Written by: Vickie Sullivan | February 15, 2022
How to Disprove Powerful Players
Another moment from TEDWomen 2021 that I can’t stop thinking about: how environmentalist Ozawa Bineshi Albert totally negated a presenter who spoke before her during Session 4 of the event.
What happened: Speaker #1, who represented the business interest, touted that while we may not be on track yet, big business is ready to step up with strong climate change commitments. Albert responded with an on-the-ground assessment not only on that meeting, but also on the agreements that took place at 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP26).
2 Ways to Refute Powerful Players
Their interchange begs the question: How do we refute powerful players? Here are two tactics you can take from Albert’s playbook:
• Focus on the impact. Albert gave concrete examples of why the major commitment – carbon trading credits – really didn’t benefit those on the ground. By shifting the stage from big idea to the ground level, she made room for good intentions, which softened the blow. (She didn’t cut slack on the impact though.)
• Focus on the players. Albert noted that she and other front-line leaders couldn’t attend COP26 due to admission criteria. And that set the stage for this bombshell: The biggest attendance came from fossil fuel lobbyists. This lack of participation from serious stakeholders lessened the credibility of the ideas presented.
Listen: How to Position Opposition Against Powerful Players
Contradicting powerful forces takes some finesse. Appear too strident, and you’ll be dismissed as “radical.” Appear too soft, and you’ll be ignored. Albert balanced the two expertly. I highly suggest checking out Albert’s talk; it’s an excellent inspiration and example.
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