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Reshaping the Advocacy Debatefor Stronger Learning, Schools, Libraries and Communities

Stephen Abram

Additional Credit: Ken Haycock & Wendy Newman

Not Business as Usual!

Change is speeding up (D’oh!)

Boomers aren’t the largest demographic

Demographics have changed radically (although opinions haven’t caught up)

Kids have materially changed (brain, genome, IQ, development …)

Technology has changed more than everything

Personal matters – e.g. shared home lines to personal mobile

“Everything bad is good for you”

Managing the ‘Commons’ as strategy not service space

Role of quality curation versus consumer web search

Library staff T&D, webinars and conferences, TALL Texans / NELI

EveryLibrary.org PAC

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What we know is POWERFUL!

Via Stephen’s Lighthouse Blog

“Curb Your librarian Frustration in 8 Easy Steps”

New York State 2012 Summary of School Library Research

Ken Haycock OLA Summary of School Library Impact Studies

Advance: McKinley HS Study by Project Tomorrow

Project Tomorrow reports to Congress

Alison Head and Information Fluency research

Foresee Data and overall Usage Data

Pew Internet & American Life reports

Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation studies

IMLS, NCES, ARL, ACRL, ALA, LJ, etc.

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What We Never Really Knew Before

27% of our users are under 18. 59% are female. 29% are college students. 5% are professors and 6% are teachers. On any given day, 35% of our users are there for the very

first time! Only 29% found the databases via the library website. 59% found what they were looking for on their first search. 72% trusted our content more than Google. But, 81% still use Google. (Wikipedia too)

2010 Eduventures Research on Investments 58% of instructors believe that technology in courses positively impacts student engagement.

71% of instructors that rated student engagement levels as “high” as a result of using technology in courses.

71% of students who are employed full-time and 77% of students who are employed part-time prefer more technology-based

tools in the classroom.

79% of instructors and 86 percent of students have seen the average level of engagement improve over the last year as they

have increased their use of digital educational tools.

87% of students believe online libraries and databases have had the most significant impact on their overall learning.

62% identify blogs, wikis, and other online authoring tools while 59% identify YouTube and recorded lectures.

E-books and e-textbooks impact overall learning among 50% of students surveyed, while 42% of students identify online

portals.

44% of instructors believe that online libraries and databases will have the greatest impact on student engagement.

32% of instructors identify e-textbooks and 30% identify interactive homework solutions as having the potential to improve

engagement and learning outcomes. (e-readers was 11%)

49% of students believe that online libraries and databases will have the greatest impact on student engagement.

Students are more optimistic about the potential for technology.

OMG – the Textbook!

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Black & White

Recognize key shifts – Challenge Assumptions

Death by Opportunity – Setting Priorities

Funding is Attitudinal … Support versus Commitment

Deer in headlamps slide here.

Sadly… New research shows . . .

Library leaders are seen positively but not perceived to work with politicians or other community leaders for community development or betterment.

Advocacy Positioning Issues

• Transformation not information Transactions.

• Broad infrastructure not institutional walls.

• Necessity not nice to have.

• Future focused rather than past and tradition.

• Return on investment (for me) not altruism for others.

• Education and Information Professionals not ‘Service’ or Servant

• Impact and Outcomes not Statistics and Effort

• Values based not Motherhood and Apple Pie

The 70’sOld realities: generation gap power in numbers petitions “squeaky wheel” confrontation

expected money available

NowNew Realities “Boomers” in power But diversity rules numbers = mandate interest groups less influential confrontation no longer

effective money available but only for

government priorities and emergencies

The Playbook

The Decision-maker’s EnvironmentThe Decision-maker’s Environmentvolatility of the public mood/staff

morale

general dissatisfaction, distaste for the governing/administrative process and those within it

public expectations & dogma

tax relief

spending cuts

social program maintenance

deficit reduction

The Decision-maker’s environmentThe Decision-maker’s environment

the reality that revenues grow more slowly than expenditures

trickle down effect: federal-state municipal-institutional

result:

cost containment, fiscal conservatism, “hanging tough”

look for “real savings” and “scapegoats”

less responsive to special interests

The Decision-maker’s environmentThe Decision-maker’s environment

What points can we make that are more compelling than their need to “hang tough” in the current environment?

What proofs do we have?

Role of social media?

What is Lobbying?

Influencing decision-makers in the legislative process to take a certain position which they may otherwise not have taken.

Leadership Defined

Leadership is a process of social influence

through which one person is able to enlist

the aid and support of others in the

accomplishment of a common task.

Trust

• Character• Competence• Confidence• Credibility• Congruence

.

What Works

Rationality/ appeals/ consultation Socio/Economic/Educational Context; History

Connecting with Changing AgendasLegitimacyTrustRelationshipsView of Colleagues

Tactics:Ingratiation (make them feel important)Assertiveness (make demands)Rationality (explain reasons)Sanctions (administrative means for compliance)Exchange of benefits (trade-offs & compromise)Upward influence (appeal to higher levels)Blocking (prevent from achieving goal)Coalitions (enlist others to influence)Inspirational AppealsConsultation

What Works with Politicians

Coalitions

Networks of groups and individuals

Influential: personal values and beliefs and measures of ideology; belief about the outcome.

