Labor Management Committee
September 28, 2011
Interest-Based Problem-Solving
 A tool to engage employees and managers in
discussion to jointly identify solutions to problems in
the work unit.
Elements of a positive work
environment
 Communication
 Understanding
 Accountability
 Acceptance
 Reliability
 Appreciation
 Rationality
 Persuasion
 Continuous Improvement
Ground Rules
 Focus on issues not personalities
 Seek to understand others
 Assume positive intent
 Be respectful and honest in explaining your experience
Interests VS. Positions
 Interests – what motivates a person to seek a
resolution to a problem; what people need; the
condition that is sought
 Position – a solution to which one is committed
Questions that Uncover Interests
 How did you come up with that position?
 Why is it important to you?
 What would your solution accomplish?
 What changes would that solution make in your life?
 What is your hope/fear about what will happen?
 What bothers you most about that situation?
 How does it affect you when it happens?
Examples of Interest
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Respect
Control
Power
Trust
Order
Appreciation
Competence
Honesty
Privacy
Security
Comfort
Approval
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Freedom
Friendship
Directness
Relaxation
Excitement
Acceptance
Self-Esteem
Consideration
Understanding
Physical Needs
Love
Safety
Decision-Making Responsibility
 Manager independent decision
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Employee Input
Employee Recommendation
Consensus (per contract)
Delegated decision making to employees
Steps of
Interest-Based Problem-Solving
 Ground Rules
 Story
 Interests
 Options
 Evaluation
 Consensus
 Implement
The Story
 What’s the problem?
 Who else is involved or impacted?
 Describe the experience you have with this problem.
 What data is available to help explain the problem.
 Seek to understand the other party’s experience. Ask
questions of clarification
Interests
 Identify areas of mutual interest
 Understand others’ interest even when interest is not
shared
Options
 What are the possible solutions to resolve the
problem?
 Be creative and positive – think outside the box
 Refrain from evaluation and evaluative comments like
“that will never work” or “we tried that before”
 Add to or piggy-back on others’ ideas
Evaluation
 What global solution could best meet the interests of
all parties?
 What would be the impact upon the interests of those
with a stake in the outcome
Consensus
 A work group reaches consensus when, after collective
deliberation regarding a particular matter or issue, at
least 80% of the group members (rounded to the
closest whole number), including management
representatives, reach agreement on a solution
Implement
 What would it look like in detail if we were to
implement the identified solution?
EXAMPLE
 Story – vacation opportunities not fairly distributed among staff; most
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senior staff always took time around holidays; most senior staff would
take one day per week for multiple weeks during summer, disallowing a
full week off by other staff.
Interests – fair and equitable distribution of vacation; recognition of
seniority
Decision-Making Responsibility
Options – allow/encourage consensus agreements on unit; not use
seniority as a determinant
Evaluate – what solution best meets our interests?
Consensus – two rounds of vacation requests with limitations on first
round
Implementation – will reevaluate during next negotiations