www'onthefrontlines'com

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www.onthefrontlines.com
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U.S. Environmental Protection Agency2003
Community Involvement Conference Philadelphia,
PA July 22-25, 2003
Trevor Smith Diggins Keren Adderley Vice-Presi
dent General Manager Senior Communication
Specialist FRONTLINE FRONTLINE
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Braintree, Mass. (Hazardous Waste Site?)
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Lets Be Up Front

• If governments do not inform the public on public
  policy issues, someone else will.
• In the absence of information, misinformation
  becomes news.
• Nothing is ever off the record.
• You never get a second chance to create a first
  impression.
• Communication is a process, not an event!
• The public has a right to know!
• even when the news is bad.

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(No Transcript)
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Culture of Fear
Most Americans believe the worst is true

• REALITY
• Crime continues to decrease
• Down by 50 in late 90s
• Life expectancy doubled in the 20th century
• Unemployment is lower than its been for 25 years
• ?

• GENERAL BELIEF
• Urban crime is soaring
• Increase in drug users
• Unemployment is growing
• There are more diseases that can kills us now
• The environment is being destroyed

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Fear Factors

• Five characteristics a threat may have that can
  heighten fear in people
• Unfamiliarity
• (smallpox, plague, Volatile Organic Compounds)
• Beyond our personal control
• (no cure for cancer cant see the groundwater)
• Potential for catastrophic events
• (explosion, contamination of drinking water)
• Unpredictability of risk
• Human as opposed to natural causes of danger

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Everyone is an expert

• ON COMMUNICATION
• Just because you can speak, doesnt mean you can
  communicate
• If I were in charge
• Negative assumptions
• Theyre holding something back
• Theyre trying to make us feel better
• Theyre not telling us the truth

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Risk Communication Explained

• A science-based approach for communicating risk
  information in situations involving
• High concern, fear or panic
• Safety, Public health, environment, family
• Low trust
• Credible sources of information?
• Profit vs. People
• Mistrust of government
• Sensitivity
• Emotion, blame, shame
• Controversy
• Legal, moral, ethical, political issues

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Myths of Risk Communication

• Delivering bad news will increase alarm and panic
• Dont go to the public until theres a solution
• Its better to keep quiet until we have all the
  information
• The public wont understand
• Communicating isnt important its the science
  that matters
• Crisis communication is the job of the PAO and
  senior command
• People just like to complain to government

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Realities of Risk Communication

• Offering the truth will increase your trust and
  credibility (Giuliani on 9/11)
• Keeping the public informed of your progress will
  maintain order
• Its your job to help the public understand
• Poor communication can escalate a bad situation
• Risk communication is the job of every person who
  must deal with people facing (real or perceived)
  risk
• No mistake is unforgivable only the response is
• The public has a right to know!

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Risk Communication Basics

• Communicating risk is a two-way exchange
• inform the target community about possible
  hazards
• gather information about those affected by the
  risk
• Helps facilitate understanding
• Scientific facts and uncertainties
• form perceptions of the potential hazards
• participate in making decisions to manage risk
• Helps us communicate scientific realities without
  increasing fear and concern
• builds trust and credibility with the public

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The Cardinal Rulesof Risk Communication

• Accept involve the public as a legitimate
  partner
• Listen to their concerns
• Be honest, candid open
• Coordinate collaborate with credible sources

• Speak clearly, concisely with care compassion
• Plan carefully evaluate your efforts
  continually
• Meet the needs of the media (where appropriate)

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Risk Perception
a powerful influencer in decision-making

• Outcomes are understood
• 40,000/year die in car accidents
• Probabilities arent
• 1-in-3 chance of dying
• Perception Reality
• Influenced by news images of horrific events
• Too many statistics
• 1 in a million may be too high for some, but not
  others
• People feel more vulnerable to risk than ever
  before

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Jeffrey Zelms CEO, Doe Run (Lead Smelter),
Missouri

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Public Perceptions of Risk
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Court of Public Opinion

