The Conservation Professional's Guide to Working with People
by Scott A. Bonar
Island Press, 2007 Cloth: 978-1-59726-147-0 | eISBN: 978-1-59726-750-2 | Paper: 978-1-59726-148-7 Library of Congress Classification S944.53.C65B66 2007 Dewey Decimal Classification 333.72014
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
ABOUT THIS BOOK
Successful natural resource management is much more than good science; it requires working with landowners, meeting deadlines, securing funding, supervising staff, and cooperating with politicians. The ability to work effectively with people is as important for the conservation professional as it is for the police officer, the school teacher, or the lawyer. Yet skills for managing human interactions are rarely taught in academic science programs, leaving many conservation professionals woefully unprepared for the daily realities of their jobs.
Written in an entertaining, easy-to-read style, The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with People fills a gap in conservation education by offering a practical, how-to guide for working effectively with colleagues, funders, supervisors, and the public. The book explores how natural resource professionals can develop skills and increase their effectiveness using strategies and techniques grounded in social psychology, negotiation, influence, conflict resolution, time management, and a wide range of other fields. Examples from history and current events, as well as real-life scenarios that resource professionals are likely to face, provide context and demonstrate how to apply the skills described.
The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with People should be on the bookshelf of any environmental professional who wants to be more effective while at the same time reducing job-related stress and improving overall quality of life. Those who are already good at working with people will learn new tips, while those who are petrified by the thought of conducting public meetings, requesting funding, or working with constituents will find helpful, commonsense advice about how to get started and gain confidence.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY Scott A. Bonar is on the faculty of the University of Arizona and is leader of the U.S. Geological Survey's Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He has won numerous awards during his 23 years of natural resources work in state and federal agencies, academia, and private industry.
REVIEWS
"Conserving essential natural resources requires more than specialized knowledge and advanced technologies—it calls for finely honed 'people skills.' Brimming with insights from hands-on experience, this book offers reassuring, wise, and entertaining guidance from a seasoned professional."
— Paul R. Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University, author of One with Nineveh
"This book means you don't have to read a book on conflict resolution, another on managing personnel, and a third on time management. Bonar has nicely summarized these in a single, easy-to-read book that is relevant to the conservation field."
— Ecological Management and Restoration
"I recommend the book to anyone who is short on time and looking for some new skills to bring to the table: it will make you more aware of your relationships with others and raise your skills—personal and professional— to a higher level."
— Ecological Restoration
"This practical, how-to book is written for resource professionals, ranging from students just embarking on their careers to seasoned managers and supervisors...I enjoyed reading this book and expect to consult it often in the future. I also look forward to bringing this book into my classrooms: Bonar's conversational style and the book's short, effective chapters will encourage reading by students and will provide material for engaging discussions. Furthermore, the high-quality binding and reasonable price of the paperback edition make for a valuable, durable book that is economically accessible to students and professionals alike."
— Journal of Mammalogy
"As a conservation professional himself, Bonar understands the situations one can get into and shows how basic principles of negotiation, customer service, and persuasion can apply to natural resources situations."
— Natural Areas Journal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter 1. A Personal Story
Chapter 2. The Importance of Effective People Skills in Conservation
How Human Behavior Affects the Environment
Why Should We Protect the Environment?
How Good Are Natural Resource Professionals at Modifying Human Behavior?
Examples of People Skills in Action: Lake Davis and Devils Hole
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 3. How to Resolve Conflict and Defuse Contentious Situations: Verbal Judo and Other Communication Techniques .
Verbal Judo
Understand Your Critic
The Verbal Judo Stage or Disarming Your Critic
Diplomatically State Your Point of View
Verbal Judo in Action ¿ The Angry Man in the Truck
Communication in Crisis Situations
Gundersen and Hopper Techniques
Thompson Verbal Judo Methods
Dealing with Hecklers ¿ A Common Occurrence for Conservation Professionals
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 4. How to Persuade People
Needs of People
Techniques of Influence
Liking and Similarity
Authority
Reciprocation
Commitment and Consistency
Social Proof
Scarcity
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 5. Customer Service and Getting Funded.
