Michael Glenn Kho 10689818 Human Process Interventions: Third-party Interventions What is it about? Third-party intermediaries are people, organizations, or even nations (in an international perspective) who enter a conflict to try to help the parties de-escalate or resolve it (Burgess, 2004). Formal intermediaries are people who are professional conflict resolvers and who are hired specifically to do that job. They may be professional mediators, arbitrators, facilitators, or judges, who work privately or with a government agency. Informal intermediaries are people who find themselves in an intermediary role, but it is not something they usually do as a profession. Conflict Conflict is inherent in groups and in organizations. It can arise from a variety of sources (Cummings, T. &Worley, C., 2001): • • • •
Personality Task orientation Perceptions among group members Competition over scarce resources.
Yet despite the existence of conflicts in the various levels of interactions, it is important to note that conflict is neither good nor bad. Conflict can: Enhance motivation Enhance innovation Lead to better understanding of ideas and views • • •
On the other hand, conflict can: Prevent people from working together constructively Destroy necessary task interactions among group members • •
Conflict styles
Episodic model of conflict: Occurs in cyclical stages, identified as episodes. •
What organizational issues and concerns are being addressed by third-party interventions? Conflict can arise over substantiative issues or from interpersonal issues: Substantiative issues Work methods Pay rates Conditions of employment Interpersonal issues Personality conflicts Misperceptions •
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What specific objective third-party interventions aim to achieve? Third parties can: Provide breathing space (i.e. reduce tension) Re-establish communication between two parties Refocus on substantiative issues Repair stained relationships Recommend time limits Salvage sunk costs of stalled negotiations Increase level of negotiator satisfaction • • • • • • •
So, when do you need third-party intervention? Deadlock or impasse between two-parties Unproductive tension and hostility Anger and resentment overwhelm negotiators Mistrust and suspicion are high • • • •
Intermediary roles? There are a number of intermediary roles that individuals play. Bill Ury (2000), identifies ten (10) such roles: Provider (of needed resources) Teacher (to give new ideas for how to resolve conflict, or at least for new ways to approach it) Bridge-builder (brings people together where they can get to know each other better) • • •
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Mediators (helps parties work out their problems themselves) Arbitrators (listen to both sides then make a decision about what should happen) Equalizers (empowers the lower power group(s), so that they can negotiate more effectively with the other party) Healers (help parties apologize, forgive, and become reconciled) Witnesses (who observe what is going on and call attention to injustice) Referees (who try to keep both sides to “fighting fairly”) Peacemakers (keep the parties apart so they don’t fight (at least physically) at all
Formal or informal, the most visible and recognized intermediary roles are mediators and arbitrators . • •
Mediators influence process Arbitrators determine outcome
Mediator vs. Arbitrators:
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Mediators seek to have the parties themselves develop and endorse the agreement. Arbitrators are most interested in outcomes and have the power to render a binding decision.
What are the basic steps to third-party intervention? BASIC STEPS OF THIRD PARTY INTERVENTION Models Episodic model of conflict
Mediation
Negotiation breakdowns
Escalation model
Preventing ignition of conflict by arriving at a clear understanding of the triggering factors
Identifying the issues
Reducing tension
Discussion
Setting limits on the form of the conflict
Uncovering underlying interests and outcomes
Improving communication
polarization
Helping the parties cope differently with the consequences of the conflict
Setting agendas
Controlling issues
Segregation
Attempting to eliminate or resolve the basic issues causing the conflict
Packaging, sequencing, and prioritizing agenda items
Establish commonalities
Destruction
Making suggestions for possible settlements
Make preferred option desirable
Actual sample use of the intervention:
Sources: Burgess, H. (2004). Intermediaries. http://www.beyondintractability.org Cummings, T., & Worley, C. (2001). Essentials of Organization Development and Change. Fisher, R. (2001). Methods of Third Party Intervention Harvey, D.F., & Brown, D.R. (2006). An Experiential Approach to Organizational Development. London: Prentice Hall. MIT Open Courseware: Power and Negotiation. http://ocw.mit.edu Thompson, L., & Lewicki, R.J. (1999, 2001). Five cures for negotiation breakdowns. Ury, W. (2000). The Third Side. New York: Penguin Books.
