Courage Under Fire

icture this: You are the agency spokesperson. An informant has told the media and a congressional subcommittee that a disgruntled employee falsified key data in a study that was the basis for new legislation. The subcommittee member you deal with is furious, and she summons you to a meeting on the Hill tomorrow. Several citizen groups call the fiasco a major blow to segments of the American population. To make matters worse, two reporters are outside your office expecting an interview-now.

When your agency is embroiled in a controversial matter, you could be hit with challenging questions that suggest:

• Wrongdoing within your agency.
• Conflict between your agency and others.
• Weak agency performance, compared with national trends.
• Internal waste and fraud.
• Lack of judgment or leadership within your agency.

Here are some tips on how to handle these high-pressure situations.

Don't Take the Bait

Know when your accusers are simply venting frustrations by hurling questions. Resist the temptation to go head-to-head with irate committee members, reporters or citizens in spite of their insinuations and bluster. This is not the time to put the musket to the shoulder and defend every issue.

Listen attentively to the concerns and start a dialogue. Avoid repeating ear-catching questions to help minimize your association with baiting words and concepts. Remember, optimism sells.

Overcome highly charged objections by reframing questions in neutral terms. For example, suppose a committee member begins a hearing with a personal attack such as, "I'm sure a low-ranking official like yourself doesn't have enough clout to make a decision and act immediately."

Without repeating explosive words or the questioner's tone, be positive and say, "Let me describe how plans are reviewed and approved." Or, you can force him to rephrase the question in a more moderate tone simply by saying, "I don't think I really understand your question. Exactly what are you asking?"

Take Charge

Maintain a confident look and sincere tone of concern for the issue and its resolution. Committee members, reporters and citizens are looking for signs of weakness.

Don't let your critics set the direction of questioning. Communication is stronger when you initiate it and weaker when react to it. Have a strong position that you want to get across. Remember, if you are not advancing an agenda and pushing a specific message, you will end up simply reacting to whatever charges the opposition throws at you.

Be brief. During a highly charged environment, drawn-out responses can add weight to the kernel of truth in your opponent's position. Overstatements also suggest you are being defensive or trying to talk yourself out of a box. Short statements will simplify both the problem and the solution in the mind of your accusers

Don't be forced to discuss the opponent's side of the issue. When asked to comment on the opposition's plan, reposition the question and say, "I can't speak for anyone else's plan, but let me tell you about the changes I want to see." Continue to advance your agenda and clarify your position.

Don't wait until you are in a defensive position-take the offense and make a stand. Be proactive and get your story out first. Call a news conference or issue a news release that outlines your position. Meet with relevant organizations. Develop a history of your ideas before participating in heated questioning.

If you do not have time to take your story to the public before the challenging questions start, outline your position early in your presentation so the opposition will have to refute your points.

Add a Human Touch

Help your accusers identify with you and other people working on the issue. Reinforcing the fact that your agency is more than bricks and mortar will have a disarming effect on the opposition. For example:

• Ask for support. Give everyone the feeling that, while you have the issue under control, no one does anything alone.
• Personalize and express faith in your agency's employees.
• Let others speak your message. Tell your opponents what people outside the agency are saying about the issue.
• Personalize your interest and involvement in the issue. Use the first person by saying such things as, "I will see to it that . . ."

Indicate that decisions are based on human needs, community expectations, standards, procedures, performance, trend lines, achievements, etc. Avoid the perception that your agency simply goes by the numbers when making program decisions. This will enhance your reputation for credibility, competence, honesty and dedication.

Finally, make everyone in the discussion feel like part of the overall recovery or problem-solving effort and engage the community in accurately understanding the issue. For example, when being grilled by the media, appeal to the media's social responsibility in fairly reporting the story.

Fight With Fairness

When strong, direct statements are necessary to refute a point, depersonalize your attacks. Confront the opponent's actions, policies or principles. Keep personalities out of the line of fire.

Identify a point on which you and your opponents can agree, then discuss your side of the issue. For example, agree with the ultimate goal of both sides, but explain why your strategy for getting there is more effective. If you focus on differences, your opponents are likely to strengthen their original opinion.

Give clear, accurate information. Avoid refuting the opposition with inconclusive facts, tentative or poorly conceived information, or strategies that could increase doubt and weaken your position.

Finally, avoid basing counter-arguments solely on money or data. These quantitative discussions will polarize individuals during testimonials or town meetings. Instead, discuss the worth of a service, product or commodity in terms your opponents can appreciate.

During highly charged questioning, everyone enjoys hearing juicy details surrounding an attack from the opposition. Lure the committee, media or public into paying attention to your less inflammatory, less exciting response.

Here are some ways to be provocative:

• Be understanding about the attacker's lack of knowledge. Explain that if your attacker fully understood the issue, he would be fighting alongside of you.
• Use an unexpected, appropriate smile or a witty quip that can disarm the most aggressive opponent.
• Agree wholeheartedly, and then add a twist of irony.
• Ask for feedback. Solicit other ideas or start a dialogue on the points you have covered. Encourage other questions in a genuine way.
• Thank your opponent for making a point which helps you make yours. Use the criticism as a springboard for what you've wanted to say all along.
• Say what the attacker failed to say. Be indignant when a specific fact or consideration was ignored in the accusation.

A Golden Opportunity

Don't be afraid of controversy. Strong attacks and public complaints mean people are listening and taking you seriously. After a public attack, you will have a platform you might not have had otherwise. In effect, the opposition's actions will generate a forum in which the public can hear your side of the story.

Strong, unfair, outrageous attacks can even help your agency when they backfire and hurt the opposition.

When the pressure is on, the ultimate goal is to achieve positive and productive outcomes and to turn the polarization of interests into problem-solving. Convert a potential disaster into an opportunity to build understanding and enlist the support of would-be detractors. Don't miss this unique chance to enhance your agency's image and credibility.

James J. Onder, Ph.D., teaches a course in media relations at the Agriculture Department Graduate School.