• In this age, and in this country, public
  sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can
  fail against it, nothing can succeed. Whoever
  molds public sentiment goes deeper than he who
  enacts statutes or pronounces judicial decisions.
  He makes possible the enforcement of them, else
  impossible.
• - Abraham Lincoln

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Risk Communication Objectives

• Provide information to your key audiences
• timely, accurate, honest
• Establish and build trust and credibility
• for you and your organization
• Increase support from allies and influencers
• Respond to the changing needs for information
• Restore and enhance your reputation
• Diffuse fear and concern
• Involve your audience in two-way dialogue
• Commit to ongoing communication

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Obstacles to Effective Communication

• Scientists, engineers and other technical
  professionals often focus on the science only
• limited understanding of the publics interests,
  fears, values, perceptions and preferences.
• Public apathy or outrage -- hard to reach the
  silent majority.
• Risk tolerance varies widely between individuals.
• Taking it personally
• Lots of data, but how does this affect me?

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Obstacles to Effective Communication

• Multiple/conflicting interpretations of data
• Difficult to understand terminology (jargon)
• Public desires absolute answers
• People are reluctant to change strongly held
  beliefs
• Lack of understanding concerning real risk vs.
  perceived or potential risk
• Selective or biased media reporting

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Audience Constraints

• Competing scientific theories
• Vaccination safety, infection rates, routes of
  exposure, etc.
• Lack of scientific and technical understanding
• grade 8 science and literacy
• innumeracy
• jargon
• perceptions of risk
• Lack of trust in the information sources
• Cognitive noise

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Cognitive Noise

• In the presence of a perceived threat, audiences
  can experience
• - reduced attention to information
• - limited ability to process information
• by up to 80
• In other words People who are upset have
  difficulty hearing and understanding.

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EPA Public Meeting -- Unprepared

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Use Active Listening

• Ability to hear words and emotions (feelings) and
  feedback accurately to the speaker both their
  words/facts and feelings
• In the early stages of listening the feedback of
  emotions/feelings is more important than
  words/facts
• Before they care what you know, they need to know
  that you care

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Cutting through the noise

• Show empathy, honesty and commitment
• Demonstrate your understanding of the impacts
• (emotional as well as physical)
• Anticipate the tough emotional questions
• Prepare key messages
• 2 or 3 primary key messages
• Keep them short (and repeat them)
• Start from empathy and understanding
• Speak to commitment and actions

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Effective Communication

• Involvement and acceptance of the target audience
  (legitimize need for information)
• Trust and credibility of information sources
• The quality and clarity of the message design
• Effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery
  channel
• Understanding that people/groups have different
  communication needs

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Overcoming the Obstacles

• Use visuals and handouts (technical info)
• Use bridging techniques to focus on key messages
• Avoid math and science
• Manage your non-verbals
• Use active listening
• Ask for feedback
• Consider the social indicators
• Cultural barriers?
• Provide actionable next steps

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Clean up your language

• Instead of

• Consider using

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Trust and Credibility

• Without them, your words fall on deaf ears
• TRUST
• Based on your approach, manner, style, position
• Affected by past influences, experiences
• Built over time
• CREDIBILITY
• Takes less time to earn than trust
• Can be issue-specific
• Based on your expertise, experience and
• EMPATHY AND CONCERN FOR THE AUDIENCE

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Who has the most credibility?

