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UNR professor urges active listening, dialogue skills to address 'wicked problems'
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Summary
Dr. Amy Payson of the University of Nevada, Reno, presented a framework for deliberative civic engagement—active listening, paraphrasing and open questions—to help the advisory board and residents discuss polarizing local issues, including the park-lighting debate.
Dr. Amy Payson, an associate professor of communication studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, gave a presentation to the North Valleys Advisory Board on techniques for productive civic dialogue and deliberation to address complex “wicked problems.”
"This is really what democracy looks like," Payson said, praising resident participation and suggesting a shift from oppositional debate to collaborative dialogue when confronting local policy trade-offs such as the park-lighting discussion.
Payson described principles—connect before persuading, ask open-ended questions that invite information rather than shut down conversation, paraphrase to confirm understanding, and use facilitation techniques to keep meetings on topic. She encouraged active listening, acknowledged the role of emotions and stories in public comment, and provided resources such as Living Room Conversations for structured, moderated discussions.
During Q&A attendees asked how to de-escalate partisan arguments. Payson recommended prioritizing relationship context (friend or family vs. social media strangers), choosing moments likely to be productive, and using storytelling to humanize different perspectives.
The presentation was designed as guidance for the advisory board and residents navigating contentious local debates; Payson left slides and resources in the meeting packet.
