Using Interest-Based Strategies In Practice

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Using Interest-Based Strategies In Practice

• Presenters
• Marie Edlund, IBS Trainer and Facilitator
• Charlotte Wenham, Wood, Wenham Henderson
• Consultants, LLC.
• Rod Green, Superintendent, East China School
  District
• MASA Mid-Winter Conference
• January 23, 2008
• Detroit

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To understand the components, attitudes and
behaviors of IBS (Interest-Based Strategies) and
to think about the readiness of your District for
Interest Based Bargaining
Objective
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What is check in? Why do we do it? Lets try
a little bit of it.
Check-In
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Overview of Todays Session

• Traditional Bargaining versus Interest Based
  Bargaining
• Components of IBS
• Behaviors of IBS
• What IBS is NOT
• Comparison of IBB and Positional Strategies
• Ten Mistakes to Avoid
• How to Get Started with IBB

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Traditional Bargaining

• By focusing on positions, parties in a dispute
• see only a predetermined way to solve a problem
• spend time staking and defending extreme
  positions rather than dealing with the heart of
  the matter
• tend to settle with a compromise rather than
  getting what they really need
• limit creative options and
• risk damaging ongoing relationships.

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Interest Based Bargaining

• In contrast, a discussion that allows for an
  understanding of interests underlying
  positions...
• moves people away from contending positions
• promotes mutual education
• allows a cooperative atmosphere to develop
• sets the stage for reframing the issue
• encourages the generation of multiple options
• permits the search for a creative solution.

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Traditional versus Interest Based

• Cost usually shared between the parties, pay
  for the facilitators instead of the chief
  negotiator (not a costly process)
• Time more time might be spent with IBB, but it
  is more productive
• Relationships It is important for the
  superintendent to develop relationships with the
  staff and union. IBB definitely is a better way
  to do so than traditional bargaining

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What is Interest Based Bargaining?

• More collaborative than traditional bargaining
• Each team member is expected to contribute in
  some fashion in the sessions
• Training for both sides is available
• Facilitators from management and union help
  facilitate the bargaining sessions
• Work together to find creative solutions to
  issues

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Components

• Story everyone contributes
• Interests
• Options brainstorming
• Straw Design combinations of options
• Consensus Agreement everyone has to agree
• Action Plan

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Behaviors

• Focus on issues, not on people
• Describe, dont accuse
• Focus on interests - not positions
• Understand interests - dont judge them
• Defer evaluation and commitment
• Respect the role responsibilities of others
• Seek to meet mutual separate interests
• Use consensus to decide
• Think systemically
• Sustain the relationship the process

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An Interest-Based Strategy IS about

• Leveraging our limited power for expanded
  constituent gains
• Seeking creative solutions
• Better decisions
• Addressing all issues we want to
• Finessing areas of agreement
• Questions of Why if it looks forward for a
  purpose (and treats our behavior as subject to
  our free will)
• Seizing opportunities
• Understanding

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An Interest-Based Strategy IS about

• Believing primarily in the productivity and
  potential of the group
• Putting heads together
• Commitment to solutions based on principle
• Best way only
• Dialogue
• Being trustworthy
• Reconciling interests
• Focusing on the merits of the problem
• Pulling together with each other (Group focus)
• Assisting

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An Interest-Based Strategy is NOT about..

• Exercising our limited power for narrow
  constituent gains
• Seeking compromise solutions
• Quick decisions
• Addressing only issues we have to
• Focusing on areas of disagreement
• Questions of Why if it looks backward for a
  cause (and treats our behavior as determined by
  prior events)
• Seeing problems
• Ultimatums
• Believing primarily in the strength and knowledge
  of the individual

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An Interest-Based Strategy is NOT about..

• Butting heads together
• Commitment to positions based on pressure
• This way only
• Monologue
• Being mistrusting
• Reconciling positions
• Focusing on the mettle of the parties
• Pushing each other back and forth
• (individual focus)
• Insisting

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Comparison Interest-Based and Positional
Strategies
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Comparison Interest-Based and Positional
Strategies
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Comparison Interest-Based and Positional
Strategies
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Comparison Interest-Based and Positional
Strategies
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Positional Statements versus Interests

• Group Activity to show the difference between
  positional statements and interests
• This will take about 15 minutes

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The parties need to understand the process is NOT
a panacea. It requires hard work and honest
effort. You must be prepared to listen and
consider the others interests and concerns and
acknowledge them.It requires some sharing of
control.
IF YOU WISH TO USE IBS . . .
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The parties must make themselves available to go
through an assessment to assess whether or not
there is a readiness for the process.
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There needs to be a clear agreement and
understanding on when sessions will be scheduled
(released during work day, after work, etc.) and
who will pay for what.
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The parties must agree to treat the facilitators
as CONFIDENTIAL and to NOT call them as witnesses
in any sort of hearing.
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TWO outside facilitators need to be assigned and
work with the group throughout the process.
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All participants must participate in two days of
training prior to using IBS.
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The Top Ten Mistakes in IBS

• Avoiding these mistakes will help you be more
  successful . . .

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1. Trying to use IBS when not all (or any) of the
participants have been through the training.
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2. Thinking IBS takes less time than traditional
bargaining (doing IBS correctly is a
time-consuming process)
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3. The real power/decision makers are not at
the table to commit to the solution.
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4. Participants coming and going---round robin
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5. The communications (internal public) NOT
being done togethertwo different versions or
spins going out.
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6. Not spending enough time at the end after you
reach agreement on a straw design defining who
will do what and by when.
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7. Not clarifying who and how the charts/digital
photos/ records will be maintained.
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8. Doing it at the wrong time for the wrong
reason (i.e., just trying to get out of a current
bargaining mess)
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9. Teams failing to meet separately before to
get organized and identify their story and
interests
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10. Participants not really owning the chosen
solutions. (False consensus)
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How do I get started?

• Talk with your Uniserv Director and Local
  President
• Discuss interest based bargaining
• Contact MECA (Michigan Educational Collaborative
  Alliance)
• MECA is a joint group between MASB, MASA, MEA,
  and MFT
• Set up the assessment

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Assessment Process

• Two-Facilitator Interview of Two Teams
• All Bargainers
• Other Interested Parties
• Assessment Report to MECA
• Response to Superintendent and Association

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Assessment Request

• Joint Request
• Uniserv Director
• Local Unit MEA President
• Superintendent
• Submitted in writing to
• Bob Thomas
• MECA Coordinator
• P.O. Box 2573
• East Lansing, MI 48826-2573
• bthomas_at_mea.org

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Assessment Request

• Date __________________.
• District Requesting Assessment
  ______________________.
• Intended Use of IBS _____________________________
  ___.
• Signatures
• Uniserv Director ________________________________
  ____.
• Local Unit President ____________________________
  ____.
• Superintendent __________________________________
  __.
• Send to
• Bob Thomas
• MECA Coordinator
• P.O. Box 2573