• HIGHHealth professionals (esp. nurses),
  scientists, educators, mothers, victims
• MEDIUMMedia, activist groups, government
  agencies
• LOWPoliticians, industry leaders, paid
  consultants

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Credibility of Spokespersons
Source Edelman 2003
Percentage saying source is Extremely or Very
Credible
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Jeffrey Zelms on risk comparisons

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Trust in America

• 71 of the Public would trust a senior military
  official
• up from 44 in 2000.
• 22 would trust a member of Congress
• up from 18.
• 29 Trust senior medical personnel
• down from 32
• 16 Trust the Press
• Public perception is based on trust, and what
  they hear
• January 2002 Harris poll

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What Makes A Source Credible?
Assessed in First 30 Seconds
Source Columbia Univ.
People want to know that you care before they
care what you know.
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Building Credibility

• In a high-concern, low-trust situation
• Early on - empathize
• Dont push back on them
• First understand- dont challenge
• Bring up a hot issue before they do
• Dont take negative comments personally
• Conclusions before facts
• Encourage a continued dialogue and continued
  activities
• Understand and value their perceptions

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Credibility Transference
A lower credibility source takes on the
credibility of the highest credible source that
agrees with its position on an issue. Align
yourself with those who have equal or higher
credibility than you do
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TELEVISION A picture is worth

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Responding to Negativity

• People who are upset tend to think and respond
  negatively so your job is to
• Let them vent
• Be positive
• Provide messages that indicate solutions or
  commitment to solutions
• Avoid negative messages including negative
  grammar, words, and phrases
• Never repeat negative allegations
• One negative 3 positives
• Recognize Non-Verbals

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Targeting Your Audience
ZONE OF INFLUENCE
Supporters
Sympathizers
Straddlers
Skeptics
Splenetics
Low
High
LEVEL OF TRUST
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Prepare to answer these questions

• What will you do if people get sick?
• Is this thing being contained?
• What can we expect?
• Why did this happen?
• Why did you let this happen?
• Can you guarantee my safety?

• What else can go wrong?
• When were you notified about this?
• What does this information/results mean?
• What bad things
• arent you
• telling us?

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Alfie Phillips President, Conklin Shows

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Building Effective Key Messages

• Use simple sound bites (7 to 12 words)
• The groundwater meets safe drinking water
  standards
• The health and safety of this community are our
  first priorities.
• I am committed to keeping the public informed
• Start your answer with empathy (in high-concern
  situations)
• Audience needs to know you care
• Make positive statements (never restate negative
  claims or phrases)
• Address the underlying concern

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Whats The Underlying Concern?

• PRIMARY CONCERNS
• Health/Safety
• What does it mean to me or my family? Are we
  safe?
• Environmental
• Effects on soil, air, groundwater
• Lifestyle
• Personal freedoms, recreation, access
• Economic
• Property values, liability, etc.
• Aesthetic
• Visual impact, noise, odors

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Whats The Underlying Concern?

• SECONDARY CONCERNS
• Trust, Credibility, Accountability
• Commitment
• Data and Information
• Fairness/Equity
• What are the risks to the community?
• Are the risks fairly distributed?
• Process
• Who makes decisions? How?
• How do we get more information?

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Crafting Your Message
Consider

• What your audiences need to know
• What they want to know
• What you know so far
• What audiences are likely to misunderstand,
• if you dont address
• Walking in their shoes

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Crafting Your Message

• Relevant information will increase understanding
• Messages require reinforcement multiple
  messages, multiple channels and peer acceptance
• If behavior change is desired, provide
  information on the desired response

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Message Model

• Empathy/Validation
• Statement that illustrates caring or identifies
  with target audience
• Relevance to audience
• Conclusion
• 812 Word Sound-bite that summarizes main points
• Facts
• Two to three facts to support main points
• Conclusion
• Repeat it (word for word)
• Future Action
• What next? Where to go for more information?
• What actions can individual take?

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Building Bridges

• A smooth transition from the interviewers
  question to your key message.
• Answer should acknowledge the question dont
  ignore it.
• Move from the question to your key message and
  your supporting facts
• IT TAKES SOME PRACTICE

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The Art of Bridging

• UNANSWERABLE QUESTION
• Can you guarantee that nobody in this
  community will get sick from this?
• UNDERLYING CONCERNS
• Health Safety, Trust, Accountability
• BRIDGE
• I can guarantee that we are taking every
  possible measure to safeguard this community, and
  that the health and safety of our neighbors is
  always our top priority. Let me tell you what
  were doing.
• KEY MESSAGE, FACTS, NEXT STEPS, ETC.

