CHAPTER 9.pptx

Communicatio n and conflict management in health policy CHAPTER 9 Communication and conflict management in health policy  This chapter aims to enhance our understanding of conflict and its power, providing tools for successful policy issues with opposing sides. It reframes confli...

Communicatio n and conflict management in health policy CHAPTER 9 Communication and conflict management in health policy  This chapter aims to enhance our understanding of conflict and its power, providing tools for successful policy issues with opposing sides. It reframes conflict to improve negotiation and conversation about important matters.  The chapter explores human factors that lead to conflict and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, as well as two models for policy formulation and guidelines for strategic dialogue.  It also discusses the importance of understanding Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs in our interactions with others. UNDERSTANDING CONFLICT  Conflict is an inherent part of human interactions that can spark creativity, improve performance, and lead to better policy analysis and decisions.  Understanding the origins of conflict is crucial for effectively handling policy issues, situations, and life dilemmas.  It is essential to appreciate unique individual perspectives and understand the unique perspectives that contribute to our human condition. Maslow's hierarchy of need  Maslow's hierarchy of needs suggests that physiological motivators drive our behavior, with if one of our basic needs is not met, we prioritize fulfilling those needs, disregarding all others. This concept is relevant to conflict, policymaking, and advocacy.  As humans, we will always have differences and misunderstandings, which arise from differing views of the world. Conflict can be learned through conflict and used to make the world a better place.  Advocacy was born from conflict, and the goal is to understand what motivates the actions and beliefs of those who see things differently than us.  Developing the skills of listening with an open mind is essential to understand other points of view and appreciate the position others have taken on an issue. This may change our view or inform us with knowledge to make better assessments and judgments about actions to take. The position we hold is formed with only our life experiences and knowledge. A strategic communication framework  The Tretler Cloud is a strategic communication framework that helps identify key people to gain support for an issue with differing views. It helps identify areas to consider when advocating for or against a particular policy or action and assess the environment that policymakers are working in.  The framework is useful for assessing how information is received by policymakers and if it can be persuasive. For example, the Trump administration focused on domestic matters, foreign trade participation, and the perception of fairness in trade balance, leading to decisions on trade tariffs and restrictions.  To gain support for a policy issue, it is crucial to assess the external environment within which policies and decisions are made, as they are fluid and will change as events occur. The strategic intent of positions held by those in power is affected by the secondary and tertiary effects of decisions made.  To gain support, it is essential to be skillful in appreciating the current political environment and assessing multiple possible collateral effects of policy decisions made by decision makers. This will help in gaining their support for the policy issue of interest. Assessing the strategic environment  To effectively communicate and advocate for select policies, it is crucial to understand the strategic environment surrounding the issue. To do this, one must first seek understanding of other views on the matter of interest, acknowledging that there will likely be many. This understanding is essential for effective communication and advocacy.  Several key questions need to be asked when assessing the strategic environment of any issue: What is the problem? What are the interests? What are the threats? What are the opportunities? What assumptions do you have about this issue? Remember that your assumptions are made based on your current knowledge and world view.  The constraints should be considered, as well as the domestic situation (leadership views, public support, current trends, etc.) and the international conditions (states, nations, committees, units, areas, outside factors affecting the issues). The WAYS, ENDS, MEANS, and RISK and COSTS of the alternatives proposed for solving the problem must be assessed. For each alternative, a desired END or OUTCOME must be defined, and the means and strategies proposed to reach that end must be defined. Assessing the strategic environment CONT..  The Tretler Cloud tool helps develop a successful strategy through conflict to produce an acceptable outcome wherever possible. This process involves constantly scanning the environment and readjusting the strategy as needed. Most strategies as written never make it out of the board room, so awareness must be understood upfront. This means planning and reassessing, being agile with the strategy, and being willing to modify the ways and means to reach the objective goal at any time.  One of the most popular models for strategic and environmental assessment is the Garbage Can Model of policy formulation, which describes how the policy process begins as a "policy primeval soup" where specialists try out their proposals in various ways.  When these streams collide, this creates a window of opportunity for advocates to act. As one assesses the strategic environment and understands how policy streams may interact with participants and the opportunities present, they can behave effectively through this process to achieve their interests. The strategy for effective communication  Effective communication in meetings requires careful planning, planning, and preparation. It's not enough to assume that everyone in the room will be objective and without bias.  Successfully getting through meetings requires careful thought, planning, and preparation, as everyone's perspective and position may differ. PREPARING  Strategic communication involves several preparatory steps to ensure successful implementation of a meeting. These steps include analyzing the strategic situation and context, defining the ends, determining the means, formulating the ways, and assessing the costs and benefits.  