Conflict Management E-Newsletter
September 2003 #44
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Contents:
1. Articles
2. Fritjof Capra's Four Lessons For the Management Of Organizations
3. Introduction to System Dynamics
4. Training Announcements
5. Negotiating Style Profile
6. IRS To Provide Backpay In Sexual Orientation Case
7. Quotes
8. New Book: A Better Way To Bargain
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Visit http://www.mediate.com/johnford to learn more about
workplace conflict prevention, management and resolution.
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1. Articles
Sexual Harassment Claims: When Can Mediation Work?
Elizabeth Whittenbury
The problems engendered through litigation of sexual harassment cases
cause proactive business people to seek alternative means for
redress. Recently, some employers have begun using mediation to
resolve sexual harassment claims. A review of the literature reveals
that many different types of mediation exist. This article discusses
two mediation models and shows the benefits and detriments of each
for resolving sexual harassment claims.
http://www.mediate.com/articles/whittenburyE.cfm
The Vibrations of Conflict
Ken Cloke
Each style of music evokes a different set of emotions, memories, and
spiritual or energetic responses. Can we then use rhythms of speech
to elicit sadness, anger, or fear? Can we counter these dusky tempos
with lighter, upbeat rhythms in order to elicit joy, affection, or
courage? What are the qualities of vibration that impart these
special, substantive meanings? What, for example, is the vibratory
quality of a sincere apology as opposed to an insincere one? And how
do we know the difference between them?
http://www.mediate.com/articles/cloke3.cfm
Applications of Living Systems Theory
Systems science research, whatever its particular theoretical bias,
is concerned with processes of heterogeneous, complex systems. The
systems of interest may be (a) living, (b) nonliving or (c) or (c)
mixed living and nonliving. The last class (c) includes both man-
machine and ecological systems. These are complex not only because
they have many interacting parts but also because they change over
time in ways that are not necessarily predictable from their initial
states.
http://www.newciv.org/ISSS_Primer/asem05jm.html
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2. Fritjof Capra's Four Lessons For the Management Of Organizations
The new understanding of life implies the following four lessons for
the management of human organizations.
Lesson #1
A living social system is a self-generating network of
communications. The aliveness of an organization resides in its
informal networks, or communities of practice. Bringing life into
human organizations means empowering their communities of practice.
Lesson #2
You can never direct a social system; you can only disturb it. A
living network chooses which disturbances to notice and how to
respond. A message will get through to people in a community of
practice when it is meaningful to them.
Lesson #3
The creativity and adaptability of life expresses itself through the
spontaneous emergence of novelty at critical points of instability.
Every human organization contains both designed and emergent
structures. The challenge is to find the right balance between the
creativity of emergence and the stability of design.
Lesson #4
In addition to holding a clear vision, leadership involves
facilitating the emergence of novelty by building and nurturing
networks of communications; creating a learning culture in which
questioning is encouraged and innovation is rewarded; creating a
climate of trust and mutual support; and recognizing viable novelty
when it emerges, while allowing the freedom to make mistakes.
http://www.fritjofcapra.net/summary.html
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3. Introduction to System Dynamics
Adapted from Foundations of System Dynamics Modeling
By Michael J. Radzicki, Ph.D.
Prepared for: U.S. Department of Energy
The success or failure of a particular policy initiative or strategic
plan is largely dependent on whether the decision maker truly
understands the interaction and complexity of the system he or she is
trying to influence. Considering the size and complexity of systems
that public and private sector decision makers must manage, it is not
surprising that the "intuitive" or "common sense" approach to policy
design often falls short, or is counter-productive, to desired
outcomes. This online book was written to introduce the concepts
and "language" that make a systems-based study of such complex
problems possible. Our intent is to provide the reader with a broad
overview of the field of system dynamics, acquaint him or her with
the fundamental stock-flow-feedback structures that determine the
dynamic behavior in systems, and motivate the reader to begin
analyzing problems dynamically and holistically. Knowing how to speak
and think in terms of systems and interconnections is a critical step
in effective policy design, policy implementation, and consensus
building.
http://www.systemdynamics.org/DL-IntroSysDyn/inside.htm
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4. Training Announcements
4.1 Revitalize Your ADR Program
With Deborah Schick Laufer
Learn about ways to revitalize your ADR program that include the
newest programs and processes. Explore methods of dispute resolution
that are designed to intervene at the appropriate times in order to
resolve disputes before they escalate to a formal complaint.
Participants will be taught why mediation program numbers falter,
what ADR programs need to do to improve participation in mediation,
be taught how to address potential and persistent problems in the
workplace, consider ways in which to improve "earl intervention" of
complaints, look at techniques, programs and approaches to identify
and respond at the earliest possible opportunity and evaluate goals
for program success.
Date: September 23, 2003 (8:30 am – 4:00 pm)
Presentation location: Washington, DC
Cost: $225 per person
Registration: 770-435-5009 CAROL RICE or at conflictacademy@aol.com
www.conflictresolutionacademy.com
4.2 Introduction To Mediation
With Judy Gordon
Would you like to become a better communicator? Come and learn skills
you can use both on the job and at home. In this introductory
course, you will discover the basic concepts of mediation. Through
lecture, discussion, role plays and improvisational games, you will
gain theoretical knowledge and practical skills to help you play a
neutral role as a third party in resolving conflicts.