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Avoid the Message Traps

• Hedging Words To Avoid
• Maybe, Possibly, Perhaps
• I think, I assume, I hope
• It might be the case
• Depending
• And qualifying phrases like
• The truth is
• In actual fact
• Id like you to understand that

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Avoid the Message Traps

• Hesitation
• Watch 60 Minutes, 20/20 or Dateline -- Its about
  credibility and believability
• Plan carefully what you will say
• Consider the tough questions
• Dont sugar-coat the facts
• Personal Beliefs
• I dont care about you personally, I just want
  to be safe, not sick, etc
• Its your job to care about what I believe.

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Avoid the Message Traps

• Use Risk Comparison wisely
• AVOID NEGATIVE COMPARISONS
• Its far less risky than peanut butter, driving
  a car or smoking.
• Its a personal choice/control issue
• Comparisons can be helpful if you compare
  commonly understood risks and symptoms
• Like a mild rash
• Find third-party support
• State that the purpose of comparison is for
  perspective only

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Identify the Spokesperson

• SOMEONE WHO
• understands the value of communications
• knows and understands the organization
• can effectively articulate difficult and
  sensitive issues
• can express empathy and concern
• wont take it personally
• speaks effectively without jargon or acronyms
• has non-verbals in check
• has no obvious prejudices or biases
• (or knows how to leave them out of the situation)

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Remain Positive

• Negatives
• Negative words and phrases are more vivid and
  memorable than positives
• I am not a crook
• I did not have sexual relations with that woman
• We wont beat them unless we work together
• Tell them what you ARE doing, not what you ARENT
• Negatives provide powerful, lasting quotes
• Create emotional arousal
• Attract media interest (sound bites)
• Appear to be absolute

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Remain Positive

• Negative Words/Phrases to avoid
• No, Not, Never
• Cant, Wont
• Contamination
• Pollution
• Toxic
• Dangerous
• Guilty
• Deadly

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Questionable Statements to Avoid

• I think you have a right to be worried
• We share your concern about that...
• We want you to know that we care
• We dont like this any more than you do
• Theres nothing to worry about
• Everyone is going to be just fine

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Communication Pitfalls

• Minimizing the importance of an issue
• Trying to get it over with as soon as possible
• Dismissing the claims made by opposing groups
• Pressuring the media to kill a story
• Trying to handle it alone
• Thinking short-term
• Hiding out until it blows over
• Laughing it off
• Focusing on how bad it could have been!
• Choosing the wrong spokesperson

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Tobacco Risks Congressional Enquiry
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Walk the Talk(and choose your words carefully)

• VERBAL
• Oral
• Grammar
• Vocabulary
• Written
• Risk words

• NON-VERBAL
• Body Language
• Eye Movements
• Dress and Posture
• Commitment
• Past record

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Non-Verbal Communication

• The Silent Language
• Non-verbals speak louder than words
• Verbal Factual information
• Non verbal Emotional information
• If others emotions and feelings are negative
  toward you, your words will be lost.

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Non-Verbal Communication

• When trust is low and concern is high
• provides up to 75 of message content
• is intensely noticed and negatively interpreted
• overrides verbal message
• Fidgeting, lip licking, hand position, defensive
  or protective posture, shifty eyes, gulping air,
  hands in pockets, fig-leaf stance, etc.
• Cultural differences
• Experiential differences

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Non-Verbal Communication

• In all cultures ,emotions have physical
  reactions
• Anger
• Blood flows to hands. Easier to grasp a weapon.
• Adrenaline generates energy. You literally
  become stronger.
• Fear
• Blood flows to larger muscles, particularly to
  legs. Its easier to run.
• Blood drains from head.
• Mucous membranes dry out

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Physical Reactions
• Disgust
• Upper lip curls up or to the side, nose wrinkles
  and eyes slit to reduce potential risk.
• Sadness
• Drop in energy occurs.
• Body metabolism goes down.
• Allows introspection to mourn a loss.

