Governance and Conflict

Prevention, Resolution and Transformation

National Association for the Deaf
September 25, 2015
Heather Harker
Third Sector New England

Focus of Today

Role of governance leaders in preventing,

resolving and transforming

CONFLICT

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