<< GUIDELINES FOR LIMITED USE OF CONFRONTATION: >>
Confrontation is a nonviolent show of strength that is used to
emphasize differences with your Adversary (and/or the Decision Makers)
on a
specific aspect of the issue. Your goal in using confrontation will
be to
focus attention on strengths in your position or in your base of support.
Limited use of confrontation in the Resolution Phase may be useful
when ALL of the following conditions can be met:
1) You have good reason for using confrontation for a specific purpose
where no other method could work as well.
2) You have a very strong position on a limited and clearly defined
aspect of the issue being raised or very strong support for your position
that
needs to be demonstrated (Preferably both).
3) You are very sure that you will win concessions or at least make
your Adversary (and Decision Makers) more fully aware of your strength.
4) The confrontation will be of very limited duration because
continued confrontation can erode your broad base of support in the
community.
5) The confrontation will not permanently damage the possibility for
maintaining or developing a working relationship with your Adversary
and the
Decision Makers in the future.
USE OF CONFRONTATION:
So far in this process your group has tried to avoid the use of
confrontation because it tends to polarize and alienate people. Your
goal
has been to reach out to build a broad base of support in your community.
As
you enter the Resolution Phase it is expected that you have already
built, to
some degree, a good broad base of support and you are viewed as a credible
group.
During the Resolution Phase you may have Strategic reasons for
considering a limited use of confrontation as part of a Show Of Strength.
WEIGH THE RISKS TO THE FUTURE:
Perhaps the most commonly overlooked aspect of the use of
confrontation is how confrontation can impact on your ability to work
with
your Adversary and the Decision Makers. Up to this point you have been
raising concerns and building a broad base of support to put pressure
on your
Adversary (and/or the Decision Makers) to find common ground for addressing
your concerns. One of the dangers with even a limited use of confrontation
is
that you may win the confrontation on one aspect of the issue and lose
your
ability to deal constructively with your Adversary (and/or the Decision
Makers) on other more important aspects of the issue in the future.
Consider
carefully the use of confrontation in terms of how it could impact
on your
ability to develop a working relationship with your Adversary (and
Decision
Makers) for addressing your concerns in the future.
BALANCE CONFRONTATION AND THE NEED FOR FUTURE CONNECTION:
You have been working to have your concerns taken seriously. Once
your concerns are taken seriously then you will want to look towards
building
some kind of working relationship with your Adversary (and/or the Decision
Makers) to begin to resolve the issues that concern you. The process
of using
confrontation to force them into a position where they will have to
deal with
your concerns involves a delicate balance.
YOUR CONNECTION AS A THIN STRING:
It may be helpful to have a way of looking at this new situation that
can give you a `feel' for the delicate balance that is required.
Imagine you are taking a large dog for a walk. Rather than using a
leash you are using a weak string. As long as you are aware of the
need to
balance and adjust, you can keep the tension on the string at less
than the
breaking point and maintain your connection to the dog. This means
careful
balance and considerable adjustment to the actions of the dog. Without
this
adjustment you risk a test of strength that could lead to a breaking
of the
string and a loss of what ever influence you did have on the behavior
of the
dog. In a similar manner you can imagine your working relationship
(or
potential working relationship) with your Adversary (and/or the Decision
Makers) as a string connecting 2 people. In a show (not test) of strength,
especially if it involves confrontation, you want to pull hard on the
string
to get movement in your direction but not so hard as to break the string
and
lose future influence.
WHEN CONFRONTATION MAY BE USEFUL:
Even though the use of confrontation has many potential dangers, at
times, it may have a role to play in the resolution of an issue.
For example, Role Playing has shown that your Adversary (and/or the
Decision Makers) have seriously underestimated the strength of your
position
or your base of support (or both). You have decided that a strong Show
Of
Strength, even to the point of limited confrontation, may be needed
to `get
their attention'. If your proposed action meets the guidelines for
the
limited use of confrontation then Role Play the proposal to get a good
idea of
the potential cost and benefits of this use of confrontation. Role
play all
key groups and be especially aware of how it could impact on your future
ability to work constructively with your Adversary and the Decision
Makers.
