From Outrage to Integrity: The Way Forward Part 2

This is the third article in a series on stakeholder outrage. In my first article, I argued that, in a period where we are experiencing monumental change, where trust in our organisations is in crisis, we need to call on different ways of thinking and doing when it comes to the impact public sector policies and private sector strategies can have on stakeholders.

In this article, I will continue talking about how organisations can prevent or resolve outrage. It is important to emphasise that, while it is vital to be understanding of, and compassionate towards, the outraged, I’m not going to suggest that it is easy.

I might paraphrase something I said in a previous article in the series:

if you use force, impose legislation or give opposing views shallow attention, it won’t improve the situation. Conflict and outrage just won’t go away like that.

Lasting solutions are required if your organisation is to succeed.

Solutions that meet the needs of key stakeholders and their goals.

Solutions that consider and manage deep cultural and structural conflict.

Yet, the greatest obstacle to this occurring isn’t “out there”; the greatest obstacles lie within your organisation.

And That Means Improving Self-Awareness

“Self-awareness” may seem like a strange thing to talk about when “they” seem to be unreasonable! What I mean is that traditional decision makers must be cognisant of the challenges associated with the internal environment of their agencies and organisations.

How might your organisation, itself, impact upon problem solving and the successful delivery of your plans?

Appreciating culture is important

So far, many of the issues raised in this point of view have a crucial root cause. Culture – your organisation’s collective values and deeply felt beliefs. Beliefs that become visibly important, for example, when the system is stressed…like when an organisation is dealing with outrage.

Within organisations that are dealing with community outrage, I often see that their culture focuses importance on the “internal voice” and values maintaining control and stability. These organisations are hierarchical, very procedural – and patriarchal (“we know best”).

A culture like this always struggles to connect with differing views, externally or internally.

Does your organisation focus importance on the “external voice”?

Culture creates “othering”

Think of that challenge in another way. The prevalence of an inward-looking culture encourages staff to see stakeholders and their views (and even the natural environment) with an “us and them” mentality. This is dangerous as views “from the other” are minimised or even ignored.

What often obstructs the resolution of conflict or outrage are the biases or blindspots embedded within our different worldviews – that cause that “othering”. We call on our worldviews to help make sense of the world for us; they help us to navigate through the world as well as link us to a broader culturally relevant symbolic view of the world.[1]

Therefore, we are constrained in understanding others. For most of human history, people have had rather rudimentary ideas of others' beliefs and values[2] . Often imprisoned within a culture or credo, we have had little inclination to explore, understand or respect the thoughts and values of others.

How are we going to find solutions, collectively? What has been the experience within your organisation? Have you witnessed true collaboration? Or has there still been, unwittingly, cultural need to maintain control?

There are means by which to manage the internal obstacles

As powerful as cultures can be, we can transform, manage – or at least tame – them. There are many internal “levers” that your organisation can call on including systems, structure, staff, and leadership.

And pulling any one of these levers can powerfully impact upon one another – including culture:

·????????Systems – I believe that that the use of processes, policies, work agreements are a simple way to signal what is important – such as stakeholders or collaboration – to an organisation. With many of my clients, I even suggest that they set standard agenda items at all team meetings such as relationship quality as a means of not losing sight of something that would otherwise slip through the cracks.

I’ve also talked previously about the importance of not leaving stakeholder engagement until one of the last tasks in your gantt charts or project plans! Start those conversations early.

·????????Structure – Organisational structure signals the importance of an issue through where it is located in a flow chart. How often do you see stakeholder engagement listed at an executive level? Remember that structure can also refer to how decision making is organised, too often without the involvement of those affected. Hence, do you have decision making committees that involve key representatives of the affected?

·????????Staff – Yes, as inferred, there is the need to ensure that staff are engaged. However, have you considered whether your staff have the capability to manage outrage or conflict to begin with?

What training do they need to manage outrage? What do they need to prevent outrage? Importantly, the blind reliance many organisations place on their media teams to keep stakeholders satisfied is dangerous. One-way communication just no longer works when it comes to building and maintaining relationships.

·????????Leadership – traditionally leaders have been portrayed as heroic. Yet, do you ever see heroic leadership playing out successfully, dealing with stakeholders, when understanding or empathy are required? What do you think is a more appropriate leadership style?

The Most Important Part

I’ve intentionally shifted this series from talking about the big picture issues, initially – the complex challenges we face and the lack of trust in organisations – to talking about another very important issue. You.

You are a key component of the conditions for the establishment of conflict / outrage. Can I ask you to reflect on that? What attitudes do you have towards stakeholders?

Do you see them as always being unrealistic? Do they just get in the way of doing your work?

And if you really think hard about it, do you unconsciously feel that your organisation is “smarter” than them?

It’s much to consider and comes back to that issue of self-awareness – how do you behave towards stakeholders; how do you affect them and their lives?

For many of my clients, it has meant deep consideration of the work that they do and the way they go about it. It is about the deeper stories. This isn’t easy because often they are working to philosophies that are past their use-by-date. The dominant “it’s all about the economy” narrative is being questioned, for example. Furthermore, many feel that there is now the necessity for organisations to obtain a social license to operate.

That means authentic and collaborative leadership. That means boldly looking for significant opportunities. Because the alternative will pose even greater risks and costs to your business in the medium to long-term.

Thank you for your interest. If you ever wish to "pick my brain" on your own difficult situations, please don't hesitate to reach out.

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About the author: Having trained under the renowned “father of peace studies”, Norwegian John Galtung, David coaches, advises, and trains leaders and staff on how to navigate uncertainty and shocks, resolve stakeholder conflicts, and protect organisational reputation and performance.

He has experience on some of our most complex and polarising issues, including but not limited to: mining and energy operations; access to freshwater; waste management operations; the impact of government policy on stakeholders; and the impact of leadership styles on staff engagement and wellbeing.

[1] Wildman, P. and Inayatullah, S. 1996. Ways of knowing, culture, communication and the pedagogies of the future. Futures. Vol. 28(8), pp. 723-740.

[2] Smart, N. 2000. Worldviews: Cultural explorations of human beliefs. Prentice Hall.