Governance and Conflict

Prevention, Resolution and Transformation

National Association for the Deaf September 25, 2015

Heather Harker

Third Sector New England

Role of governance leaders in preventing,

resolving and transforming

CONFLICT

Focus of Today

What do you want to learn?

Personal Mastery: Distinguishing Role and Self

Who am I? (and why does it matter)

Deaf

White

Woman

Raised in the South

Born in 1970. (45 years old)

My own beliefs re: conflict

What is my role?

Role as:

Board Chair

Member of organization

Board member

Community member

Who is the other person? (and why does it matter?)

Hearing status/Language fluency

Race

Gender

Age

Role with organization

Beliefs re: conflict

Role and Self

Power (equity) matters

Perspective matters (and there are

multiple truths in every situation)

Self management is first step to preventing conflict

Role matters.

Share a story of when you collapsed Role and

Self in a conflict situation

Work together to identify new

and different strategy

Question and Answer re:

Personal Mastery:

Distinguishing Role and Self

Reframing Conflict

Unproductive conflict

Unproductive conflict

Personal attacks

Continued bad behavior

Not trying to understand the others

perspective

More invested in being right than in finding

common ground

Conflict as an OPPORTUNITY

What can we learn together?

Can we create a new path?

(both/and NOT either/or)

Conflict TRANSFORMATION

Assumes conflict is necessary element for

evolution of relationships and progress.

Ongoing process of co-creating peace.

Share a story of when a conflict was beneficial

to your organization. Why?

Share a story when a conflict

was unproductive or harmful

to your organization. Why?

Question and Answer re:

Reframing Conflict

Lunch Break

Governance Strategies for Addressing Conflict

In light of recent events, Im afraid Im going to have to eat some of you.

Strategies for Addressing Conflict (what we covered before lunch)

Separating of Role and Self

Managing Self

Acknowledging underlying emotions/values

Reframing conflict as a healthy part of

organizational evolution

What are GOVERNANCE Strategies for Addressing Conflict?

Governance Strategies

Is the purpose clear?

Are the outcomes clear?

Is decision making clear?

Governance Strategies

Are the appropriate stakeholders involved?

Is it a well-designed process?

Is communication effective to those involved

and those outside the process?

Identify a current conflict within your organization.

Which governance strategy might be a helpful approach?

Purpose

Outcomes

Process

Decision making

Stakeholders

Communication

Question and Answer re:

Strategies to Address Conflict

Be curious: What is really happening?

Governance and Conflict Prevention, Resolution and Transformation

Heather Harker

Third Sector New England hharker@tsne.org