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Conflict Resolution and Politically Charged Situations
Jeanne F. [email protected]
www.disputeresolutioncenter.orgMarch 2017
Co-Creating Evaluation Communities:Learning from Each Other
Jean King: “If there's money or power involved, it's politically charged!"
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Guidelines? Groundrules?
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Who’s here today?
EVALUATION CONFLICT RESOLUTION
The Intersection
• Evaluation means different things to different people Jean A. King
• So does Conflict Resolution
5.0 INTERPERSONAL DOMAIN—focuses on human relations and social interactions that ground evaluator effectiveness.
The competent evaluator . . .
5.1 Values and fosters positive interpersonal relations as foundational for effective evaluation practice.
5.2 Uses appropriate social skills to enhance interaction for effective evaluation practice.
5.3 Listens to understand and engages diverse perspectives in evaluation.
5.4 Communicates in meaningful ways throughout the evaluation (written, verbal, visual, etc.).
5.5 Demonstrates culturally responsive interaction throughout the evaluation.
5.6 Facilitates constructive interaction among those involved in the evaluation.
5.7 Applies teamwork skills for collaborative endeavors in evaluation.
5.8 Negotiates evaluation issues soundly and fairly.
5.9 Addresses conflicts and disputes constructively in evaluation.
AEA Evaluator CompetenciesDRAFT REVISION—2/24/2016
Essential Competencies for Program Evaluators (ECPE)
“Establishing Essential Competencies for Program Evaluators,”by L. Stevahn, J. A. King, G. Ghere, and J. Minnema, 2005,
American Journal of Evaluation, Vol. 26, No. 1, pp. 43-59.
3.0. Situational Analysis3.1 Describes the program 3.2 Determines program evaluability 3.3 Identifies the interests of relevant stakeholders 3.4 Serves the information needs of intended users3.5 Addresses conflicts3.6 Examines the organizational context of the evaluation3.7 Analyzes the political considerations relevant to the
evaluation 3.8 Attends to issues of evaluation use 3.9 Attends to issues of organizational change3.10 Respects the uniqueness of the evaluation site and
client3.11 Remains open to input from others3.12 Modifies the study as needed
6.0. Interpersonal Competence6.1 Uses written communication skills6.2 Uses verbal/listening communication skills6.3 Uses negotiation skills6.4 Uses conflict resolution skills6.5 Facilitates constructive interpersonal
interaction (teamwork, group facilitation, processing)
6.6 Demonstrates cross-cultural competence
Social Justice Competence
“Integrating Social Justice into the Teaching of Evaluation” Thomas & Madison 2010
Interpersonal Knowledge and SkillsVerbal and listening communication skills (including active listening); negotiation and conflict-resolution skills; teamwork, group facilitation and processing; cultural competence; trust building; “interpersonal validity”
Kirkhart 1996
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Reflective Practice
A conflict exists whenever incompatible activities occur
• Deutsch 1973
Conflict
Any situation in which people have incompatible interests, goals, principles, or feelings
Runde and Flanagan 2007
People can change the way they respond to conflict (not-hard wired)
Conflict unfoldsThe earlier the response to conflict the
greater the effectThe more we know about our response
patterns, the more equipped we are
Conflict
“Instead of condemning [conflict], we should set it to work for us.... All polishing is done by friction. The music of the violin we get by friction….We talk of the friction of mind on mind as a good thing.... That is what I wish to consider here, whether we can get conflict to work and make it do something for us!
Mary Parker Follett, 1926
“The Chinese symbol for crisis combines the characters for danger and opportunity.
