A
few years ago there was a book and movie about a man
named Monty Roberts in Wyoming who tamed wild horses
in an unconventional way. Instead of the usual methods
of whipping, coercing, and breaking the horse's spirit,
he decided that influencing the horse through knowledge
of having observed their body language, combined with
soft talk and friendly overtures would be more successful
in getting the horse to do what he wanted. This concept
can be applied to human behavior.
Gray Town Council Chair Gary Foster made an extraordinary
statement at the Tuesday, Oct. 4 Council meeting.
When Order 35 came up on the agenda, Mr. Foster prefaced
the item by saying that the Order had been put on
the agenda by the Manager against the Council's wishes
and behind their backs, and that the information they'd
requested of the Manager related to the issue had
not been fully delivered. Order 35 was a consent agreement
with Fortin Construction Company to mitigate the violation
of constructing a house on a lot off Aurora Drive.
At the previous Monday's Council workshop meeting,
near the end at about 10:30 p.m., under cloak of "Agenda
Development," with no prior information, the
Manager informally notified the Council that he was
placing Order 35, a complicated and emotional issue
relating to a consent decree, which is a legal matter,
on the following week's agenda for Council decision.
Whoa. Councilors had questions. The Manager did not
answer them definitively, nor had he brought any relevant
paperwork with him. Council directed the Manager not
to put it on the next agenda because Councilors wanted
time to review the issue and read the requested documents.
Next morning after the workshop, the Manager put it
on the agenda anyway and sent it to Council and all
media.
For the next week, the Manager worked hard to get
to several Councilors. He called the Vice-Chair and
left two messages that he would like to talk about
Order 35. He spoke individually with Councilor Welch
in Town Office. Though he still did not produce the
documents, he gave verbal assurances to Mr. Welch.
Whisper, whisper.
It is a common manipulative tactic to try to establish
an exclusive relationship (based on apparent trust
and confidence) with one member such that they are
seen as the sole reliable source of information, and
then to manipulate the perceptions by withholding
information that would have helped in decision-making.
It is a common handling tactic to try to influence
with soft talk and friendly overtures. Combine these,
and you have the history of Order 35.
The Journal of the Federation of American Scientists
published a paper regarding the current Administration's
refusal to disclose information in the wake of the
terrorist attacks on 9-11. The paper stated that the
political system can be manipulated through strategic
withholding and disclosure of information.
Dr. Ted Flickinger, IAPD Executive Director at Northern
Illinois University Libraries, wrote of executives
and their Boards, that "The executive must realize
that, regardless of how often board members come and
go, he still works for the board. Some executives
withhold information from their boards, manipulate
their boards … It is unethical to withhold information
from the board and will almost always guarantee a
bad relationship."
Information necessary for decision making should not
be withheld. While it is a very successful tactic
of manipulation to withhold information from the group,
separate them, and murmur individual assurances with
no clear evidence to back it up, it is a very bad
way for Council to make decisions.
In the end, the Order passed and the new owners can
move in. Great. We do not take issue with that end
result, but with the process. The Manager demonstrated
clearly that he knows how to handle the Council.
By Editor Elizabeth Prata
To respond: editor@monumentnews.com, 657-5353
