Community Conflict: Finding Middle Ground - A Video Series

Community Conflict: Finding Middle Ground

Everyone has different opinions or information when it comes to community issues. These issues can be divisive, often involving some degree of controversy and public discourse. How can community conflicts be handled to have a positive outcome for all?

As a community leader or educator, it is important to create a civil environment  to explore the issues at the heart of polarizing conversations, whether they may be around community planning, resource development, or other 'hot button' topics. This video series "Community Conflict:  Finding Middle Ground" will help you facilitate and build trust in the community and have productive conversations.

Twelve short videos explore the dynamics of community controversies and offer strategies to engage your audience, prepare for public meetings, and effectively deal with barriers to civil dialogue – tips that can be valuable for any leader.

Lisa Hrabluk is a consultant and founder of Wicked Ideas, whose mission is to shape and guide deep change that supports and encourages two-way exchanges of information, knowledge and perspectives that are valuable in working through controversial issues. Lisa introduces the series of videos presented by Penn State Extension educators and then wraps up with insights into building an effective network.

These videos are designed to watch individually or as a series. Use them to help you prepare for community discussions and to understand your role as an educator and facilitator.

Effective Engagement

Effective community engagement allows all affected by the issue to have an integral part in the decision-making process.  As an educator, it is important to determine what the best process is for each audience.  Understanding these elements and when to use them in community discussion will ensure successful dialogue.

Social License

Any community issue is likely to bring differences of opinion to the table.  How can an educator or organizer work to build effective communication and trust?  Engaging with the audience often and understanding what kind of information and credible sources they will accept are steps to establishing social license on controversial issues.

The Role and Importance of Trust

While fostering trust is important in strong relationships with others, we live in an era of declining confidence in government, institutions, and individuals.  Understanding this trend and finding ways to promote long-term trust are valuable tools when dealing with communities on controversial issues.

Public Meetings

Overseeing a public meeting involves some forethought to have a productive event.  To ensure your meeting is successful, tips to manage time, provide good dissemination of information, and maintain control of the audience are necessary.

Understanding Risk

A dynamic leader works on understanding the audience and what risks and uncertainties they perceive regarding the issue at hand.  Identifying these risks and assisting community members as they work through known facts and discover new information and benefits will provide authenticity and transparency to your discussion of the subject. Sorting out "possible" versus "probable" risks is a key component of this transparent process.

Framing the Issue

Discussion of a controversial issue can get out of control if measures aren't in place to keep the discussion objectively focused and balanced.  Identifying and understanding all the concerns, emotions, uncertainties, and fears surrounding the subject can provide the best frame for a productive discussion.

Anticipating Public Response

Determining the makeup of your audience will help to understand their position on the subject.  Doing your homework by outlining current community positions on the issue and sources of information on the topic will provide more clarity in anticipating public response, and thus lead to a more successful discussion and outcome.

Difficult Audiences

Disruptions from the audience during a presentation is disconcerting and unfair to fellow meeting participants and the speakers.  How can an educator be prepared?  Understanding the various types of disruptions and following tips for objectively dealing with the challenging participants can help a leader stay in control of the meeting.

Myths and Misinformation

Myths and misinformation can mislead people to make inaccurate or damaging decisions.  Sorting out fact vs. fiction early in a discussion can help a leader reduce their impact and keep the dialogue focused on accurate details, likely leading to a better outcome.

Combating Misinformation

Correcting misinformation is not as simple as giving more and better data.  Understanding how and what the audience thinks and feels on an issue can provide an educator with tools to effectively correct inaccurate information.  Be aware of how people interpret and respond to information and keep away from the risk of confirmation bias and information overload.

Building a Network

Networks are efficient and organized, working to achieve the goal to accelerate the dissemination of information and knowledge. Lisa Hrabluk of Wicked Ideas Media defines the three elements of a community network: shared purpose, mission, and a commitment to use the network's collective knowledge. Networks rely on connection points—facilitators—that have the abilities to draw together diverse and extensive networks of people that they can go to for resources and information.