7 equal access to those who do? But I’m not suggesting it has to be all or nothing. Could the ordinance allow for plastic straws to be made available on request only? Or require that reusable straws be available for those who need them? Councilwoman: Hmm. I’ll need to look into the feasibility of that. I am not promising anything, but I’m willing to consider it. Frank: Thank you, I’m so glad to hear that. Our group will really appreciate your willingness to listen. We’ll all be attending the next council meeting to hear what happens with this ordinance. May I call your office a few days before the session to see which way you’re leaning? Councilwoman: Certainly. I’ll be happy to let you know what I find. Frank checked in with the councilwoman a few days later, and found that the she was willing to change the proposed ordinance to require reusable straws be made available on request to those with disabilities. However, the councilwoman expected resistance from local restaurant owners who would incur additional expense to provide the reusable straws, so Frank’s MS support group attended the council meeting to voice their strong support. Now consider these questions: 1 What was the common ground that Frank established in the beginning of the discussion? Frank commended the councilwoman’s concern for the environment, and led her to agree that providing equal access for people with disabilities was also important. 2. How did Frank persuade the councilwoman to consider his point of view? Frank appealed to her empathy by asking her to imagine herself in the position of a person with a disability, and appealed to her sense of fairness by asking if a person in that situation had equal access. 3. Did Frank show himself to be reasonable instead of argumentative? When the councilwoman said the scenario Frank described was not likely to occur often, Frank acknowledged that it would not be an issue for all people with disabilities, and made clear that he wasn’t seeking an all-or-nothing solution. 4. How did Frank close the meeting on good terms? Frank did not demand a commitment from the councilwoman, but thanked her and made arrangements to follow up. 5. How could the situation have gone differently if Frank treated the councilwoman as an adversary? With popular support for her proposal, the councilwoman may not have considered theneedsofpeoplewithdisabilitiesatallifFrankhadtreatedherinanadversarialway.