Problem Commitment

Checklist to Develop Problem Commitment (Each organization must be committed) 1. 2. Determine the priority objectives for key organizations. To change an organizations priorities, we need to know:
A) B) the decision-makers; what communication will have to take place Exploit a crisis. Use comparison Use basic Education Emphasize reciprocal obligations Demonstrations and trial Evidence based on citizens preferences Point out the costs and benefits

3.

Strategies to change priorities.

A) B) C) D) E) F)

G)

Problem Commitment
Worksheet
List the 6 key organizations to be coordinated: VERY IMPORTANT Org. 1 Is organization committed to the problem? YES NO If NO, how would you get organizations committed? Which decision makers? Which strategy?

Org. 2

Org. 3

IMPORTANT Org. 4

Org. 5

Org. 6

Coordination Commitment
Checklist to Develop Coordination Commitment
Organizations may be committed to the problem (step 4) but may not be committed to coordinate with other organizations in helping to solve the problem. A coordinator needs to know why organizations are or are not willing to coordinate. Also, the coordinator needs to be able to use strategies to develop coordination commitment. Reasons for Coordination: Pressure: From government From agencies Public demand Interdependence of programs Reasons Against Coordination: Differences in organizational structures Little knowledge of other organizations Adverse member reaction Adverse public reaction Agreements not clearly spelled out Evaluation by other organizations Unequal costs to organizations Too large a proportion of total budget required Difficult to terminate unsuccessful relationships Out of Control Loss of clients Loss of decision-making power Who will get credit? Loss of control over funds Staff not trained Staff doesnt want to work with paraprofessionals Too much staff time required Little knowledge about problem area Organization hasnt participated in coordinated efforts before

Funds:

Cost sharing Available from state and federal Future benefits Autonomy loss only in selected area for limited time

Autonomy:

Expertise:

Have available staff who are experienced

Past Experience:

Relevant experience on comparable projects and/or problems

Coordination Commitment
Worksheet
List the 6 key organizations to be coordinated
Is each organization willing to take part in a coordinated effort? If NO, what stategies would you use to get organizations committed?

YES

NO

If YES why?

If NO why not?

VERY IMPORTANT
Org. 1 _________ ______ _______ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _______ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _______ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________

Org. 2 _________

______

Org. 3 _________

______

IMPORTANT
Org. 4 __________ ______ _______ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _______ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _______ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ _______________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

Org. 5 __________ ______

Org. 6 __________ ______

Checklist to Develop Consensus

If a high degree of consensus exists, all the key organizations want to work together. Sometimes, one or more organizations want to go it alone or leave another organization out. Then, a coordinator may have to build consensus among organizations. A. Reasons an organization may not want to work with another organization: 1. Disagree on defining the problem. 2. Disagree on how to accomplish the task. 3. Disagree on resources needed. 4. Too many resources expected. 5. Personality conflict between organizational staffs. 6. Professionals dont want to work with nonprofessionals. 7. Bad experience with past coordination efforts. 8. Fear or loss of autonomy.

B. Checklist of strategies to produce consensus: 1. Emphasize mutual interdependence between key organizations. 2. Spell out the limited areas of cooperation needed and the time period. 3. Review all other strategies that can be used to influence decisions.

Consensus
Three General Strategies to Help Get Coordination Commitment and Consensus (and if needed, Problem Commitment): A. Empathy: The Coordinators first step: 1. The Coordinator puts himself in the shoes of a representative from the reluctant organization and tries to convince him/her to coordinate. 2. The Coordinator develops empathy for participants. B. Reference Group Techniques: 1. Determine the decision-makers in the reluctant organization. 2. How do the decision-makers make decisions? Influences from within their own organizations. 3. Determine what the communication is like when decisions about priorities are made. 4. What decision-makers in other organizations can influence those in the reluctant organizations? Work with these people? 5. Find out if local power actors can exert influence on the organizational decisionmakers. Cultivate support.

Consensus (cont.)
C. Proportionate Analysis: 1. The proportion of an organizations resources needed for coordination may be more important than the absolute amount of resources needed (compared to other organizations). 2. The larger the proportion of resources needed, the less likely the organization will wish to participate.

Consensus
Worksheet
List the 6 key organizations to be coordinated Which key organization(s) might this organization not like to work with in a coordinated effort? Reasons for not wanting to work with this organization? What strategy will you use to obtain consensus between the organizations?

