interest based problem solving uniserv academy october 2007

INTEREST BASED PROBLEM SOLVINGUniServ Academy

October 2007

FLEXIBILITY THE KEY TO SUCCESS

Flexibility is the KeyUse Flexibility:• In our attitudes• In our opinions• In our thinking• In our beliefs• In our words• In our perceptions• In our behavior

THE FLEXIBILITY FACTOR

Flexibility is about being willing to respond to who or what is in front of you. It means having options. If we have only one option, we’re on auto-pilot. If we have two options, we’re in a quandary. If we have three options, we’re doing okay. But if we have three or more options, we have flexibility.

Flexibility allows us to change and course correct during any event or situation. In this way everything we do with others flows more smoothly.

Flexibility is jthe key to success in communication and in life.

ELEMENTS OF INTEREST BASED PROBLEM SOLVING

Building better communication and relationships through essential conversations

Story InterestOptionsEvaluationConsensusImplementation

Essential Conversations

•Provides knowledge for self and others•Is critical in building relationships•Builds respect, trust, and power•Encourages collaboration•The foundation for learning communities

Dialogue

• A skill required for the essential conversation

• One must “be there” in the moment, every moment, and to listen intently to what is being said and what is not being said

• Seeks to develop an environment of trust and respect through

• Seeks to build understanding

Discussion and Debate

• UniServ Directors find themselves often engaged in discussion and debate

• Different points of view are presented and defended

• Alternative views need to be weighed and a preferred view selected at the end of the decision making process

• ELEMENTS OF DIALOGUE

REFLECTION

• “Thinking about how we think.” Slowing down our thinking processes so that we are aware of our mental models and how the models influence our actions.

Inquiry

• The ability to fully explore other viewpoints through open-ended questions and paraphrasing

Suspending Assumptions

• To be aware of our opinions and assumptions by holding them up for examination. This cannot be done if we are defending our opinions.

Consensus Building

• Dialogue seeks to build consensus

Rapport

• The feeling of “connection.” A sense of relationship. It is empathy, harmony or bonding. It is a feeling of understanding and being understood. It is a sense of affinity where you have a feeling of mutual acceptance.

SCENARIO #1

During a building visit you are confronted by a non-member who refuses to join the Association because of his concerns over tenure and due process. He feels that tenure and due process makes it difficult for employers to fire lousy teachers and support personnel.

SCENARIO #2

Your local president meets with you about her wanting to change the relationship between the local and the school board. The relationship has been very contentious and your president wants to develop a more collaborative working relationship and is looking to you for guidance to make it happen.

SCENARIO #3

While on a building visit you encounter a non-member who believes the Association should be out of the business of politics. We shouldn’t be making political endorsements or recommendations. The Association continues to support democrat candidates and because of this mindset the democrats have now taken control of Congress. Now all of the great things President Bush has done for our country is threatened.

PRINCIPLES OF INTEREST BASED PROBLEM SOLVING

•Focusing on issues not on personalities,

•Using reason to make decisions rather than power,

•Focusing on interests not on positions.

PHILOSOPHY OF INTEREST BASED PROBLEM SOLVING

Interest based problem solving assumes that the most effectivesolutions to problems are those reached with all affected parties (called stakeholders)


Assumes that the representatives of all stakeholder groups are in a relationship with each other and these relationships will continue.


• The stakeholders are involved in the decision —and committed to the implementation of the solution.

Quality ofRelationships

Quality ofOur Collective

Thinking

Quality ofActions We

Take

Quality ofResults

ReinforcingReinforcingLoopLoop

Interest based problem solving relies on a series of components that relate to the topic, plan, issue or problem.

STORY

STORY

Building an understanding. What it is that we want to work on?

INTERESTS

Why is it important to resolve this topic?

How will the decision impact the topic?

What will be the value once implemented?

POSITIONS versus INTERESTS

• POSITIONS

THINGS YOU SAY YOU WANT

DEMANDS

THINGS YOU SAY YOU WILL OR WILL NOT DO

• INTERESTS

UNDERLYING MOTIVATIONS

NEEDS AND CONCERNS

FEARS AND ASPIRATIONS

OPTIONS

What are the possibilities?

What solutions ?

Brainstorm activity

EVALUATION

What option (s) would best meet the interests of the parties?

Decision arrived at by consensus

CONSENSUS REACHED

• Agreement on a single option.• Each group member can honestly say:

– I believe that you understand my point of view.

– I believe that I understand your point of view.

– Whether or not I prefer this decision, I support it because:

• It was arrived at openly and fairly.• It is the best solution at this time.

IMPLEMENTATION

All parties make a commitment for

implementation

IMPLEMENTATION

Requires resources to support all decisions

STORY: explain the problem and issues in detail, clarify, analyze –

answers what?

INTERESTS: motivation to solve the problem – answers why?

IMPLEMENT: action plan [who/ what/where/when] to solve the problem

COMMIT: consensus agreement to support selected options – answers will we?

OPTIONS: brainstorm possible solutions to the problem – answers how?

Think systemically

Focus on issues, not on people

Communicate – describe, don’t accuse

Focus on interests – not on positions

Understand interests – don’t judge

them

Use consensus to decide

Know your alternatives

Seek to meet mutual and separate interests

Respect the role and responsibilities of others

Defer evaluation and commitment

An Interest-Based agreement process relies on ten key attitudes and behaviors, identified in the outer ring. Adapted from a model developed by Ron Wilson from the Oregon School Boards Association.

Relationship

EVALUATE: analyze options against interests and STANDARDS: objective measures of option’s value – answers how well?

interest based problem solving uniserv academy october 2007

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