1. National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities 2007
Consensus Building
National Center on Severe and Sensory Disabilities 2007 1

2. One of my worst meeting experiences regarding procedure (outside this group, of course).

3. Emotionss

4. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Copyright © The Beyond Intractability Project Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado

5. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 2:
Emotions and Conflict
Emotions are both a cause and a
result of conflict
Positive emotions are key to
conflict resolution
Conflicts are fueled by emotional
needs (love, closure…)

6. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 3:
Emotions and Conflict II
Emotion can overcome logic --sometimes emotional issues become more important than substantive issues

7. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 4:
Emotions and Conflict II
Emotion frames conflict –
shaping parties’ view of:
Relationships
Fairness
Relative power
Relative status

8. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 5:
Emotion in Negotiation
Emotions can influence negotiations and
mediations either positively or
negatively
Positive emotions foster:
Problem solving
Creativity
Respect for others’ perspectives
Improved cognitive ability
Negative emotions foster:
Inaccurate judgments
Lessened concern for the other parties’ preferences
Neglect of one’s own instrumental goals

9. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 6:
Emotion in Negotiation II
Emotions can inform us of our
adversaries’:
Commitment
Sincerity
Needs
Values

10. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 7:
Recognizing and Using Emotions
To use emotion effectively:
Acknowledge -- emotions in yourself and others
Determine -- their source
Manage -- you own negative emotions

11. PowerPoint Summary of:
Emotions
Slide 8:
Recognizing and Using
Emotions
To use emotion effectively:
Allow -- the other side to express their feelings without dismissing them
Empathize -- with the other
Reframe -- your positions and interests in a less emotionally-threatening manner

12. Consensus Definition
Maximum agreement among people while drawing on as much of everyone’s ideas as possible

13. CONSENSUS not a simple matter both a methodology and an aim
creative process
not stifling, not a killer of initiative
Respectful
Develops the best in us all

14. “Simply stated, consensus is different from other kinds of decision making because it stresses the cooperative development of a decision with group members working together rather than competing against each other. The goal of consensus is a decision that is consented to by all group members. Of course, full consent does not mean that everyone must be completely satisfied with the final outcome – in fact, total satisfaction is rare. The decision must be acceptable enough, however, that all will agree to support the group in choosing it.” Center for Conflict Resolution

15. Consensus decision making requires:
Sufficient time to explore all the information and opinions
Strong facilitative leadership
Members willing to contribute their views and discuss their reasons
Commitment and effort to develop an atmosphere of honesty and openness in the group
Willingness to confront and resolve controversy and conflict

16. Consensus exists within a group when each member can say:
I have had the opportunity to voice my opinions
I believe the group has heard me
I can actively support the group’s decision as the best possible at this time, even if it is not my first choice”

17. Possible Agenda/Approach
Brief introduction by facilitator/team leader
What would you be doing now if you were not here?
Aim of the session (outcome)
Barometer reading

18. Examples “I really don’t care what happens in this workshop.”
“I wish we had a different presenter today.”
“I hope we get out of here by 4:30.”

19. Initial decisions (what does everyone agree on?) Use tools:
Go rounds
Taking a break
Playing a game
Taking strength of feeling
Straw vote

20. Time restrictions (e.g., 2 minutes to speak) Brainstorming
Opposites paired off
Brainstorming
Everything suggested is written down on a sheet which everyone can see.
Normal ideas of appropriateness are discarded to allow creative and lateral thinking.
No comments are made until the brainstorming process is completed.

21. Final go round (anything left unsaid)
Lateral thinking process
Exploring other ways of dealing with the matter in hand which might have the same or a similar effect or conclusion. Focus on interests not positions
Small groups
Members randomly chosen, birds of a feather, or deliberately having mixed opinions in each group
Conclusions/Review
Final go round (anything left unsaid)

22. Brief assessment Closing
Share anything individuals still want to say, and
Share a few words of comment about this session
Closing

23. Parking lot (with process in place to deal with issue)
One-to-ones
One person speaks for a set time, then the other
Silence/Music
Parking lot (with process in place to deal with issue)

24. Fist to Five
Feel it is an issue, but I don't feel too strongly about it.
Issue of some importance, but not overly important.
Feel strongly on the issue, but I’m willing to compromise somewhat.
Feel strongly enough that compromise would be difficult.
Matter of principle/essential issue where I cannot see how I can compromise at the moment.

