Workshop C

1

Effective Government Negotiation Presentation for
the Association of Local Public Health Agencies
Tuesday June 12th, 2007

130 King St W, Suite 1800 Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5X 1E3 Tel [phone] Email
lendomino_at_leonarddomino.com
www.leonarddomino.com


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Definition of Lobbying in the Canadian Context

• Lobbying Any effort, short of partisan political
  activity, by a business, firm or other interest
  group, to influence public policy.

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Partisan Politics vs. Lobbying A Difference

• Partisan politics is the seventh game of the
  Stanley Cup final in the brutal short term,
  the winner takes all.
• Lobbying is the process of cultivating a
  long-term relationship with a "customer".
• Lobbying is a negotiation.
• If you confuse politics with lobbying, you will
  pay a high price. The politician will treat you
  like an opposition politician.

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Strategies for effective Lobbying

• Public Confrontation
• Collaborative Negotiation Understand the values
  and needs of key players

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Public Confrontation

• Public confrontation with the government in the
  hope that they can be forced into a negotiated
  settlement, or a complete reversal.
• High Risk Strategy
• Strikes, demonstrations, and confrontations can
  be effective when used to apply pressure in the
  negotiation situations where the governments
  alternative to a negotiated settlement appears
  too attractive.
• Power in a negotiation comes from information,
  knowledge, and having a positive alternative to a
  negotiated settlement.

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Public Confrontation

• Public Confrontation can be effective in
  reminding government decision makers that what
  happens at the negotiation table must be compared
  to available alternatives.
• Power in a negotiation comes from information,
  knowledge, and having a positive alternative to a
  negotiated settlement.

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Recognize Lobbying Is NegotiationUnderstand Key
Players' Needs Agendas

• Seek a detailed understanding of the governments
  values, stated position and deeper
  interests/needs.
• Relate your lobby/negotiations not just to the
  governments stated agenda but to its deeper
  interest/needs.
• Library Window/ positions/ needs
• Getting To Yes - Unys, Patterson, Fisher

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Negotiation A definition

• Negotiation is a process whereby people attempt
  to resolve their differences
• Approaches to Negotiation
• Win-Lose (resentment)
• Lose-Lose (compromise)
• Win-Win (integrated solution)
• Collaborative Negotiation (Win-Win)
• People versus the problems
• Soft on people, hard on problems
• Seek solutions for mutual benefit

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Keys To Collaborative Government Negotiation

• Values
• Positions
• Needs/Interests

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Values

• Values are deeply held beliefs about which
  activities and ideas are useful and desirable.
• Values form an important part of a governments
  corporate culture

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Values

• Individuals, Cabinet Ministers and senior civil
  servants may have values which reflect their own
  experience, and sometimes differ from broader
  government values. This may cause confusion and
  internal conflict.
• Values change slowly
• Attacks upon values will be resisted and threaten
  relationships. Values are non-negotiable.
• Values determine needs and positions.
• Negotiating positions based on the values of the
  government have a good chance of receiving a
  sympathetic hearing.

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Positions

• The positions taken by negotiators at the
  beginning of bargaining are what they prefer in
  order to satisfy their needs.
• Rarely is there only a single position that
  enables a need to be fulfilled.

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Needs/Interests

• Needs/interests are specific to the negotiator
• We must have a clear understanding of our needs.
• We must also seek to uncover the needs of the
  government in any lobby/negotiation.

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Keys to Successful Lobbying

• Focus on the interests/needs, not the positions.
• Interests/needs motivate people - Your position
  is something you have decided on. Your needs are
  what cause you to decide your position.
• Make both yours and the governments needs the
  focus of your communication.
• Do not imply that the governments needs and
  values are unimportant or illegitimate.

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Keys to Successful Lobbying

• No Permanent Friends/No Permanent Enemies
• Do not attack people attack the problem
• Demand attention to the problem
• Ask WHY and WHY NOT
• Build relationships politicians and public
  servants are risk averse by training, so before
  sensitive information such as deeper
  interest/needs can be shared, a relationship of
  trust must be developed

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Questions, Comments, Suggestions?


130 King St W, Suite 1800 Toronto, Ontario,
Canada M5X 1E3 Tel [phone] Email
lendomino_at_leonarddomino.com
www.leonarddomino.com