VERY IMPORTANT Org. 1. _________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ Org. 2. _________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________

Org. 3. _________

IMPORTANT Org. 1. _________

_________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________ _________________ __________________ ________________

Org. 2. _________

Org. 3. _________

How I Respond to Conflict

In the space at right list horizontally all of the people with whom you occasionally have conflicts. Then place a check mark by the way you deal with conflicts with that individual.
Names of Individuals: (horizontally) 1. Avoid the person. 2. Change the subject. 3. Admit that you are wrong even if you are not. 4. Give in. 5. Pretend to agree. 6. Whine or complain until you get your way. 7. Play the martyr. Give in but let the other person know how much you are suffering. 8. Try to reach a compromise. 9. Try to understand the other persons point of view. 10. Try to find a new solution both of you will find acceptable. 11. Be persistent. Wear down the opposition. 12. Use your authority. Order the other person to obey you. 13. Use sarcasm or ridicule. 14. Defend your position. 15. Use your power to win your position. 16. Acknowledge the conflict and work for a consensus. 17. Try to manipulate to gain the advantage. 18. Others:

Dealing with Conflict Creatively

The Nature of Conflict
When an action by one person prevents, obstructs or interferes with the action of another person, conflict exists. Conflict Situations: 1) 2) 3) Two parties are involved in interaction Mutually exclusive goals and/or values exist Interaction is characterized by behavior designed to defeat, reduce or suppress the opponent or to gain a mutually designated victory. The parties have an imbalance or relatively favored position of power vis--vis the other.

4)

Behaviors Involved in Conflict Situations

1) Mirror image: Both parties feel they are innocent victims who represented truth & justice. Another term is Apolarized Thinking. 2) Mote Beam Mechanism: Each party perceives all the underhanded and vicious acts of the other party while being blind to identical acts engaged in by oneself. 3) Double Standard: If both parties are aware of identical acts they and others engage in, they often feel it is legitimate for themselves but illegitimate for the other party.

A Way to Manage Conflict

1. Identify the Problem.
2. Collect all relevant data. 3. 4. Make the familiar unfamiliar Choose a solution

5.

Evaluation - Pick best fit and implement it.

Models of Conflict Management (Jay Hall)

Two dimensional: Concern for relationship & concern for personal goals 1. Win/Lose Style - Focus on personal goals; Style is aggressive, dogmatic, inflexible with considerable use of suppression and coercion. 2. Yield/Lose Style - focus on concern for relationship. Style seeks to appease by ignoring, denying or avoiding conflict with tendency to submit to other.

3. Lose/Leave Style - Focus is one of hopelessness, protecting oneself. Characterized by depersonalization and careful avoidance; some compliance but without commitment.

Models of Conflict Management (Jay Hall) (cont.)

4. Compromise Style - characterized by a little winning and a little losing. Losing is softened by limiting gains. Strong use of persuasion and manipulation. Opportunism and ends justify the means further characterized this approach. 5. Synergistic Style or Win/Win major focus is upon goals of persons or members and to the well-being of the relationship - all at once. Tolerance for differences is essential. A climate of trust is also critical. There can be no hidden agendas.

Preferences to the Conflict Management Styles

1.
2. 3. 4. 5.

Win/Win or Synergistic Style

Compromise Style Yield/Lose Style Win/Lose Style Lose/Leave Style

The Negotiation Model

1. SEPARATE THE PERSON FROM THE PROBLEM -- Active listening, paraphrasing -- I messages -- The problem is not you, its 2. FOCUS ON INTERESTS, NOT POSITIONS Interest = needs, desires, fears, etc. Make your interests specific, clear, look for multiple interests. Positions = I will, I wont, you better, you must

The Negotiation Model - (cont.)

3. EXPAND THE OPTIONS FOR MUTUAL GAIN -- brainstorm -- find shared interests options -- avoid single right solutions

4.

USE OBJECTIVE CRITERIA -- brainstorm objective criteria -- stay flexible -- avoid yielding to temporary pressure for unspecified contract

5.

RESTATE MUTUAL CONTRACT TERMS

Techniques for Listening

1. Acknowledge: Pay Attention That sounds like a difficult situation Validate: Show understanding You must be very frustrated Empathize: Identify with the situation Its hard to feel caught in the middle Clarify: Help with full expression Summarize: Review Statements ... That is what Ive heard so far ...