25. CONDITIONS THAT SUPPORT CONSENSUS
Unity of purpose
Equal access to power
Autonomy of the group from external hierarchical structures
Time
A willingness in the group to attend to process
A willingness in the group to attend to attitudes
A willingness in the group to learn and practice skills

26. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Copyright © The Beyond Intractability Project Beyond Intractability is a Registered Trademark of the University of Colorado

27. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 2:
Communication and Culture
Communication is cultural
It draws on speech patterns, language, and nonverbal messages
It is interactive
It operates through social relationships

28. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 3:
Communication and Culture
Cultural Fluency
Essential for effective cross-cultural communication
Consists of
Understanding your own cultural lenses
Understanding communication
variation across cultures
Applying these understandings to
enhance relationships

29. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 4:
Common Cultural Differences
Perception of Time
Perception of Space
Fate and Personal Responsibility
Importance of Face
Nonverbal Communication

30. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 5:
Perception of Time and Space
Time
Monochromic -- linear quantitative time, most common in the northern and western hemispheres
Polychromic -- cyclical time w/ unraveling and unlimited continuity, most common in southern and eastern hemispheres
Space -- differences in comfortable
distance between people

31. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 6:
Fate and Personal Responsibility
Extent to which we feel ourselves
to be the masters of our lives
Extent to which we see ourselves
as subject to things outside our
control

32. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 7:
Face and Face-Saving
Face is the standing a person has in
the eyes of others
The importance of “face” and
face-saving varies across cultures
Some cultures value “face” more than their own well-being
Other cultures do not care about face all that much

33. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 8:
Nonverbal Communication
Different cultures use different systems of understanding nonverbal cues
Low-context cultures -- place relatively less emphasis on nonverbal cues
High-context cultures -- place relatively more emphasis on nonverbal cues

34. PowerPoint Summary of: Cross-Cultural Communication
Slide 9:
WARNING!
These categories (time, space,
fate, face, context, etc.) are both
oversimplified and non-
exhaustive!
Negotiators should be aware of
differences and respond
appropriately.

35. Getting Past No (Ury, 1991)
Five steps of breakthrough negotiation are:
Don’t react to provocations. Step away from the scene, calm down, and carefully plan your response. Do not respond automatically, because most automatic responses are negative and further escalate the situation.

36. Step around obstacles, don’t walk right into them
Step around obstacles, don’t walk right into them. Use active listening to defuse negative feelings, and use I-messages to express your feelings. Agree whenever you can, but stand up for your principles as well.

37. Ask people "why. " "why not. " or "how is that fair
Ask people "why?" "why not?" or "how is that fair?" to try to move them away from positional bargaining toward principled negotiation.
Make it easy for the opponent to agree by making the offer as attractive as possible
Make it hard for them to walk away by proving that the negotiated agreement is better than their alternatives. "Bring them to their senses, not their knees,"

38. Paraprofessional/Educator Partnerships
Hire the most talented, caring, and competent paraprofessionals available;
Demonstrate appreciation and respect for their work by treating them well;
Orient them to the school, classroom, and students;
Clarify their roles and assign them tasks that align with their skills;

39. Provide initial and ongoing training that matches their roles;
Give them professionally prepared plans to follow;
Direct their work through ongoing, supportive supervision; and
• Provide opportunities for them to be contributing team members.

40. Don’t relinquish instruction
Paraprofessionals STILL undertrained or untrained
Students with the greatest learning challenges in the classroom—often receive their primary or exclusive instruction and support from the least qualified staff members
Operate across the curriculum (high school teachers can’t do this)

41. Risk making “done-to-ers” instead of “do- ers”
Often compensate by doing work for student
Can contribute to isolation
Overdependence

42. Is it okay, if:
A paraprofessional provides the student's primary literacy instruction.
The student is removed from class activities at the discretion of the paraprofessional rather than the teacher.
The student spends 80 percent or more of his or her time with a paraprofessional.

43. The student spends the majority of his or her social time (lunch, recess) with a paraprofessional rather than with classmates.
The paraprofessional, rather than the teacher or you, makes the majority of day- to-day curricular and instructional decisions affecting the student.