Secrets of Customer Service
Getting Funded
Using Influence Principles
Project Wrap-up and the Importance of Being Timely
The Asian Tapeworm: An Example of Obtaining Project Funding
Chapter Summary
Chapter 6. How to Negotiate Effectively
Interest-Based Bargaining
Know and Improve Your BATNA. Cast Doubts on Theirs
Focus on Underlying Interests, Not Positions
Invent Options for Mutual Gain
Use Objective Criteria to Argue for ¿The Package¿ You Favor
Negotiate as if Relationships Mattered
Two Examples of Real-Life Negotiations: The Reserve Mining Company and Snoqualmie Dam
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 7 ¿ How to Manage Yourself
Time Management
The Master List
Review of Your Master List
The Daily List
Avoiding the Timewasters
Organizing Paperwork and Equipment
The TRAF System
What To Do If Your Workspace Looks Like a Disaster Area
Organizing Field Equipment
Coping with Stress, Depression or Anxiety
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 8. How to Effectively Manage Personnel
How to Hire Good Staff
How to Manage Staff
Getting Rid of the Problem Employee
Working With Your Boss
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 9. How To Make a Good Impression on a Field Project
Tips for Everyone
Tips for Supervisors
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 10 ¿ Defending Yourself From Dirty Tricks, Machiavellianism and Other Annoyances
How to Defend Yourself Against Underhanded Tactics
Character Assassination, Bullying, and Scapegoating
Dealing With Those Who Steal Your Ideas and Take Credit
Bureaucratic Intransigence
Naysayers
Lying
Dirty Tricks During Negotiation
What if You Screw Up?
Machiavelli and The Prince
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 11. Conclusion
Notes
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
The Conservation Professional's Guide to Working with People
by Scott A. Bonar
Island Press, 2007 Cloth: 978-1-59726-147-0 eISBN: 978-1-59726-750-2 Paper: 978-1-59726-148-7
Successful natural resource management is much more than good science; it requires working with landowners, meeting deadlines, securing funding, supervising staff, and cooperating with politicians. The ability to work effectively with people is as important for the conservation professional as it is for the police officer, the school teacher, or the lawyer. Yet skills for managing human interactions are rarely taught in academic science programs, leaving many conservation professionals woefully unprepared for the daily realities of their jobs.
Written in an entertaining, easy-to-read style, The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with People fills a gap in conservation education by offering a practical, how-to guide for working effectively with colleagues, funders, supervisors, and the public. The book explores how natural resource professionals can develop skills and increase their effectiveness using strategies and techniques grounded in social psychology, negotiation, influence, conflict resolution, time management, and a wide range of other fields. Examples from history and current events, as well as real-life scenarios that resource professionals are likely to face, provide context and demonstrate how to apply the skills described.
The Conservation Professional’s Guide to Working with People should be on the bookshelf of any environmental professional who wants to be more effective while at the same time reducing job-related stress and improving overall quality of life. Those who are already good at working with people will learn new tips, while those who are petrified by the thought of conducting public meetings, requesting funding, or working with constituents will find helpful, commonsense advice about how to get started and gain confidence.
AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY Scott A. Bonar is on the faculty of the University of Arizona and is leader of the U.S. Geological Survey's Arizona Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit. He has won numerous awards during his 23 years of natural resources work in state and federal agencies, academia, and private industry.
REVIEWS
"Conserving essential natural resources requires more than specialized knowledge and advanced technologies—it calls for finely honed 'people skills.' Brimming with insights from hands-on experience, this book offers reassuring, wise, and entertaining guidance from a seasoned professional."
— Paul R. Ehrlich, Bing Professor of Population Studies, Stanford University, author of One with Nineveh
"This book means you don't have to read a book on conflict resolution, another on managing personnel, and a third on time management. Bonar has nicely summarized these in a single, easy-to-read book that is relevant to the conservation field."
