Taking "No" for a Question (Rather than an Answer)
As you traverse the campus landscape in search of strategic partners and supporters, be prepared for hesitations, discouragement, responsibility avoidance and the good old smoke screen. None of this should be interpreted as a sign to stop.
The best change agents interpret all kinds of feedback as sources of important information. When someone says “no” or “maybe later” or “it won’t work” or “it's been tried already and didn’t work” or “we just don’t have the funding,” the most important thing to do is figure out what is behind this response. The skill here is to discern when a response really is absolute and unchangeable.
If you realize there is no way forward with a particular individual, it is best to cut your losses and figure out who you can approach instead; however, it is worth noting that sometimes an individual’s response may be changeable. It may evolve over time and interaction with you, especially if you can attune yourself to what they need in order to change their response.
While not always the case, sometimes an individual may not be able to tell you the real reasons behind their hesitation. Common hidden reasons for not wanting to participate in a new program include the following:
- needing to maintain control
- being overwhelmed with the complexity of her or his job already
- worrying that the new commitment will take too much time
- believing that he or she will be left “holding the baby” after you have set the program up
- lacking confidence that you will be able to meet her or his needs and honor limitations
- not knowing you well enough to trust that you will make the program a success
If you can put yourself in the position of the other person—which requires that you take time to understand their daily responsibilities and pressures—you can often discover what may be underneath their hesitation and how you may be able to attend to this. The next step is to make the necessary adjustments to address the concern and to meet again to discuss a new approach.
In the case of the Harvard Green Campus Initiative (HGCI), the most common hidden reasons for reluctance during early program development were concerns about time commitment and adding more complexity. The HGCI went to great lengths to design its student internship and green living programs so that participating departments and sponsors would not have to carry any of the time burden associated with the programs, nor would they have to deal with day-to-day management complexities. Departments and sponsors became more willing to participate as they realized this was going to be the case.
Recovering from Bad Days
Some days are tougher than others when you are trying to get something new off the ground. Anyone who has ever worked in a college or university setting knows that some days are just demoralizing. If you find yourself leaving a meeting feeling fundamentally discouraged, keep in mind the bottom line—we have to deal with global climate change somehow and soon. Obstacles to setting up green campus programs to deal with this environmental crisis must eventually be overcome. You are just the messenger. The need to take action is not going away. Something will have to give. Take a rest, open your heart, and try to come back with a new approach to the problem.