Am I naively putting myself into a warming pot?
My policy is to stay out of it. Keeping the mouth shut is a hard thing for me, but necessary. Polite pleasantries are fine.
Direct questions I typically deflect. "Who knows what will happen? People often get surveys and do nothing." Something like that.
If they do not take the hint I say something close to this: "If you were my client, would you want me to discuss your ideas with your neighbors? In my experience, it is best when neighbors talk to each other."
I also try to limit the gossip and bad blood I am given. Set boundaries, demand respect. Respect is more important than a client or an adjoined "liking you". Over time, people will like people they respect. They may not respect people they like...and that like can flip on a dime (literally).
So you all certainly have years of dealing with this stuff, but I thought I'd throw this out for anyone interested. The neighbor wrote me that night with pleasantries about the time I took away to talk with him. Of the 20 minutes I spent, at least 15 were about life and about 5 of me playing (?) dumb.
I wrote him back. Yesterday morning he writes:
"When I left my home to go to work, I saw you were still working. I also saw some markers near my dog fence and wondered what they mean. I see the flags are blue on wooden stakes and there was a marking whisker next to the blue flagged wooden stakes.
Thank you for what information you are able to provide."I thought about it for a day, going back and forth between not responding at all or, if I did, how could I reply in kind but with truth.I replied:"Regarding your question, ethically I can't comment. Not because of any conspiracy or contractual requirement, but honestly because even if Xxxx had told me his intentions (which he hasn't) anything I said about it would truly be hearsay and could very easily cause just as much confusion as understanding. I don't know him at all, but with me he's certainly been reasonable and open to discussion. He'd be the only one to be able to tell anyone with any certainty what he's planning, if anything.Bless you, brother. I hope we meet again.Dave"Am I naively putting myself into a warming pot?
This is the best answer you could give. Ethically correct, and not "taking sides".