— Ecological Management and Restoration
"I recommend the book to anyone who is short on time and looking for some new skills to bring to the table: it will make you more aware of your relationships with others and raise your skills—personal and professional— to a higher level."
— Ecological Restoration
"This practical, how-to book is written for resource professionals, ranging from students just embarking on their careers to seasoned managers and supervisors...I enjoyed reading this book and expect to consult it often in the future. I also look forward to bringing this book into my classrooms: Bonar's conversational style and the book's short, effective chapters will encourage reading by students and will provide material for engaging discussions. Furthermore, the high-quality binding and reasonable price of the paperback edition make for a valuable, durable book that is economically accessible to students and professionals alike."
— Journal of Mammalogy
"As a conservation professional himself, Bonar understands the situations one can get into and shows how basic principles of negotiation, customer service, and persuasion can apply to natural resources situations."
— Natural Areas Journal
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Preface
Chapter 1. A Personal Story
Chapter 2. The Importance of Effective People Skills in Conservation
How Human Behavior Affects the Environment
Why Should We Protect the Environment?
How Good Are Natural Resource Professionals at Modifying Human Behavior?
Examples of People Skills in Action: Lake Davis and Devils Hole
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 3. How to Resolve Conflict and Defuse Contentious Situations: Verbal Judo and Other Communication Techniques .
Verbal Judo
Understand Your Critic
The Verbal Judo Stage or Disarming Your Critic
Diplomatically State Your Point of View
Verbal Judo in Action ¿ The Angry Man in the Truck
Communication in Crisis Situations
Gundersen and Hopper Techniques
Thompson Verbal Judo Methods
Dealing with Hecklers ¿ A Common Occurrence for Conservation Professionals
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 4. How to Persuade People
Needs of People
Techniques of Influence
Liking and Similarity
Authority
Reciprocation
Commitment and Consistency
Social Proof
Scarcity
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 5. Customer Service and Getting Funded.
Secrets of Customer Service
Getting Funded
Using Influence Principles
Project Wrap-up and the Importance of Being Timely
The Asian Tapeworm: An Example of Obtaining Project Funding
Chapter Summary
Chapter 6. How to Negotiate Effectively
Interest-Based Bargaining
Know and Improve Your BATNA. Cast Doubts on Theirs
Focus on Underlying Interests, Not Positions
Invent Options for Mutual Gain
Use Objective Criteria to Argue for ¿The Package¿ You Favor
Negotiate as if Relationships Mattered
Two Examples of Real-Life Negotiations: The Reserve Mining Company and Snoqualmie Dam
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 7 ¿ How to Manage Yourself
Time Management
The Master List
Review of Your Master List
The Daily List
Avoiding the Timewasters
Organizing Paperwork and Equipment
The TRAF System
What To Do If Your Workspace Looks Like a Disaster Area
Organizing Field Equipment
Coping with Stress, Depression or Anxiety
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 8. How to Effectively Manage Personnel
How to Hire Good Staff
How to Manage Staff
Getting Rid of the Problem Employee
Working With Your Boss
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 9. How To Make a Good Impression on a Field Project
Tips for Everyone
Tips for Supervisors
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 10 ¿ Defending Yourself From Dirty Tricks, Machiavellianism and Other Annoyances
How to Defend Yourself Against Underhanded Tactics
Character Assassination, Bullying, and Scapegoating
Dealing With Those Who Steal Your Ideas and Take Credit
Bureaucratic Intransigence
Naysayers
Lying
Dirty Tricks During Negotiation
What if You Screw Up?
Machiavelli and The Prince
Conclusion
Chapter Summary
Chapter 11. Conclusion
Notes
REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE
If you are a student who cannot use this book in printed form, BiblioVault may be able to supply you
with an electronic file for alternative access.
Please have the accessibility coordinator at your school fill out this form.
It can take 2-3 weeks for requests to be filled.
ABOUT THIS BOOK | AUTHOR BIOGRAPHY | REVIEWS | TOC | REQUEST ACCESSIBLE FILE