OVERVIEW OF CONFLICTPersonal View of Conflict
•past experiences/childhood• positive/negative
• attitudes/beliefs/values• expectations
Personal Response to Conflict•Physical reactions – feel ill or unsettled, nervous or anxious, talk argue (fight)
• Mental reactions – give up, pretend nothing is wrong, avoid, joke, (flight)• Emotional reactions – cry, complain to somebody else, anger, sadness
RESULTS/CONSEQUENCES•Resolution, Relief
•Impact on relationship-positive or negative•Stress, Escalation
• Hurt Feelings• Understanding• De-escalation
CONFLICT OCCURS
Altered
Reinforced
Effects of Conflict on People
○ Destabilizes experience of self and other● confused, fearful, disorganized, vulnerable,
powerless, uncertain, indecisive○ Makes us more vulnerable and more self-
absorbed than before ● self-protective, defensive, suspicious, hostile,
closed-minded
(Transformative Approach)
UNRESOLVED CONFLICT TENDS TO PRODUCE:
○ Vicious circles
○ Interaction quickly degenerates and becomes destructive, alienating and dehumanizing
Where is Conflict in Evaluation?
Where is Conflict in Evaluation?
BeginningNegotiation TOREvaluability assessment
DuringCollecting informationAnalyzing dataInterpreting dataStakeholders
Reporting, UseWhat data to whomRenegotiating
HOW IS DIAGNOSING CONFLICT RELEVANT TO EVALUATION?
○ Diagnosis is the first step in assessing the conflict
○ Necessary to understand what is happening with you and others in the conflict
○ With awareness, you can choose to take positive action
○ Can be used every day○ Enhances your “conflict fluency” – ability to
positively respond to conflict
MODELS OF DIAGNOSING CONFLICT○ Good models of diagnosis provide two
things:● Help you diagnose the conflict simply and
effectively● Give you direction and ideas on how to resolve it
○ Many options ○ Circle of Conflict and Conflict Wheel○ Simple, accessible, practical, complete
How Does Good Diagnosis Help?
○ Good diagnosis lets us identify our own conflict sources (our “stuff”)
○ It creates opportunities to be more purposeful in dealing with conflict
○ Conflict is normal and happens every day; our RESPONSE is what matters
○ Choosing to make positive shifts in conflict leads to constructive interaction and relationships
CONFLICT WHEEL(Christopher Moore, CDR Associates, Boulder, CO)
Gary Furlong, The Conflict Resolution Toolbox, 2005
Information
DATA/ INFORMATION
○ Easiest type of conflict to resolve○ Lack of information: no one knows○ Misinformation: someone lies or is inaccurate○ Too much information: no one understands○ Problems collecting information: few can find
out○ Conflicting interpretations of information:
multiple views of what the data means
DATA/ INFORMATIONPOSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
○ Develop common criteria○ Agree on data-collection process(es),
methods, time sequencing○ Determine what is important ○ Use experts’ outside opinions
STRUCTURE
○ The “way things get done” in organization sets the tone and can create challenges
○ Examples:● Limited resources: no $ for new ideas Authority
problems: program staff lacks authority to do what evaluator wants
● Organizational structures: different units who work together but with different heads
● Geographic constraints: divided locations
STRUCTUREPOSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
○ Clearly define roles/responsibilities○ Change physical/environmental relationship
of participants/stakeholders○ Modify time constraints○ Address external pressures
RELATIONSHIPS
○ Negative past experience with● same person, or person in same role
(former spouse), or person acting same way (yelling)
○ Stereotypes (e.g., “brainiacs,” women drivers, “hicks from the sticks”)
○ Repetitive negative behaviors between affiliated groups
RELATIONSHIPSPOSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
○ Clarify perceptions○ Improve quality and quantity of
communication○ Encourage/facilitate positive problem
solving○ Block negative repetitive behavior
EXTERNALS/ MOODS
○ Work-related factors that may influence all, e.g., contract negotiations for new contract affecting people’s attitudes at work
○ Non-work related factors that affect person’s behavior (e.g., someone divorcing is irritable and anxious at work)
○ “Bad hair days”: general bad moods
EXTERNALS/ MOODSPOSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