Dates:Friday, October 3, 6 pm – 9 pm
Saturday, October 4, 9 am – 5 pm
John F. Kennedy University
12 Altarinda Road, Orinda
Room 306
Credit hours: 10
Course #PSYCEU 474 (MFT, LCSW, BRN)
Cost: $140
To enroll: call John F. Kennedy University at (800) 557-1384 or
www.jfku.edu
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5. Negotiating Style Profile
Introduce the theory and practice of collaborative negotiation with
the Negotiating Style Profile. The NSP offers a simple framework for
thinking about one's negotiating style and the likely effect of that
style in a negotiating situation.
Through the NSP, respondents will identify preferences for one of 5
negotiating styles: win/lose, accommodate, withdraw, compromise, or
collaborate. The instrument discusses the impact of each style on the
negotiating process and explains the benefits of the collaborative
approach.
We've found that although many people think they are collaborative,
their associates may disagree. The Negotiating Style Profile Other is
a supplementary feedback instrument that helps respondents to see
themselves as others see them. Respondents' peers, employees,
managers, or coworkers anonymously rate the respondent's negotiating
behavior. A format for consolidating this feedback is included in the
NSP instrument.
The NSP is easily incorporated into negotiating, communication, and
leadership programs.
The comprehensive Facilitator Guide includes:
*theoretical background
*normative data
*a "lecturette" on the 5 negotiating styles
*a suggested program design
*transparency masters
The purpose of the Negotiating Style Profile (NSP) is to help anyone
who negotiates gain a greater understanding of how his or her
behavior is likely to affect his/her negotiating results. Negotiation
may be defined as a specialized form of communication. Negotiating
with another person or group is communication aimed at mutual need
satisfaction. Each party to a discussion has interests he or she
wishes to satisfy, and the other party is needed in some way to help
satisfy those interests.
Because people negotiate all day, every day, they may not be aware of
their habitual approach to this process. The NSP offers a simple
framework for thinking about how one negotiates and what the effect
of one's actions is likely to be on others. Negotiating behavior is
categorized into five styles, but there remains a great number of
variations within those five general styles.
http://www.hrdq.com/products/nsp.htm
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6. IRS To Provide Backpay In Sexual Orientation Case
The Office of Special Counsel recently announced that the Internal
Revenue Service has agreed to provide backpay to a job applicant who
was denied a federal position because of his homosexuality. The IRS
also agreed to suspend the discriminating supervisor for 45 days
without pay, and to detail the individual to a non-supervisory
position for one year.
The job applicant, a GS-12 computer specialist, applied for a GS-13
computer specialist position with the IRS in 2000. The IRS supervisor
checked references for him and discovered that he was homosexual, and
therefore decided not to hire him, according to OSC. When the job
applicant inquired about his application, he was told that he would
not be hired because of his sexual orientation.
The job applicant filed a complaint with OSC alleging that the IRS had
discriminated against him on the basis of his sexual orientation when
the IRS refused to hire him. After an investigation, OSC concluded
that there were reasonable grounds to believe that the IRS supervisor
who had refused to hire the complainant had violated Title 5 of the
U.S.C. That provision makes it a "prohibited personnel practice" to
discriminate against a federal employee or job applicant on the basis
of off-duty conduct that does not affect job performance, including
sexual orientation.
The IRS promptly agreed to offer the complainant the job he had been
denied, as well as backpay when the OSC brought the allegations
forward. The complainant declined the job offer, but accepted a
monetary settlement. The IRS also agreed to discipline and detail the
supervisor who had rejected the complainant's application. The
supervisor agreed not to challenge those actions, OSC stated.
Source: FPMI Communciations
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7. Quotes
"Power, identity, conflict management, and learning might be thought
of as the vital signs of a living system"
Pascale, Millemann and Gioja
"In great teams conflict becomes productive. The free flow of
conflicting ideas is critical for creative thinking, for discovering
new solutions no one individual would have come to on his own."
Peter Senge
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8. New Book: A Better Way To Bargain
A helpful book on interest-based bargaining (IBB) – a technique that
is emerging as a better way to do business at the bargaining table –
is available from FPMI. The use of IBB is becoming increasingly common
throughout the federal government.
A Practical Guide to Interest-Based Bargaining gives federal
supervisors and negotiators the keys to successful interest-based
bargaining in the federal labor-management environment by describing
how IBB works, how it differs from traditional bargaining, issues
that parties must deal with to successfully use IBB, how to apply IBB
to EEO issues, and problems to expect.
IBB has considerable potential for improving the manner in which labor
negotiations are handled in an organization, and may be helpful in
dealing with EEO dispute situations and in impact bargaining.
This book was written to help fill the information gap between theory
and the actual use of IBB techniques. It can help the reader compare
IBB with other techniques being used in an agency, and decide which
method is best.
The guide also explains how the basic techniques of IBB can be put to
good use in situations other than full contract negotiations.
A Practical Guide to Interest-Based Bargaining is available from FPMI
for $14.95; regular ground shipping is already included in this price.
To order, go to http://www.fpmi.com/specials/ibb.html or call FPMI on
256-539-1850 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.
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send an e-mail to johnford@mediate.com.
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The Conflict Management E-Newsletter
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