News and Views
On Public Apology: CBI's Patrick Field Quoted in New York Times
New York Times writer Paul Vitello consulted and quoted CBI Managing Director Patrick Field when writing The Art of Public Apology, published on February 19, 2010. Vitello examines several of the notable public apologies by prominent figures during the last few years and looks into what makes some apologies succeed and others fall flat.
What makes a good public apology? CBI has been answering this question via customized training for organizations and individuals. For more information, contact Patrick Field. You can also consult CBI's publications on this topic.
Talking Food: Pat Field Facilitates Meeting of USDA and New England Commissioners
The Boston Globe made mention of a meeting between USDA Deputy Secretary Kathleen Merrigan and New England Commissioners on Regional Food. Facilitated by CBI's Patrick Field, the meeting was focused on how to use USDA resources to move forward with regional food systems, including dairy.
In the United States, coastal communities face many immediate challenges, including declining fish stocks, rapid population growth and aging infrastructure.
Across the country, decision makers at the local and state levels increasingly are turning to new methods for resolving conflicts that arise during land use decision making processes. For disputes over permitting or enforcement of local and state land use regulations, mediation is considered a reasonable alternative to at least some litigation. Although mediation has successfully resolved many land use disputes, its use typically has been applied ad hoc as inclination and resources determine.
Public Education and Participation in Water Quality Decisions
To help engage the public in discussing water quality issues that affect the Assabet River (in Sudbury, MA), the Organization for the Assabet River (OAR) and the Consensus Building Institute (CBI) collaborated in an outreach, education, and participation project that included a series of eight advisory focus group sessions, a pair of public workshops, and which culminated in the recent publication of a final report.
This discussion is happening in the context of state and federal Clean Water Act requirements to reduce nutrient pollution of the Assabet River. A study prepared by the state assessed the sources of pollution and actions necessary to bring the river into compliance with its water quality standard of Class B, supporting fishing and swimming. The nutrient study identified two main sources of phosphorus, the main pollutant: municipal wastewater treatment plant discharges, and the sediments captured behind the six old mill dams along the river.
This project was supported by grants from the Sudbury, Assabet, and Concord Wild & Scenic River Stewardship Council and the EPA’s Alternative Dispute Resolution Program. Particular attention was paid to phosphorous pollution, associated eutrophication (excessive aquatic plant growth), and potential steps that could be taken to reduce phosphorous levels, including dam removal and additional wastewater treatment.
Read the final report. To find out more about this project or other related projects, read more CBI case studies or contact CBI.
CBI Reports - Winter 2009
If you listen to any cable or radio news show for an hour, chances are that someone will ask whether there is consensus in Washington, Wall Street, or Main Street.
The business world, where I practice, lags behind other sectors in making use of consensus building techniques. Too often leaders ask for input, write notes on flipcharts, foster debate—and then make a decision behind closed doors without clear criteria.
[...]
Consensus building is not about badgering parties into compromise. Instead, it is about creating a collaborative workspace where new ideas can lead to better agreements. Elsewhere in this issue of CBI Reports, and at our website you will find examples of the kind of work we’re doing around the world. We hope you’ll spread the word: consensus building can help leaders and organizations to create better solutions to complex, pressing problems.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), a fragile central government seeks to consolidate peace and begin recovery, while still facing serious armed conflict in several eastern provinces. For the government and people of the DRC, the United Nations system is a critical partner as well as an independent actor in peacemaking, peacekeeping, peacebuilding and recovery. Its personnel and offices—peacekeepers, high-ranking diplomats, political officers, emergency relief and civilian protection agencies, human rights monitors and advocates, and development organizations for health, education, children, gender, governance and livelihoods—form an extraordinarily complex structure of strategies, programs, initiatives and quick-response activities.
Within the UN system, creating and maintaining a shared strategic vision of the UN’s role in the DRC is a major challenge. In August, CBI Managing Director David Fairman helped plan and facilitate a senior management workshop to begin developing that shared vision and strategy.
Aquaculture is booming around the world. About half of the seafood we eat today is grown in a net, a pond, or a tank, and the percentage is growing quickly.
CBI is working with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to facilitate the development of global standards that address the key negative environmental and social impacts from this expanding industry. The process, called the Aquaculture Dialogues, takes a consensus-based approach to creating credible, voluntary standards that will transform farm operations toward more sustainable production of salmon, shrimp, tilapia, mussels, and eight other species. More than 2,000 people, including farmers, conservationists, community activists, academics, and government officials, participate in the roundtable discussions, called “Dialogues.”
Exploring New Models for a National Forest: CBI Helps Lead Focus Groups
The Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) asked CBI and the Massachusetts Office Of Dispute Resolution (MODR) to explore the possibility of a new, innovative model for a National Forest unit in the Northern Berkshire region.
To explore this concept, a joint idea from the state and the U.S. Forest Service, CBI and MODR conducted 12 focus groups with over 80 individuals. The team met with landowners, regional economic development agencies, land trusts, foresters, and others. The assessment team sought to gain insight into stakeholders’ views and concerns about the idea as well as how the state should engage them in further deliberation on the concept.
In general, most, but not all interviewees across various interest groups expressed concern and uncertainty about the ideal of a National Forest service unit within Massachusetts
Almost all recognized the unique challenges in this region today, including increased development pressure, a forestry industry in recession if not decline, struggling municipalities, and chronic state underinvestment. Furthermore, many noted the importance of preserving the current way of life, the rural character, small town life, and working, beautiful forest and open landscapes. Thus, they did see benefit in the additional assistance that state and federal dollars and technical resources could provide. But most interviewees expressed strong concern about the mechanism for state-federal support (a new, innovative Forest Service unit), although they agreed that partnerships were essential across sectors and governments to ensure the vitality and future of the region.
The focus groups were led by Patrick Field and Ona Ferguson, CBI, and Loraine Della Porta and Kurt Dettman , MODR. Read the Focus Group and Interview Summary Report.
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