○ Promote expressions of emotions● Elephants in the room
○ Legitimize feelings
○ Provide a safe and respectful process
VALUES○ Belief systems○ Ideas of
● “right” and “wrong”● “good” and “evil”● “just” and “unjust”● “fair” and “unfair”
○ Very heated and personal ○ people unlikely to change their minds on
their values○ values are our deepest identities
VALUES○ Belief systems○ Ideas of:
● “right” and “wrong”● “good” and “evil”● “just” and “unjust”● “fair” and “unfair”
○ Very heated and personal○ People are unlikely to change their minds on
their values○ Values reflect our deepest identities
VALUESPOSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
○ Agree to disagree: respect differences ○ Avoid value-based
determinations/judgments○ Move from values to interests
INTERESTS
○ Interests = wants, needs, fears, hopes○ All participants in every conflict have
interests○ Many interests are similar ○ Idea is to find “common ground” in
“common interests”Positions: what people say they wantInterests: WHY they want it
INTERESTSPOSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS
○ Look for ways to expand options or resources
○ Focus on common interests rather than positions
○ Structure integrative, cooperative processes
BREAK
Conflict-Styles Inventory
Self-assessment tool developed by Kenneth Thomas and Ralph Kilmann to gauge how individuals consider different situations when they find their wishes differing from those of another person.
Conflict: Two Key Skill Sets
• Negotiating the substantive problems
• Navigating the people problems
Conflict Behavior Modes
Conflict Resolution SpectrumDecisions/Actions
Controlled by self Controlled by others
<--------------------------------------------------------->| | |
Negotiation Conciliation Arbitration| | |
Mediation Ombudsing Adjudication
○ A theory of human behavior that seeks to explain how human interaction develops and is maintained
○ The premise: Individual behavior is motivated by expected returns from others. Individuals are motivated by the return their actions are expected to bring -- and usually do bring -- from others
Social Exchange Theory
○ Cooperative● Goal structure (positive interdependence)● Promotive (responsive) interaction● Mutual success (win-win)
○ Competitive● Goal structure (negative interdependence)● Oppositional (obstructive) interaction● Exclusive success (win-lose)
• Positive interdependence• Individual accountability• Promotive (face-to-face)
interaction• Social skills• Group processing
(Adapted from Johnson & Johnson, 2000)
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What makes this a “classic”?
What makes this a “classic”?
○ Time○ Setting○ Interests/competition○ Relationship –
● Competitive● Trust/nis-trust
○ Moral imperative○ Zero-sum – fixed pie○ Scarce resource – oranges
Feelings First
Feelings
---------------------Thoughts
When a person is in a resourceful state, there is a balance between thoughts and feelings
When a person’s feelings become prominent, her/his priority becomes expressing this emotion.(fear, excitement, anticipation, anger, joy, annoyance, etc.)
Feelings----------------
Thoughts
BIFFBriefInformativeFriendlyFirm
Eddy 2011
High-Conflict People (HCPs)
Practical Steps in Managing Conflict
1. Identify the conflict2. Decide whether to intervene3. Identify parties, issues, & emotions4. Analyze the conflict5. Design the process6. Educate the participants & get agreement
to participate7. Conduct the process8. Celebrate and check in Angelica 1999
5. Design the ProcessQuestions:1. What are the goals of the process?2. How much time will the process take (est.)3. Where will it occur?4. Who should be in the room?5. How will confidentiality & privacy be handled?6. How will power imbalances and emotions be
handled?7. If this is a system-induced conflict, who needs to be
consulted if changes in policy or procedure are part of the resolution?
Adapted from Angelica 1999
Key Thoughts
To continue improving your conflict fluency skills, practice identifying the sources of conflict throughout your evaluation practice
The fairness of the process is generally more important in influencing people’s acceptance of decisions than the substantive decision itself (procedural justice)
Everyone deserves to be treated well. Remember the Platinum Rule: Treat others as they would like to be treated