Motivation: satisfying constituents, gaining influence, making good policy

Relationships with them and THEIR networks

Aligning with their learning style(s)

Stories

What Does Not Work

WHAT DOES NOT WORK IN ISOLATION✖ Demand for Services (Threats)✖ Entreaties from Patrons/Customers✖ Advocacy by Stakeholders✖ Lobbying by Boards✖ Effectiveness of Service✖ Perceptions of Service? Lobbyists✖ Power and control✖ INTUITION• The hard sell.• No compromise• Persuasion is not great arguments • (need credibility, emotional language, mutually beneficial)• One-shot effort.• Persuasion is not convincing or selling but learning and negotiating.

Major Inhibitors

“Relationships cause people to want to be with you, but respect causes them to want to be empowered by you.”

“The reality is that difficulties seldom defeat people; lack of faith in themselves usually does it.”

Advocacy Defined

What is Advocacy?What is Advocacy?

• Understanding the agenda (e.g. smaller government)

• creating a common agenda with decision-makers

• lobbying effectively

• working with the media

• delivering the right message

• to the right person

• network of advocates

Three things to remember:

People do things for their reasons not yours

People pay attention to the things that they love and value

Tell people what they need to hear, not what you want them to know.

What is Lobbying? Influencing decision-

makers in the legislative process to take a certain position which they may otherwise not have taken.

What is Public Relations?What is Public Relations? Getting the library’s

message across This is who we are

and what we do, this is when and where we do it and for whom...

This is the Benefit.

What is Marketing? What is Marketing? finding out what the

customer needs and changing, when necessary, to meet those needs

who are you, and what do you need, how, where and when can we best deliver it to you, tell you about it, [and what are you willing to pay or fund?]

What is Advocacy? What is Advocacy? marketing an issue support and

awareness are built incrementally

your agenda will be greatly assisted by what we have to offer

Advocacy is:Advocacy is:

• telling the/a library story

• creating conditions that allow others to act on your behalf

• expanding someone’s consciousness

• evoking or creating memories

• confirming your identity

• enhancing awareness, appreciation, support

• Shared agenda – ALL types of libraries

• HAVING A GOAL

Advocacy is:Advocacy is:

• an exercise in creativity and initiative• an art and a science• creating relationships, partnerships, coalitions• respecting other people’s views, priorities and reasons• a responsibility of leaders• about potential and the future: the survival of libraries• Non partisan

BetrayalBetrayal One of the main

roles of an advocate is to “wake up” ourselves and others, and it is often through some form of betrayal that we receive such a wakeup call.

Advocacy Roles

Roles in AdvocacyRoles in Advocacy

It is critical that groups in the same environment are working in a coordinated and congruent manner toward the same objectives.

Roles in AdvocacyRoles in Advocacy

Decision makers feel uncertain and confused when groups or individuals supposedly working together assert different priorities.

It also gives them an excuse to do nothing.

What’s at Stake?What’s at Stake?

Library users tell us of:

the need for the librarian as a gateway and navigator to the increasingly overwhelming world of information and knowledge.

the need for the library as a public place for community, learning and for intellectual discourse. (cynefyn)

the need for the electronic delivery of full text information and graphics to the user’s desktop –where they are.

Shared inspiration, community and learning


Research tells us that the public and our users are consistently more supportive of libraries, librarians and library funding than our decision makers.

Positions:

Economic

Learning Impact

Social & Access Mediation


“People love their libraries, but libraries cannot live on love alone.”

Harness your passion!

Find your courage!

Finding your passion...Finding your passion...

Dig down deeply underneath your concerns and find out what is really important to you about libraries.

Finding your courage...Finding your courage...

knowing what you really believe, and being passionate in that belief, is the first step in finding the courage to speak out.

Finding your courage...Finding your courage...

The more you make your issue about the other person’s needs, it becomes less about you.

And if it is not about you, what is there to be afraid of?

The Means Not The End

AdvocacyAdvocacy

Power or Influence

The Advocacy PlanThe Advocacy Plan

Start by asking these questions...Do we all have the same understanding of the

issue? Words matter.

Do we all agree that action must be taken?

Do we have the time to dedicate to a serious planning effort?

Will we make the time?

The Advocacy PlanThe Advocacy Plan

Understand the environment in which your decision-makers are working. It determines the context for your planning.

Influencing Decision-makers Neutral position Your position

Contrary position Neutral position Your position

What we want to do is move someone from the position they are currently at to a new position on an issue.

What influence techniques work on you?

Your original position, describe it:

Your new position,describe it:

How were others successful in influencing your position? What did they do? What did they say?

Why be an advocate?

If you don’t stand up for yourself and what you believe, who will do it for you?

If you do nothing, will decision-makers usually do the right thing?

You are your own best advocate!

The 5-step Advocacy PlanThe 5-step Advocacy Plan

1. Objectives

2. Target Groups

3. Strategies

what? where? when?who? how?

