Unravel the Knot by Using Common Interests

Diagnosis: People are not agreeing but behind their words you hear them saying that they have something larger at stake they do not want to lose.

Prescription: Talk About Interests First and Then Talk About the Issues and Definitely Before Talking About Positions

Key for building cooperation is understanding why people want the things they say the want. In mediator-speak these are called "interests". But, to understand interests it is first helpful to distinguish these from issues.

The issues people bring to the table are usually about the immediate, tangible topic they think is the problem. It is the ‘thing’ they think needs to be resolved. Issues are about the money, the timing, the permits, or other action items that they think are in the way. People pretty quickly translate their vision of the issues into positions—the specific action that will solve the problem, but only from their perspective. The trouble is, there are usually different perspectives in the room about the right way to solve the problem. When you find such disagreement consider backing up the people you are working with a few steps to a discussion of why the issues are important to them. Doing so often reveals new solutions, other than their current positions, that will meet their needs.

Discovering the interests that are behind the issues people say are the source of the conflict is not hard but it does take tact and diplomacy. All you need do is start asking, “Why?” the issue they are talking about is important to them. You may need to ask this question two or three times before you discover the real need that lies behind a person’s position on an issue. For example, a common issue that we encounter in our meetings is about money. When we start asking about why the disputants are taking the position they are on the money issue we frequently hear that the underlying need is really safety—the sense that they will be able to meet their financial obligations without significant risk. Then, when we know that the real interest is safety we can engage everyone in a discussion about the different ways to create a safe outcome other than their current positions. Working with interests is productive because there are usually more options for resolving an interest than there are for resolving an issue. Consequently, working with issues gives you more material to work with in seeking cooperative outcomes. Here is a list of interests we commonly see in our work.

• Acknowledgement
• Autonomy
• Basic survival
• Beauty and order
• Credibility
• Comfort
• Connectedness
• Consistency
• Control
• Dependability
• Fair treatment
• Freedom
• Health
• Independence
• Organization
• Peace and quiet
• Peace of mind
• Predictability
• Privacy
• Purpose
• Recognition
• Respect
• Safety
• Security
• Support
• Trust

Working with interests is a productive way to take conflict over the issues and turn it into cooperation about their interests.
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About The Cooperation Company: We are natural resource professionals and professional mediators who help clients create cooperation out of conflict.
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© Michael E. Fraidenburg 2010
Permission is granted to reproduce this article in whole or part with the attribution of, “Reprinted with permission from Michael E. Fraidenburg, www.TheCooperationCompany.com.”

by Michael Fraidenburg - July 2010

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