraries cannot live on love alone.”Harness your passion!Find your courage!

Finding your passion...Finding your passion...

Dig down deeply underneath your concerns and find out what is really important to you about libraries.

Finding your courage...Finding your courage...

knowing what you really believe, and being passionate in that belief, is the first step in finding the courage to speak out.

Finding your courage...Finding your courage...

The more you make your issue about the other person’s needs, it becomes less about you.And if it is not about you, what is there to be afraid of?

The Means Not The End

Advocacy

Power or Influence

The Advocacy PlanThe Advocacy Plan

Start by asking these questions...Do we all have the same understanding of the issue?Do we all agree that action must be taken?Do we have the time to dedicate to a serious planning effort? Will we make the time?

The Advocacy PlanThe Advocacy Plan

Understand the environment in which your decision-makers are working. It determines the context for your planning.

Influencing Decision-makers

Neutral position Your position

Contrary position Neutral position Your position

What we want to do is move someone from the position they are currently at to a new position on an issue.

What influence techniques work on you?

Your original position, describe it:

Your new position,describe it:

How were others successful in influencing your position? What did they do? What did they say?

Why be an advocate?

If you don’t stand up for yourself and what you believe, who will do it for you?

If you do nothing, will decision-makers usually do the right thing?

You are your own best advocate!

The 5-step Advocacy PlanThe 5-step Advocacy Plan

1. Objectives2. Target Groups3. Strategies

what? where? when?who? how?

4. Communication Tools5. Evaluation

The 5-Step Advocacy PlanThe 5-Step Advocacy Plan

Objective: have a clear, measurable objective.

Objective Objective

Make sure your objectives are SMART:

SpecificMeasurableAction-oriented

withResponsibilities

stated and Timed

The 5-step Advocacy PlanThe 5-step Advocacy Plan

Target Group(s): know who is important in the achieving of your objective; find out all you can about them and their interests.

Target Groups Target Groups

Your most important target group is often the smallest in number and thus potentially the easiest to reach.

Target Groups Target Groups

deliver the right message to the right personwho is important to a particular decision maker?get them to help champion your causeresearch, research, research

Strategies Strategies

What are the obstacles? Physical Personal Semantic Environmental

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Factors in the environment influencing government decisions public opinion fiscal pressures interest groups media coverage timing: budgets, shuffles, elections opposition parties civil servants

SummarySummary

An effective advocate: knows how to access and use

necessary resources knows how to contact key decision-

makers writes an effective letter to a

decision-maker knows who can get to the key

decision-makers

Summary

An effective advocate:

• understands the governing environment• says “thank you”.... often• understands the importance of timing• never cries “wolf”• is never a “lone wolf”

The 5-step Advocacy PlanThe 5-step Advocacy Plan

Strategies What?

Where? When? Who? How?

Strategies Strategies

What? Acknowledge all the factors that may stand in the way of achieving your objective: the obstacles.

Strategies Strategies

What are the obstacles? Physical Personal Semantic Environmental

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Factors in the environment influencing government decisions public opinion fiscal pressures interest groups media coverage timing: budgets, shuffles, elections opposition parties civil servants

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Creating a Common Agenda credible, relevant information is the

key to success accurate information earns trust;

misinformation will destroy it anyone can whine about an issue, not

everyone can solve it your issue is never alone on the

agenda

Stop Whining!Stop Whining!

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

The agenda gap: your agenda and the government or

organization’s agenda may or may not be the same

governments/organizations make decisions based on perceived public/ organizational interest

the development of your position must reflect an understanding of their agenda

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Creating a Common Agenda this understanding will allow you to

bridge the agenda gap this understanding is critical to your

being perceived as credible and with constructive solutions

Strategies Strategies

Where? “on their turf”

When? on their time schedule

Who? decide carefully who will do the communicating - match carefully for credibility

Strategies Strategies

How? Determine what your key message will be - use “soundbites” “People love

their libraries, but libraries cannot live on love alone.”

The 5-step Advocacy PlanThe 5-step Advocacy Plan

Communication Tools:

Take a look at your strategies and decide what communication tool will most effectively deliver your message.

The Most Effective Communication Tools

The Most Effective Communication Tools

word-of-mouthone-on-one meetingstelephonegroup meetingspublic meetings, forums

Mass Communication Tools

Mass Communication Tools

letterspromotional materialinstructional materialnews releasesadvertisingbusiness cardswebsites

Communication tools -protocol

Communication tools -protocol

invitationsthank you’sphotographsspecial events

Communication Communication

Advocacy is about RESPECT understand what makes the other person “tick” - speak their languagebe briefbe appreciativebe specificbe informativebe courteous

The 5-step Advocacy PlanThe 5-step Advocacy Plan

EvaluationPlan now how you will measure your success. (Should link back to your objective.)

Evaluation Evaluation

part of planning: state measures of success in your objectivesaccountabilitydid you meet your objectives?what worked? Didn’t?would you do it again?what changes would you make?

SummarySummary

An effective advocate: knows how to access and use

necessary resources knows how to contact key decision-

makers writes an effective letter to a

decision-maker knows who can get to the key

decision-makers

Summary

An effective advocate:

• understands the governing environment• says “thank you”.... often• understands the importance of timing• never cries “wolf”• is never a “lone wolf”

Forces for Good: High-Impact Nonprofits

Presents six practices of high impact non-profits:offering advocacy efforts and serviceharnessing market forces and leveraging the power and resources of business engaging individuals from outside the organizationworking with and through other organizationslearning to adaptsharing leadership by empowering others

Applying What We Know

Focus

Lessons about tipping points

Concentrate resources on a few key areas…connectors, mavens, salespeopleDo not do what you think is right…

test your intuitions

Recognize phases… Early adopters; early majority; late

majority; laggards

So…It is about advocacy and leadership…It is about relationships and influence…It is understanding the target – values, networks, connections, promises, colleagues, context…It is understanding the tactics and strategies and choosing appropriately and strategically…It is part of life in the organization and should be funded, supported and measured…

Conclusions…

there is no one right answer, as situations and contexts vary… but there is evidence about what works and it is generally not what we are doing now…a critical new role dilemma is how to move advocacy based on evidence up the priority list in our organizations…we need more action-based research projects...We need leaders who understand and exercise social influence…The relationship is the message…

Whining

The relationship is the message…

To your success!

Thank you!

Questions?Need further information?Looking for additional readings?

Subscribe to Ken’s blog:Contact us: ken@kenhaycock.com

Stephen.abram@gmail.comwendy.newman@utoronto.ca