Squeaky wheels don’t always get the grease

If my bike wheels squeak, I clean and lube the chain, and anything else that moves on the bike.

If the ‘squeaky wheels’ are at a roundtable or workshop, a bottle of oil won’t do the trick.

Just occasionally, I wish it would.

Squeaky wheels speak the loudest, generally about the same thing, and hog our attention and energy.

A common concern for clients from any sector is how to handle the ‘squeaky wheels’ who they are worried about coming to their roundtable or workshop.

‘Just don’t invite them.’

That’s ducking the inevitable. They’ll find out. As a wise woman, Dr Leeora Black once told me, stakeholders come in packages called issues. If they have an interest in your business, service or program, they’ll tell you about it.

If not at the workshop, they’ll let you know their thoughts on a social media platform, tell a journalist or contact your CEO or Minister direct.

My advice to clients is that it’s much better to have the ‘squeaky wheels’ in the room, than outside. Inviting them to be part of an authentic engagement process may not ‘win’ them over, but they may start to appreciate the process when they see and feel it.

It may not change their mind, but they are able to separate their views from the process.

Like squeaky Steve*. He turned up to an intense community process we conducted over several weeks with one thing on his mind and was not going to budge. His pet peeve accompanied him everywhere, like a little storm cloud over his head. Pushed the wrong way or provoked, there’d be thunder and lightning.

Every now and then, a little ray of sunshine would appear. Like when I saw him having lunch with a recently-arrived migrant about 20 years his junior. They were chatting away like old friends.

A few months later I returned with a videographer to capture participants thoughts about the project, and the process. I was really surprised when Steve told me he’d be happy to talk on camera.

His words were like something out of engagement training 101.

‘Look,’ he said with his arms folded. ‘I wasn’t happy with the group’s decision then and still am not now. But I can’t fault the process. It was sound. Everyone had an opportunity to speak and I know I was heard.’

You could have knocked me over with a feather.

Next time you hear your colleagues fretting about, ‘just hearing from the same old squeaky wheels’, tell them about squeaky Steve.

And if you’ve got a story about your own squeaky Steve, I’d love to hear it.

*not his real name

If you’re ready to deepen your understanding of who will be in the room or on the screen – and how to engage with the ‘squeaky wheels’ - I’d love to work with you. Here are two ways I can help.

1. Public Backstage Masterclass Series

4 x 75-minute online sessions with a small group of just 8.
Tuesday 20 April – Tuesday 11 May
All the details and to register, are here.

2. In house Backstage Masterclass series

4 x 75-minute online sessions for up to 10 people
4 sessions over 4 consecutive weeks

Just comment or email me with the subject line ‘backstage’ and we’ll book a time for a call.