Building Bridges: Leading Diverse Groups Through Conflict A model from the National Coalition Building Institute (NCBI)

Workshop Overview Learn a conflict resolution model for working through controversial issues

Workshop Agreements Pairs Confidentiality

Criteria for Controversial Issue A topic that is often highly emotional A topic framed in terms of Yes or No A topic where there is likely to be disagreement within the group A topic that you would find exciting to examine today with this group of people A topic about which YOU have a personal story

Skill Building Listening is not the same as agreeing

Advocacy One works to advance a position to favor a cause, to push for change by defeating another

Coalition Building One finds the common elements of agreement among diverse parties in order to accomplish together what each party cannot accomplish alone. Coalition Builders attempt to understand the issues of all parties concerned about an issue and to create, where it is feasible, a climate of cooperation

Listening to the Controversy One person explains the reasons for her/his position on the issue Listener repeats to speaker, as precisely as possible, what he/she heard Listener asks a question in order to gain new information regarding how the speaker personally perceived the issue (e.g. “What in your life has influenced you to feel this way?”). Speaker answers question

Skill Building We can choose our attitude toward what we hear.

Finding Common Ground Person Person Reason Reason

Umbrella Question Reframe the issue by asking a question that tries to raise the discussion above the rhetoric and the active disagreement and yet… Keeps the interest of both parties and guides their work together.

Example of Umbrella Question: “As a society that cares about women and children, how can we best address the issue of unwanted pregnancy?” “As a society that values life, how can we provide just consequences for those who have committed heinous crimes or taken a life?”

“How Can We…While at the Same Time..” Question This question attempts to link the key concepts of both parties into one question… and demonstrate how the issue can be bridges

Example of “How can we…while at the same time…” questions “How can we protect the safety of citizens while at the same time offer a significant enough deterrent to crime?” “How can we effectively punish murderers, while at the same time protect family values in delivering legal justice?”

“How can we while at the same time…” question Finding Common Ground Umbrella Question Reframes the issue by asking a question that tries to raise the discussion above the rhetoric and the active disagreement, and yet keeps the interest of both parties and guides their work together. “How can we while at the same time…” question Attempts to link the key concerns of both parties in one question and demonstrate how the issue can be bridged