4. Communication Tools

5. Evaluation

The 5-Step Advocacy PlanThe 5-Step Advocacy Plan

Objective: have a clear, measurable objective.

Objective Objective

Make sure your objectives are SMART:

Specific

Measurable

Action-oriented with

Responsibilities stated and

Timed


Target Group(s): know who is important in the achieving of your objective; find out all you can about them and their interests.

Target Groups Target Groups

Your most important target group is often the smallest in number and thus potentially the easiest to reach.

Target Groups Target Groups

deliver the right message to the right person

who is important to a particular decision maker?

get them to help champion your cause

what is their context?

research, research, research

Strategies Strategies

What are the obstacles?

Physical

Personal

Semantic

Environmental

Strategies: Overcoming ‘obstacles’ Strategies: Overcoming ‘obstacles’

Factors in the environment influencing government decisions

public opinion

fiscal pressures

interest groups

media coverage

timing: budgets, shuffles, elections

opposition parties

civil servants


Strategies1. What?

2. Where?

3. When?

4. Who?

5. Why?

6. How?


What? Acknowledge all the factors that may stand in the way of achieving your objective: the obstacles.

Strategies: overcoming obstacles Strategies: overcoming obstacles

Creating a Common Agenda credible, relevant information is the key to success

accurate information earns trust; misinformation will destroy it

anyone can whine about an issue, not everyone can solve it

your issue is never alone on the agenda

Stop Whining!Stop Whining!

Strategies: overcoming obstacles


The agenda gap: your agenda and the government or organization’s agenda may or may not

be the same

governments/organizations make decisions based on perceived public/ organizational interest

the development of your position must reflect an understanding of their agenda



Creating a Common Agenda this understanding will allow you to bridge the agenda gap

this understanding is critical to your being perceived as credible and with constructive solutions


Where? “on their turf”

When? on their time schedule, opportunistic too

Who? decide carefully who will do the communicating - match carefully for credibility


How? Determine what your key message will be - use “soundbites”

“People love their libraries, but libraries cannot live on love alone.”


Communication Tools:

Take a look at your strategies and decide what communication tool will most effectively deliver your message.

The Most Effective Communication Tools The Most Effective Communication Tools

word-of-mouth

one-on-one meetings

telephone

group meetings

public meetings, forums

Mass Communication Tools Mass Communication Tools

E-mailTweetsLinkedInFacebookG+YouTubeletterspromotional materialinstructional materialnews releasesadvertisingbusiness cardsWebsitesT-shirts, buttons, bookmarks

Communication tools -protocol Communication tools -protocol

invitations

thank you’s

photographs

special events

awards

Communication Communication

Advocacy is about RESPECT

understand what makes the other person “tick” - speak their language

be brief

be appreciative

be specific

be informative

be courteous

WIIFT

Share and be social and memorable


Evaluation

Plan now how you will measure your success. (link back to your objective.)

Evaluation Evaluation

part of planning: state measures of success in your objectives

accountability

did you meet your objectives?

what worked? Didn’t?

would you do it again?

what changes would you make?

SummarySummary

An effective advocate: knows how to access and use necessary resources

knows how to contact key decision-makers

writes an effective letter to a decision-maker

knows who can get to the key decision-makers

Summary

An effective advocate:

• understands the governing environment

• says “thank you”.... often

• understands the importance of timing

• never, ever cries “wolf”

• is never a “lone wolf”• Knows the humanity of decision makers

Forces for Good: High-Impact Nonprofits

Presents six practices of high impact non-profits:

offering advocacy efforts and service

harnessing market forces and leveraging the power and resources of business

engaging individuals from outside the organization

working with and through other organizations

learning to adapt

sharing leadership by empowering others

Applying What We Know

Lessons about tipping points

Concentrate resources on a few key areas…connectors, mavens, salespeople

Do not do what you think is right… test your intuitions

Recognize phases… Early adopters; early majority; late majority; laggards

So…

It is about advocacy and leadership…

It is about relationships and influence…

It is understanding the target – values, networks, connections, promises, colleagues, context…

It is understanding the tactics and strategies and choosing appropriately and strategically…

It is part of life in the organization and should be funded, supported and measured…

Conclusions…

there is no one right answer, as situations and contexts vary… but there is evidence about what works and it is generally not what we are doing now…

a critical new role dilemma is how to move advocacy based on evidence up the priority list in our organizations…

we need more action-based research projects...

We need leaders who understand and exercise social influence…

The relationship is the message…

Whining

The relationship is the message…

What difference do you make?

The power of libraries

Until the lion learns to write her own story, Until the lion learns to write her own story, the story will always be from the perspective the story will always be from the perspective of the hunter not the hunted.of the hunter not the hunted.

Stephen Abram, MLS, FSLAVP strategic partnerships and markets

Cengage Learning (Gale)Cel: 416-669-4855

[email protected]’s Lighthouse Blog

http://stephenslighthouse.comFacebook: Stephen Abram

LinkedIn / Plaxo: Stephen AbramTwitter: sabram

SlideShare: StephenAbram1

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Documents

percent of students

college students

greatest impact

library leaders

servant impact

significant impact

development technology

online libraries