Corridor Politics
I’m on the board of directors for several non-profit organizations, so it happens all the time. I know when I see the Caller ID of a fellow board member that I’m in for an earful. I learn a lot, though. I get the inside scoop, and in the end I almost always wind up supporting the guy who called me. I figure he’s taken the time to call and thinks I’m open to his argument. Besides, next time I might be the one making the phone calls when I’m preparing for an upcoming vote on the board.
Informally work on decision makers and key influencers before an important vote to make sure they fully understand the consequences of the decision.
You are an Evangelist(144) or Dedicated Champion(129) facing an upcoming decision that will have an impact on your effort. The decision makers are peers, or at least approachable.
It’s difficult to address the concerns of all decision makers when a new idea is raised in a large meeting.
If you go into a vote without having an idea what will happen, you risk an unfavorable outcome that may be impossible to change later. It’s hard to change the decision of a group once it is made. Yet, decision makers are not likely to agree with a new idea immediately. Their automatic response is usually “no” if they hear about the idea for the first time during a meeting. They must first get the opportunity to voice their individual concerns and ask questions. This is difficult to do in a group meeting and much easier and more effective to do one-on-one.
Therefore:
Informally work on decision makers and key influencers one-on-one before the vote. Try to get the approval of anyone who can kill it.
Approach the decision maker gently by briefly explaining the issue and then asking if he has any questions. Listen to his concerns and address each one. After you’ve answered the questions that are foremost on his mind, give him additional details. Present the facts, not just your feelings. Be clear about what you hope will happen. Tell a story to make the issue real. Make sure all decision makers fully understand the problem and the consequences of the decision. Don’t distort the facts just to win the vote; that will come back to haunt you later.
Let each person know if a decision maker who is a manager or a local guru has already given support. In many cases, if you talk to the most receptive people first, you can use these people as references for the next person you talk with.
Don’t present the issue as controversial. No naming; no blaming. Don’t use this pattern for personal issues (e.g., to have a specific individual put on a lay-off list—it then becomes a personal crusade and can lead to hard feelings). Don’t use this pattern to get around a powerful person. Even if you win the votes and the decision goes your way, that powerful person may become angry if his perception is that the issue is being steamrolled past him. Use Whisper in the General’s Ear(248) to enable a manager to look good in a group setting.
Use Fear Less(151) to calm skeptics. Even if your argument isn’t convincing, you may turn down the heat on the other side.
Know when to compromise—it may be the best way to reach your ultimate goals. Don’t be a fanatic. As long as it isn’t seen as a trick, a concession will likely stimulate a return concession. Making concessions during an interaction is an effective way to win an argument.
Build a relationship with the decision maker. It may not be possible for a person who is new to the organization to use this pattern until a trusting relationship has been established with others.
If you are short on time, your key contacts should be the fence sitters, those who are uncommitted and could vote either way.
If the decision doesn’t go your way, remember, “No permanent friends, no permanent enemies.” Some day, on some other issue of importance to you, the decision maker may come through. In the meantime, don’t allow a decision maker to become an active opponent. If you win support for your issue, Just Say Thanks(183) and pay your debts. If someone supports you, remember to listen when he has an issue that is important to him.
The importance of talking with people before an event is similar to fellow pattern writer, David Kane’s No Surprises pattern, which stresses the need to talk with customers before any anticipated changes. In other words, rather than doing damage repair, anticipate what is about to happen and do risk management.
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This pattern creates one-on-one communication with decision makers. It helps you provide information before a meeting to encourage a vote to go your way. Since the issues are understood, the meeting time can be more efficient. There may be no need for discussion since all concerns have already been addressed.
The risk is that the people you talk with will expect a favor in the future. Also, one-on-one discussion before a meeting can be perceived as underhanded politics. You want to be as aboveboard as possible. Using this approach for purely selfish reasons is likely to backfire. The pattern is most effective when it is driven by what is best for the community.
When Bill’s company decided to use the Rational Unified Process (RUP), some of the managers were tied to the old software process. So before they voted on the process decision, Bill talked with all the software managers. Then, at the meeting, the vote was taken without any discussion. Bill was certain that if he hadn’t met with the managers individually they wouldn’t have understood why the company needed to move to RUP and they would have automatically reacted against it. If the vote had been taken under those conditions, it would have been almost impossible to undo.
Lisa wanted mandatory training for all software developers, which had to be approved by management. She visited each manager in her area and described how the program would work and the costs and benefits. She explained how the training would reinforce the company values and would be useful in the short-term as well as over time. By the time Lisa brought it up at a manager’s meeting, it was a done deal. There wasn’t any discussion. They just voted.