Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2021 - 19

forces " (International Encyclopedia of
Education).
We now see language that helps explain
the vibe we feel-the discomfort
in the meeting room-when presenting
findings that run counter to the desires
of other key stakeholders. The concepts
outlined in Attribution Theory offer essential
insights as we explore how to
listen in the context of a discussion regarding
scope change. Understanding
our habits related to how we attribute
causality to other's actions can help create
a less reactive environment where
active listening and practical information
gathering can occur. There is a humanistic
quality to Weiner's theory that
emphasizes our shared responsibility in
creating, nurturing, and promoting an
environment of active listening. While
I cannot control the other participants'
facial reactions or body language in a
meeting, I can monitor mine. Rather
than state opinions, perhaps I rephrase
them as questions and then give myself
more time to process the answer before
responding.
It is human nature to tell ourselves
stories to make sense of our world and
day-to-day lives. These theories and an
understanding of risk perception factors
can be powerful tools we can use to
gain more control over our reactions to
perceived threats in and out of meetings.
As we become more proficient at recognizing
situations that trigger our risk
responses, we are better able to assert
control over how we frame the context
of the meetings in our minds. Once we
know what to watch for, we can become
more open to considering questions specific
to the issue at hand. These examinations
of potential triggers allow our
prefrontal cortex the chance to establish
more control over our inner monologue
and lessen the impact when the amygdala
tries to take control. Actively working
to understand the perspective of the
other side of the conversation, we open
the door to empathy, a fundamental tool
for lowering the temperature of tense
situations. And while this is a human
characteristic, we do not have to abdicate
our control and to do whatever we
want when we feel dismissed. Hopefully,
knowing where our brains want to lead
us might give us the ability to pause before
we speak and find ways to engage in
empathic responses.
EXAMINATIONS
OF POTENTIAL
TRIGGERS ALLOW
OUR PREFRONTAL
CORTEX THE
CHANCE TO
ESTABLISH MORE
CONTROL OVER
OUR INNER
MONOLOGUE
AND LESSEN THE
IMPACT WHEN
THE AMYGDALA
TRIES TO TAKE
CONTROL.
Case Studies: Saying " No "
Consider these examples of two very
different outcomes from having to say
" No " during an artistic endeavor.
Case Study No. 1: A young technical
director (TD) was hired for the first time
by a summer stock company. When the
TD signed the contract, management
agreed to provide the shop 10 professional
carpenters. Right before the start
of the build, the TD was informed that
the company had only been able to hire
four carpentry interns. By this time,
the designs had been approved and
schedules created based on the original
information, but there was still the
expectation by the administration that
the build would proceed as planned,
regardless of the drastic changes to the
available resources. How should the TD
and the organization proceed when it
becomes clear there are not enough resources
to complete the designs within
time, money, or quality parameters?
Asking for (or demanding) a redesign
at this stage of the process would have
lost precious time from an already tight
schedule, yet proceeding without the
necessary resources is foolhardy, irresponsible,
and untenable. In this case,
the TD reassessed the schedule and
went to the administration and designers
with the new projections showing
the need for a massive change to the
scale of the design. The responses were
as predictable as they were unfortunate:
" But we have built sets of this size before "
and " You should find more efficient
ways to construct the set. " In this situation,
the TD was given more responsibility
than authority, and therefore
lacked the agency to move forward effectively.
And that lack of agency meant
a lack of control, increased uncertainty
regarding how to fix the problem and a
sense of personal risk. A veritable stew
of risk response factors activated the
TD's risk response system, creating an
environment of mistrust.
In the end, there was no adjustment
to the designs, though management
was able to hire a few more part-time
carpenters onto the job in an ad-hoc,
part-time basis, further complicating
the scheduling process. The young TD
looked incompetent, the shop staff was
frustrated and overworked, and the administration
looked inflexible and out of
touch with reality. The result was a terrible
summer for all involved.
This story shows two sides engaged
in a conflict, each focused on individual
positions rather than on the shared interests
of the organization. With the
clock ticking, what management could
have done is accept the reality of the situation,
acknowledge the impact of the
resource changes then collaborate and
collectively problem-solve.
Perhaps the leadership did not like
the way the TD delivered the news.
Maybe they had never had a TD express
this kind of concern before, or they didn't
believe the numbers. Whatever the reason,
the two sides failed to resolve the
issues. As a result, this TD did what the
industry has trained us to do: Accept the
new constraints, put our heads down,
work longer hours, and make our staffs
do the same. But, this approach fuels resentment
and burnout.
Case study No. 2: A few years ago, I
was hired as the interim TD while the
company searched for a full-time replacement.
To maintain a smooth build
schedule, I wanted to start constructing
a piece of scenery early, before the official
start of the build. The scenic element
was not only difficult to build it
FALL 2021 | THEATRE DESIGN & TECHNOLOGY | 19
Theatre Design & Technology - Fall 2021

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