Chapter 7 – Developer
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between the two individuals because the student has gone to the Head of School to
formally appeal the grade, and the sessional staff member and course coordinator are
angry that the student is trying to play the system. You have been asked by the Head of
School to resolve the problem.You will need to identify and explore the issue underlying the conflict. For example:
- Who is not being reasonable or fair?
- Why does the student feel the grade is not fair?
- Why do the tutor and the courses coordinator believe that it is fair?
- The label you might write down is 'fair treatment'.
- Is there a personality clash or a communication problem?
- Has the student had access to the marking criteria?
- Has anyone explained how those criteria have been applied and where marks have
been lost/gained? - The label could be 'communication'.
There is no need to get anxious about whether or not it is exactly right, but simply record
the nature of the issue to be mapped. Keep the problem definition open-ended.
Step 2: Who Is Involved?
Decide who the major parties are in the conflict. You might list each individual (each
member of a team), or whole teams, sections, groups or organisations.
In this case you have a student, sessional staff member, course coordinator and you as
the Academic Coordinator. The Head of School is also indirectly involved.As long as the people involved share needs on the issue (that is, they want it resolved)
they can be grouped together. A mixture of individual and group categories is fine too.
Step 3: What Do They Really Want?
What individuals and groups want will be informed by their needs and their fears.
People are motivated by what they want and will naturally move towards that. They are
also motivated by what they do not want and will move away from that. By considering
the fears and needs that are shaping what people want you can broaden the picture of
the conflict and expand the possible options for solutions.
Needs could mean wants, values, interests or the things you or the other parties care
about. Fears can be concerns, anxieties or worries. To determine what each major
party wants, it is useful to talk to them and record their significant needs and fears
relevant to the issue.
At this stage it is very important to remember to focus on the needs and fears of all
parties until the map is complete. Don't be sidetracked into implications such as 'what
about?' or solutions ‘if only we did ‘x’ this would be fixed’.
Stick doggedly to: 'What are your needs? What are your fears?' You may have to sift
out solutions being offered as needs.
When having this conversation, if someone makes a comment about something in
the conflict that is not working or makes them unhappy or dissatisfied, it is also useful to
use your skill to find out what is behind the comment and reshape it as a need or a fear.
For example, if the conflict was about meetings and the comment was something like