Anticipate and be prepared for potential problems especially when mobilizing
a
large number of people. Have a clearly defined goal. What are you trying
to
accomplish by this use of confrontation? If the proposal looks feasible
in
a Role Playing Strategy Session then go through it again to find ways
to
minimize the costs (potential dangers) of the use of confrontation
and to
maximize the benefits.
DECISION TO USE CONFRONTATION IN A SHOW OF STRENGTH:
Your proposal has met all the guidelines for the limited use of
confrontation and has been found acceptable in Role Playing. Because
you have
been careful to maintain a reputation for being a reasonable group,
you will
want to let the public know why you are taking your current position.
Have a
carefully prepared written statement (with extra copies to hand out)
showing
how you have been moderate and reasonable in trying to have your concerns
addressed. Review the actions and positions that you have taken to
this point
and why you think that your concerns have still not been adequately
addressed.
This will allow people to understand why you feel you have been forced
to take
your present position or action on this aspect of the issue. Make sure
your
supporters are aware that their role is to focus on and support the
aspect of
the issue at hand. Individual members of your group may speak out,
(at times
emotionally) on the issue, but make it clear to everyone that, although
individual members are free to speak for themselves, they do not speak
for the
group. Your group's position on the issue will be presented by your
spokesperson, it must be reasonable and clearly defined.
EXAMPLE: LIMITED USE OF CONFRONTATION:
On a low altitude flight issue, the group decided it was necessary
to
show the military that the group had been able to develop a broad base
of
support in the community. The military had taken the strong position
that an
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) was not needed. After careful
study, the
group decided that a show of strength with limited use of confrontation
would
be useful. They worked for a number of weeks to get a resolution calling
for
an EIS on the Low Altitude Flights through the various committees of
the
County Legislature to be ready for a vote by the full legislature.
A mass
mobilization to support the resolution was organized to bring people
to the
legislature meeting. An large crowd packed the meeting room supporting
the
resolution. Many individuals made strong and often emotional statements
on
how the flights would adversely effect them. The result was an overwhelming
20 to 2 vote for the resolution. This was a clear Show Of Strength
that had
wide coverage in the press. Even though the group was fully aware of
the fact
that this vote would have little impact on actually getting an EIS
(no EIS was
ever done), it was a strong demonstration of county wide support for
the
group's concerns. In addition, it did not seriously damage the potential
for
a future working relationship with the military while it did make them
much
more aware that the group's concerns must be addressed.
CONSIDER THE USE OF CONFRONTATION CAREFULLY:
The potential gains from the use of confrontation need to be balanced
with the potential costs. Use confrontation in the Resolution Phase
only when
it serves a strategic purpose. Remember your goal of having your concerns
addressed will mean that sometime in the Resolution Phase you may want
to be
able to work with your Adversary (and/or the Decision Makers) to find
ways of
resolving your concerns. Be aware of the effect of even limited confrontation
on your potential for a working relationship in the future.
< SUMMARY 13 > LIMITED ROLE OF CONFRONTATION:
<< GUIDELINES FOR LIMITED USE OF CONFRONTATION: >>
Confrontation is a nonviolent show of strength that is used to
emphasize differences with your Adversary (and/or the Decision Makers)
on a
specific aspect of the issue. Your goal in using confrontation will
be to
focus attention on strengths in your position or in your base of support.
Limited use of confrontation in the Resolution Phase may be useful
when ALL of the following conditions can be met:
1) You have good reason for using confrontation for a specific purpose
where no other method could work as well.
2) You have a very strong position on a limited and clearly defined
aspect of the issue being raised or very strong support for your position
that
needs to be demonstrated (Preferably both).
3) You are very sure that you will win concessions or at least make
your Adversary (and Decision Makers) more fully aware of your strength.
4) The confrontation will be of very limited duration because
continued confrontation can erode your broad base of support in the
community.
5) The confrontation will not permanently damage the possibility for
maintaining or developing a working relationship with your Adversary
and the
Decision Makers in the future.