You serve the public good, but your work generates resistance, anger and complaints from the very people you serve. As a representative of the government, your interactions can turn adversarial in a heartbeat — and your physical safety can be endangered.
The factors that make you so very vulnerable to hostility are intensifying:
- The economy is displacing more people from their work and their homes
- Funding for all levels of aid is being slashed
- Government is getting more complex and indecipherable by the day
Your goal should be to act as a conduit between the people you serve and the institution you represent. But there are significant hurdles to leap over before you can lessen the negative response and build understanding.
To effectively serve this role, all members of your agency or department need three things: 1) Excellent communication and listening skills geared toward extending solutions, 2) Scripted procedures that address conflict and emergency interventions, 3) A renewed focus on the dignity and respect of the people you serve.
That’s the goal of the Verbal Defense and Influence programs we’ve been providing to governmental institutions for the past 28 years, for agencies such as NYC Department of Transportation and US Army Corps of Engineers (Click Here to see a more complete list and selected testimonials).
To learn more about our government-oriented programs, please fill submit the form below and someone will get back to you shortly.
Note to members of the military: Effective conflict resolution strategies can extend your role an ethical protector, whether you are deployed, offer support (military hospitals, academies and prisons) or are readjusting to life back home.