2.

3.

4. 5.

Blocks to Listening
1. 2. Derailing: The listener throws conversation off track. Comparing: Comparing experiences when they dont add insight. Filtering: To hear only those parts important to listener and tune out everything else. Rehearsing: Concentrating on what you are going to say while the other person is talking. Judging: Judging another persons actions prematurely.

3.

4.

5.

Self Assessment Checklist

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. Do I make effective eye contact? Do I exhibit affirmative head nods and appropriate facial gestures? Do I avoid distracting actions or gestures that suggest boredom? Do I ask questions to clarify the situation? Do I paraphrase using my own words? Do I avoid interrupting the speaker? Do I overtalk? Do I remain neutral or do I judge what is being said? Do I acknowledge and validate feelings and thoughts, and did I try to empathize? Do I listen even though I may not like the person who is talking or what is being said?

Guidelines for Reaching Consensus

1. 2. Practice active listening skills. Encourage participation from each member of the group. Share information. Dont agree too quickly. Dont bargain or trade support. Dont vote. Treat differences as a strength. Jointly craft a solution that can be supported. Avoid arguing blindly for your position. Seek a mutual-gain solution.

3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.

Promoting Open Communication

1. Neutrality:Could you say more about that? Help me understand your reasoning. 2. Re-framing: Changing the syntax or wording of message. Example: You dont get it do you? If these large hog factories come into the county, our quality of life will be destroyed! Re-framed by you: It sounds like maintaining a good quality of life in your county is important to you, and that you think that a hog facility might damage that.

Urban/Rural Value Differences

Attribute
Community Interaction Roles Sanctions Orientation Leadership

Rural
Mandatory Ascribed

Urban
Voluntary Achieved

Particularistic Universalistic Group Traditional Individual Rational

Role Expectations Fit Individual Individual Fits Role

Norms Relations Informal Primary Formal Secondary

Goals
Authority

May Not Justify Means Justify Means

Traditional Rational

The Basics of Community Conflict

Value Conflict
All sides in an issue do not agree as to what is valued in the community.

Resource Conflict
All sides in community agree on what is valued. See the resource as limited. Belief that if one aide gets the resource the other loses.

Disagreement exists regarding what should be done next in the community. Agreement exists as to what to do but neither side sees and alternative but Dissensus exists- that is, winning it all. the disagreement between the groups is based on differing values. Personalities may also play a role in value conflict- individuals may see themselves tied closely to their public position.

Personalities may also play a role in resource conflict.

Occupation of key players in the conflict may also influence community support or non-support

Stages of Community Conflict

Build-up Stage High Conflict Stage Post or new Build-up Stage

Coalitions Develop

Charges & Counter-Charges Develop A Quiet Atmosphere Develops

Highest Potential For Resolution of Conflict

A Model of Community Conflict Resolution

Base Possible Resolution Tactics
Conversion To A New Image

Consensus (Resource Scarce)

Dissensus (Value Conflict)

Negotiated Settlement

Mediating Circumstances can influence success of resolution tactics

Resolving Value Conflict

Identify stage of conflict Identify key players Bring conflict out in the open, i.e. a public meeting

Ask key players to meet to discuss differences

Focus on areas of agreement Provide arena for input from all sides
For serious conflict use a mediator

Resolving Resource Conflict

Identify stage of conflict

Identify key players

Create new or use existing social events to bring groups together socially Identify ways to create a new image of who is a member of the larger community Move slowly

Strategies for Resolving Community Conflict

1) Identify type of conflict

2) If a value conflict exists-organize open discussion session

3) If a resource conflict exists-organize members of factions 4) Provide accurate information to the community 5) Maintain or develop contact with representatives from all of the factions within the community 6) Organize a mediation session 7) Continue Build-up stage strategies

Community Conflict Using it for Progress

Value Conflict
1) Bring differing views out into the public eye. Can be used to move in new directions.
2) Can provide input form minority views within the community. 3) Provides areas of agreement to build on.

Resource Conflict
1) Identifies areas for new coalitions.

2) Provides specific areas to develop.

3) Social activities developed to resolve resource conflicts add to marketing areas for community.