1. Analyze the strategic situation and context by determining who your audience is or players in the meeting. This involves researching their positions, values, beliefs, and interests, as well as their perceptions by stakeholders.  2. Define the ends by identifying the goals you want to attain and your desired end state. This may involve changing, introducing, or ending a policy or gaining support for an initiative. Identify the interests, link them to well-defined goals and objectives, and identify perceived threats to accomplishing the goals and possible opportunities present in the meeting.  3. Determine the means by understanding how feasible it is to accomplish your goal(s) and how to influence policy change or outcome. This includes having compelling data, measuring the right things to make your points, having a forum to present your views and compelling data, talking with the right influencers, and who holds the power to make a decision. PREPARING CONT..  4. Formulate the ways by orchestrating the means or capabilities in ways that will help you achieve your goals. Be agile and adapt your plan as needed. Remember that knowledge is power, and you must know and understand political leaders, influencers, and formal and informal alliances that have been built around the issue you are interested in.  5. Assess the cost-benefit analysis by considering the secondary or tertiary effects or unintended consequences of what you are proposing. Quantify the cost, time, or personnel, and consider other ways to achieve your goal that could bring others along. Be open for new ideas and consider the diversity of your team, as there is strength in the diversity of thought that can lead to innovative ways (and means) to accomplish a goal (desired end state).  6. Engage in strategic conversations with individuals with different experiences and disciplines than you. The lens through which they see the world will be different from yours, which is what you want.  In summary, strategic communication involves analyzing the strategic situation and context, defining the ends, determining the means, formulating the ways, assessing the costs and benefits, and fostering strategic conversations. By following these steps, you can create a successful meeting that aligns with your goals and ensures a successful outcome for your organization. Strategic conversations  Strategic conversations are crucial in policymaking as they involve leaders exchanging information and aiming to change behaviors or attitudes of others in a desired way. These conversations are competitive, as both sides aim to advance their own interests.  To be successful, leaders must anticipate and consider the interests, goals, and desires of others. A thorough environmental assessment using the Tretler Cloud can help leaders anticipate possible actions and plan strategies around those possibilities. strategic conversations cont..  Key principles for strategic conversations include clearly stating and staying focused on one's goals, appealing to and shaping the interests of others, framing issues in a understandable manner, seeking mutual agreement on the goal, bargaining, mobilizing social pressure, anticipating the other person's actions, generating options through dialogue, evaluating options using a fair process, and deciding and gaining commitment for the decision.  By engaging in strategic conversations using the background information gained from preparatory work, leaders can begin the fluid process of negotiation. Negotiations  William Ury (1991) emphasizes the importance of real dialogue in negotiation, stating that it can be transformed from confrontation to cooperation. The first step is preparation, which involves identifying one's interests and those of those seeking to influence, as well as other factors that may affect individual positions. Next, both parties' interests are identified, and it is crucial to understand their perspectives and factors that have influenced their views.  The third step is identifying suitable options, and being open to new suggestions to achieve both parties' intentions. Establishing standards at the outset can make the selection process more fair and likely to lead to a mutually acceptable decision. Negotiations cont..  The purpose of negotiation is not always to reach an agreement but to explore whether you can satisfy your interests better through an agreement than pursuing your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA). This is your "walk away" alternative, which is the option you have before negotiation that you can live with in case of a bad outcome. If your BATNA is not very good, it is in your best interest to work hard to reach a negotiated agreement.  For example, if your goal is to get a device to reach the intended audience and you need funding, you may not be able to negotiate successfully due to rules, funding requirements, or other factors. Accepting that the funding will be given to another "front" organization before entering the meeting would be your BATNA.  BATNA - best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) General rules for successful personal interactions  In personal interactions, it is crucial to build rapport and relationships, not enemies, through genuine dialogue. Dialogue is defined as a conversation with a center, aiming to reach a shared meaning that coordinates actions and values. It involves people thinking together in relationship, relaxing their grip on certainty and listening to possibilities that may not have otherwise occurred.  However, this can be challenging due to the lack of awareness of one's interactive behavior in conversations. The only person one can control during interactions is themselves. By practicing the art of dialogue, one can listen and consider other views, putting others at ease, changing the course of events, and surprising everyone with unexpected outcomes. Challenges  In policymaking, conflict is inevitable, but there are strategies to help assess the strategic environment surrounding issues of interest, shape and align strategies for successful dialogue, and navigate through negotiations where the interests of different individuals are not aligned.  By understanding the goals, interests, and factors affecting the individuals you are meeting with, you can better negotiate and navigate through these situations. It is essential to avoid showing all your cards and to watch your own behavior, as it is not possible to win a disagreement by acting out.  With this knowledge, you should have a BATNA and a minimal walk-away goal. In summary, conflict is inevitable in policymaking, but there are approaches to help navigate through negotiations and ensure successful dialogue.