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Physical Reactions (cont)
• Happy
• Increased electrical activity in part of brain
  that inhibits negative feelings and fosters
  energy.
• Surprise
• Eyebrows go up so you can take in a larger visual
  sweep and let more light strike your retina,
  allowing you to take in more information and
  develop a better plan or quick response.

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Non-Verbal Communication

• There are countless non-verbal clues that
  influence trust
• Some we can control others we cant
• Some are imperceptible to the conscious mind
• The influence of these factors varies with the
  situation
• Critical in high-concern, low-trust situations
• Sometimes, just being there is a positive form of
  non-verbal communication
• The government officials all left on time after
  a community meeting on hazardous waste

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Deception - Vocal Cues
• Nervous laughter
• Mental blocks
• Fragmented/incomplete sentences
• Throat clearing/dry throat
• Inconsistent statements
• Vagueness about facts
• Signal words/phrases e.g. (to be truthful)

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Deception - Visual Cues
• Facial twitching
• Pupil dilation and constriction
• Rapid eye movement
• Biting lips
• Touching hair
• Inconsistent head shaking
• Narrowing/tightening lips

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Body Basics
• Maintain Level Eye Contact
• Square Up (shoulders)
• Open palms
• Relaxed arms and hands
• Relaxed, open expression
• Lean in (toward audience)
• Body weight slightly forward
• Relax

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About Face

• Be aware of your facial reactions
• Emotional expressions show up in facial muscles
  in a few thousandths of a second after the event
  that triggers the reaction
• The eyes never lie
• Check your jaw for
• tension

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Bucky Hayes Bacon County, GA

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Non-Verbal Communication

• Improving Your Non-Verbal Skills
• Experiment with a friend, associate or family
  member
• Count your ticks, nervous laughs, ums and ahs
• Role play, video tape
• Try overdoing your expressions
• How often do you smile?

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The Right Approach

• Take charge (small c control)
• Establish your message(s)
• Concern - care, empathy, sympathy, regret
  inconvenience
• Facts - who, what, when, where. Not how why
• How fast responded and how much done
• If you dont know (yet) say so!
• Include commitment for updates when available

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The Right Approach

• 7. Involve 3rd-party support/allies
• 8. Cooperate with appropriate authorities to find
  new information
• 9. Immediately address safety and or
  environmental concerns
• Think longer-term
• Show appreciation/support for (assistance,
  emergency response, staff, etc.)
• Discuss ongoing activity / next steps
• Prepare for the media and cooperate
• But dont relinquish control of the message

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Before the Public Meeting

• Know what you want to say
• Know what you dont want to say
• Expect the best plan for the worst
• Anticipate the toughest question
• Learn your key messages
• Learn about your interviewer
• Consider the logistics of the space
• Control your non-verbals!
• Relax be calm but not jovial

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GET READY!

• Prepare for
• What questions would you like them to ask?
• What questions do you not want them to ask?
• What questions havent you thought about?

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Plan to communicate NOW!

• Identify communication barriers within the
  community
• Cultural
• Geographic
• Socio-economic
• Access to information
• Disabled
• Conduct a communication needs assessment

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Plan to communicate NOW!

• Establish a spokesperson protocol
• Identify senior environmental staff to deliver
  technical, risk and emergency information
• Provide regular media and risk communication
  training to primary and secondary (technical)
  spokespersons
• Establish clear guidelines for response
• Involve all departments, POCs, community
  partners, Command.
• Develop relationships with the media
• Keep your training up to date

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Conclusions

• Perception is reality
• Every concern is legitimate and must be
  addressed.
• The goal is to build and maintain trust, and
  nurture an open and honest dialogue.
• Effective communication depends on credibility,
  accessibility, consistency and realistic goals.
• Like most other things, effective communication
  takes planning, practice and experience.
• Communication is a process,
• not an event.

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Senator Connors Australian Oil Spill

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