Transcript Collaborate or Not? - Riverside Unified School District

Collaborate Or Die
Joanne Bodine
Neil Bodine
The Bodine Group
Two Questions

Why collaborate?

What does collaboration look like?
Golden Balls
Contestant options
Split, split – 50%/50%
Spilt, steal – 100% for stealer
Steal, steal – nothing
Golden Balls

Think about what you would do

Pay close attention to the dialogue
– What do they say?
– What works?

Think about the outcome
– Why did it happen?
– Long term consequences?
Golden Balls clip 1
Clip 1: Questions

What stuck you?

Why the result?

What consequences—short and long
term?

To what extent was trust a factor?

What would you have done?
Golden Balls Clip 2
Clip 2: Questions

What struck you?

Why the different result?



What difference was there in dialogue, if
any?
What created trust?
What was the basic nature of the
relationship?
2 Views of SelfInterest
Independent
Interdependent
Interdependence

Interdependence
– means I cannot meet my needs unless
your needs are met
– is fact, not a choice

The CHOICE is to compete, ignore or
collaborate
The fundamental question in
every relationship and
organization
Are we interdependent or not?
If we are interdependent,
we should act like it
Otherwise we ultimately
harm ourselves
Elements of Collaboration


Recognition of everyone’s value
Problem solving and decision making
based on interests and inquiry

Common set of values & norms

Deep and honest communication
Elements of Collaboration

Complete transparency

Focus on facts and data

Commitment to work things out in a
way that meets everyone’s interests
When one tugs at one thing
in nature, he finds it
attached
to the rest of the world.
John Muir
Collaborative Problem
Solving, Decision Making
& Negotiation
Letting Others Have Your Way
Alternative Models

Position based process

Interest based process
Position-based Process
My
position
Your
Discussion/  position
Debate

Prevail,
Withdraw
or
Compromise
Natural Problem Solving
Process

Understand the problem

Look at underlying concerns

Explore possible ways to solve

Evaluate possible solutions

Choose a specific solution
Interest-Based Approach
My information &
perspective 
My needs 
Problem
Needs/interests
Develop options/
Possible solutions
Evaluate
Commit & plan
 Your information
and perspective
 Your needs
Which model is more
consistent with
interdependence?
Why?
Core Principles of IBPS
1.
Everyone has an equal voice
2.
Focus on interests, rather than
positions
3.
Focus on issues, not people
4.
Defer commitment to the end
Core Principles
5.
Commit to candor & full
disclosure
6.
Inquire, rather than assume
7.
Persuade, rather than coerce
8.
Assume the best intentions
Contrasting Principles
Position-based
approach



Interest-based
approach
Use information
tactically

Focus on our
proposal

Argue to win

Be candid & fully
disclose
Explore many
possible solutions
Ask questions to
understand
Contrasting Principles
Proposal-based
approach


Connect relationship
& content
Decide how to treat
the other
Interest-based
approach


Separate relationship
& content
Agree how to treat
each other
Stages of IB Process
1.
DESCRIBE the problem
2.
IDENTIFY stakeholders & their interests
3.
DEFINE the issues
4.
CREATE options
5.
EVALUATE options based on interests
6.
COMMIT to solutions and a plan of action
Stage 1: Describe the
Problem

Agree on the subject matter

Tell the story


What’s happening?

What’s working?

What’s not working?
Perceptions need not match
– The goal is understanding, not
agreement
Stage 2: Identify
Stakeholders And Interests

Identify the stakeholders
– Those directly affected by the problem

Identify their interests

Interests
– Are the underlying motivation for what
we want: needs, desires, fears, concerns
– Answer the question “Why?”
Stage 2: Identify Stakeholders
And Their Interests
Process

Identify the direct stakeholders

Identify your own interests

Seek to understand others’ interests

Explore which interests are separate, mutual
or interdependent
Interest T-Chart

Stakeholder

Stakeholder

Stakeholder
Stage 3: Define the
Issues

Identify the issues to resolve
Stage 4: Create Options
Options are

Possible solutions

Answer the question “How?”
Stage 4: Create Options
Process

Use free-flowing brainstorming

No criticism or evaluation

No one owns an option


No one has to defend an option, but may
need to explain it
Options do not require agreement
Stage 5: Evaluate Options
Process

Clarify & cluster options

Compare options to the interests


Modify options to better meet
interests
Eliminate options by consensus
Stage 6: Commit To
Solutions And A Plan
Process


Create & refine a straw design
When the straw design adequately
meets all interests, explicitly commit

Put the agreement in writing

Develop an implementation plan
Cyclical Nature of Problem Solving
Understanding the
Problem
Reflection
• Evaluation
• Check the vision
• Revisit assumptions,
values, beliefs, and
interests
• Focus on learning
• Sifting data and defining
the issues
• Identifying and probing
interests
Searching For
Solutions
• Option generation
• Working as a team and
staying on the same page
Reaching
Agreements
• Evaluating and analyzing
options (against interests
and alternatives)
• Refining/narrowing the
list
• Deciding and committing
Stage 1 Tasks
1.
Tell your stories
2.
Ask questions to clarify
Stage 2 Tasks
1.
Identify the stakeholders
2.
Identify their interests
3.
Explore which interests are separate,
mutual and interdependent
Stage 3 Tasks
1.
Identify the issues
Stage 4 Tasks
1.
Brainstorm options
2.
Do not comment or evaluate
3.
Hold your questions for now
4.
Write down and number options
Stage 5 Tasks
1.
Evaluate each option
2.
Eliminate options by consensus
3.
Revise, combine or add options to
better meet the interests
Stage 6 Tasks
1.
Create a straw design
2.
Refine it
 Does it address all the issues?
 Does it adequately meet all the
interests?
3.
Explicitly commit when no further
refinement is needed
The Interest-based
Approach Is

Not just a method of mutual problem
solving or negotiation

A template for working together

A way of thinking about problems

A template that can be used
unilaterally by asking questions
– IB Aikido
High above the
hushed crowd,
Rex tried to
remain focused.
Still, he
couldn’t shake
one nagging
thought: He
was an old dog
and this was a
new trick.
Collaborative
Relationships
No trust
No collaboration
No team
Clip 3: Questions

What happened?

Why?

Impact short time & long term?
Questions

How can we lose trust?
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How can we gain trust?

Focus on your own experience
3 Ways To Lose Trust

Untrustworthy behavior

Misperceiving others’ intent

Ignoring the impact of our behavior
Trust


Can be lost instantaneously
Can only be built or rebuilt
incrementally
Role Of Norms

Stated Norms

Operative Norms
– What we say we
will do
– What we actually
do
– Our “talk”
– Our “walk”
The Double Standard

We are understanding and forgiving of our
own conduct
– because we know our intent

We are less forgiving of the others’ conduct
– because we judge only by their conduct
and its impact on us
Tools for Building
Relationships

Develop ground rules

Reflect as a group

Surface relationship issues
Develop Ground Rules

Decide how you want to treat each
other

Capture these norms in writing

Copy & distribute them
Reflect As A group

Periodically take time to assess progress

Ask
– What worked? +
– What could we improve? Δ
– What did we learn?
Surface Relationship Issues



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Conflict is inevitable
Relationships improve or not depending
on how we handle conflict
Failing to surface conflict creates distrust
Addressing conflict constructively
deepens trust
How?


Address relationship issues
separately
Describe what happened and the
impact

Do not ascribe intent

Reaffirm or create new norms

Forgive and make amends
We awaken in others the same
attitude of mind
we hold toward them