Bringing a Knife to a Gun Fight

Don’t be naive about who your opponents are and what they really want. Seemingly irrational opponents may have a very rational motivation to shut you down. Identifying covert competitor generated opposition is essential if you want to successfully overcome it and get your project or initiative approved. Dealing with abutters, neighbors and impacted stakeholders with […]

Ten Things You Should Know About Project Applicants

1. They have got to win this approval. The business men and women who appear before your commissions and boards seeking approvals are under tremendous pressure to succeed. They need to win approval. Careers are made and fortunes lost on these endeavors. The stakes are high for their companies and for them personally. 2. Responsible […]

Ten Things You Should Know About Project Opponents

1. Opponents defy demographics. They now come from every ethnicity, age, party, ideology, region, religion, and gender. While in many situations the more affluent — with the most to lose in potential real estate values — are the most common opponents, they tend to defy categorization and come from virtually all walks of life. 2. […]