Conflict Resolution and Politically Charged Situations

Transcription

1 Co-Creating Evaluation Communities: Learning from Each Other Conflict Resolution and Politically Charged Situations March 2017 Jeanne F. Zimmer

2 Jean King: If there's money or power involved, it's politically charged!"

3 Guidelines? Groundrules? 3

4 Who s here today? 4

5 The Intersection EVALUATION CONFLICT RESOLUTION

6 Evaluation means different things to different people Jean A. King

7 So does Conflict Resolution

8 AEA Evaluator Competencies DRAFT REVISION 2/24/ INTERPERSONAL DOMAIN focuses on human relations and social interactions that ground evaluator effectiveness. The competent evaluator 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.

9 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

10 3.0. Situational Analysis 3.1 Describes the program 3.2 Determines program evaluability 3.3 Identifies the interests of relevant stakeholders 3.4 Serves the information needs of intended users 3.5 Addresses conflicts 3.6 Examines the organizational context of the evaluation 3.7 Analyzes the political considerations relevant to the evaluation 3.8 Attends to issues of evaluation use 3.9 Attends to issues of organizational change 3.10 Respects the uniqueness of the evaluation site and client 3.11 Remains open to input from others 3.12 Modifies the study as needed

11 6.0. Interpersonal Competence 6.1 Uses written communication skills 6.2 Uses verbal/listening communication skills 6.3 Uses negotiation skills 6.4 Uses conflict resolution skills 6.5 Facilitates constructive interpersonal interaction (teamwork, group facilitation, processing) 6.6 Demonstrates cross-cultural competence

12 Social Justice Competence Integrating Social Justice into the Teaching of Evaluation Thomas & Madison 2010 Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills Verbal 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

13 Reflective Practice 13

14 Conflict A conflict exists whenever incompatible activities occur Deutsch 1973 Any situation in which people have incompatible interests, goals, principles, or feelings Runde and Flanagan 2007

15 Conflict People can change the way they respond to conflict (not-hard wired) Conflict unfolds The earlier the response to conflict the greater the effect The more we know about our response patterns, the more equipped we are

16 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

17 The Chinese symbol for crisis combines the characters for danger and opportunity.

18 OVERVIEW OF CONFLICT Reinforced Altered Personal View of Conflict past experiences/childhood positive/negative attitudes/beliefs/values expectations RESULTS/CONSEQUENCES Resolution, Relief Impact on relationship -positive or negative Stress, Escalation Hurt Feelings Understanding De-escalation CONFLICT OCCURS 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

19 Effects of Conflict on People (Transformative Approach) Destabilizes experience of self and other confused, fearful, disorganized, vulnerable, powerless, uncertain, indecisive Makes us more vulnerable and more selfabsorbed than before self-protective, defensive, suspicious, hostile, closed-minded

20 UNRESOLVED CONFLICT TENDS TO PRODUCE: Vicious circles Interaction quickly degenerates and becomes destructive, alienating and dehumanizing

21 Where is Conflict in Evaluation?

22 Where is Conflict in Evaluation? Beginning Negotiation TOR Evaluability assessment During Collecting information Analyzing data Interpreting data Stakeholders Reporting, Use What data to whom Renegotiating

23 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

24 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

25 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

26 CONFLICT WHEEL (Christopher Moore, CDR Associates, Boulder, CO) Information Gary Furlong, The Conflict Resolution Toolbox, 2005

27 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

28 DATA/ INFORMATION POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS Develop common criteria Agree on data-collection process(es), methods, time sequencing Determine what is important Use experts outside opinions

29 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

30 STRUCTURE POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS Clearly define roles/responsibilities Change physical/environmental relationship of participants/stakeholders Modify time constraints Address external pressures

31 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

32 RELATIONSHIPS POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS Clarify perceptions Improve quality and quantity of communication Encourage/facilitate positive problem solving Block negative repetitive behavior

33 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

34 EXTERNALS/ MOODS POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS Promote expressions of emotions Elephants in the room Legitimize feelings Provide a safe and respectful process

35 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

36 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

37 VALUES POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS Agree to disagree: respect differences Avoid value-based determinations/judgments Move from values to interests

38 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 want Interests: WHY they want it

39 INTERESTS POSSIBLE INTERVENTIONS Look for ways to expand options or resources Focus on common interests rather than positions Structure integrative, cooperative processes

40 BREAK

41 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.

42 Conflict: Two Key Skill Sets Negotiating the substantive problems Navigating the people problems

43 Conflict Behavior Modes

44 Conflict Resolution Spectrum Decisions/Actions Controlled by self Controlled by others < > Negotiation Conciliation Arbitration Mediation Ombudsing Adjudication

45 Social Exchange Theory 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

46 Cooperative Goal structure (positive interdependence) Promotive (responsive) interaction Mutual success (win-win) Competitive Goal structure (negative interdependence) Oppositional (obstructive) interaction Exclusive success (win-lose)

47 Positive interdependence Individual accountability Promotive (face-to-face) interaction Social skills Group processing (Adapted from Johnson & Johnson, 2000)

48 What makes this a classic? 48

49 What makes this a classic? Time Setting Interests/competition Relationship Competitive Trust/nis-trust Moral imperative Zero-sum fixed pie Scarce resource oranges

50 Feelings First When a person is in a resourceful state, there is a balance between thoughts and feelings Feelings Thoughts When a person s feelings become prominent, her/his priority becomes expressing this emotion. (fear, excitement, anticipation, anger, joy, annoyance, etc.) Feelings Thoughts

51 High-Conflict People (HCPs) BIFF Brief Informative Friendly Firm Eddy 2011

52 Practical Steps in Managing Conflict 1. Identify the conflict 2. Decide whether to intervene 3. Identify parties, issues, & emotions 4. Analyze the conflict 5. Design the process 6. Educate the participants & get agreement to participate 7. Conduct the process 8. Celebrate and check in Angelica 1999

53 5. Design the Process Questions: 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

54 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