William Potapchuk | George Mason University (original) (raw)

Papers by William Potapchuk

Several scholars in the field of conflict resolution have been searching for a generic or foundat... more Several scholars in the field of conflict resolution have been searching for a generic or foundational theory to unify the disparate disciplinary strands traditionally brought to bear on conflict and conflict resolution theory.1 A recent effort by John Burton and Dennis Sandole attempts to use human needs theory as a generic adisciplinary theory of conflict and conflict resolution that encompasses the arenas of practice of interpersonal to international.2

Mediation quarterly, Jun 1, 1987

Journal of Nutrition Education, Sep 1, 1998

This article reports on 10 sites that received support from Food and Consumer Services, U.S. Depa... more This article reports on 10 sites that received support from Food and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Community Nutrition Education Consortium, a 2year effort to promote collaborative, community-based approaches to nutrition education. Drawing from external evaluations of each site, as well as a report that synthesizes findings across sites, this article establishes a conceptual framework for understanding the type of community collaboration sought in this effort. A description of the consortia frameworks used by the sites to enable collaboration and a discussion of the nature of the collaboration at the sites is also offered.The article concludes with an exploration of the interaction between collaboration and an intervention and offers preliminary lessons and implications for practitioners and policy makers. Collaboration is hard. The literature is replete with barriers to collaboration.'-4 Practitioners share stories of seemingly endless meetings. Integrated services, one of the desired goals of collaboration in human services, can be troublesome too. Multiple and conflicting criteria for eligibility for serv i c e~,~ challenges in addressing confidentiality issues between a g e n c i e~,~ conflicting guidance from federal and state agencies,' and plain old turf issues can push the goal of truly integrated services out of reach. So why do tens of thousands of community leaders, agency managers, front-line workers, businesspeople, and- .

National Civic Review, 1999

Successful efforts to address community issues through collaboration are found in every part of t... more Successful efforts to address community issues through collaboration are found in every part of the country, in communities of all sizes. These efforts have produced lasting change, yet many of the toughest challenges remain. The strategies that supported the growth of collaboration over the past decade appear to be necessary, but not sufficient, for these powerful challenges.

National Civic Review, 1997

... 133 but they have not developed the trust and reciprocity among groups necessary to work toge... more ... 133 but they have not developed the trust and reciprocity among groups necessary to work together on shared ... experience) that collectively characterize a community High levels of generalized social capital create the common ground essential for building a vision of ...

Public Administration Review, Sep 29, 2016

I n my work in conflict resolution, consensus building, and large-scale collaboratives, I have fo... more I n my work in conflict resolution, consensus building, and large-scale collaboratives, I have found that articulated and shared goals can anchor institutional commitments to a collaborative initiative. But ostensible goals can also mask real intent and underlying interests. Goals can be ambiguous with amorphous boundaries. They are also far from immutable. What is a goal? John Bryson, Fran Ackerman, and Colin Eden ' s article, "Discovering Collaborative Advantage: The Contributions of Goal Categories and Visual Strategy Mapping," notes that goals can be categorized in ways that "help articulate collaborative advantage." Using the authors' framework, I reflected on two large-scale collaborative efforts with which I have

National Civic Review, Sep 1, 1988

Let's examine a brief case study. In Texas, highway officials sought to expand the number of lane... more Let's examine a brief case study. In Texas, highway officials sought to expand the number of lanes of an Interstate highway that forms the southern border of downtown Fort Worth. After the requisite public hearings, a citizens' group filed suit because it opposed the option selected-expanding an elevated freeway. Ten years of litigation led to a ruling that the highway department had not met citizen participation obligations because one of the first public hearings was advertised as focusing on an intersecting Interstate highway. Getting to the Table Joint decision making, which includes negotiated, mediated, and facilitated processes, comes without the rules and established practice that guide many other forums. This flexibility creates both opportunity and obstacle. The opportunity arises from the ability to create a joint decision-making forum that directly responds to the nature of the issue, the needs of the parties, and the external constraints. The obstacle emerges as you explore the other parties' desires and test the willingness of people to work together. They may want a much different forum than you, they may not trust you to create a fair forum, they may be trying to create their own forum, or they may be reluctant to try something new. The process of overcoming the obstacles and building an acceptable forum has been dubbed "getting to the table nS • The bestseller on negotiation, Getting to Yes 4 , starts with the parties at the table. In multi-party, high-stakes disputes, the most difficult part of the process may be gaining agreement on what is the design •of the table,• who should be "at the table," and which Issues should be "on the table". Indeed, parties in complex disputes often must deal with competing forums and forum shopping. Yet, getting to the table, often called "negotiating about negotiating", is possible. It is the phase during which the parties design a forum. Indeed, most executives and managers do it all the time, intuitively moving through the steps. The purpose of this guide is to offer a four-step process for designing a forum to help you get to the table. Mini-case studies which represent composites of actual conflicts involving the Corps are presented throughout. A variety of approaches are suggested for overcoming the obstacles you are likely to encounter. While this guide focuses on both public disputes and contractual disputes that occur in construction projects, the emphasis is on public disputes. If you face a contract dispute, we also encourage you to read the Corps publication, Using ADR in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Framework for Managerial Decision Makings. But, before we go step-by-step through the process, it will be helpful to have in mind the various kinds of forums you might use.

National Civic Review, 1999

... Note: William H. Schechter, Christine Benero, and Maggie Bailey contributed to the devel-opme... more ... Note: William H. Schechter, Christine Benero, and Maggie Bailey contributed to the devel-opment of this article, which was supported by a generous grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Page 2. 176 Potapchuk, Crocker ...

National Civic Review, 1996

... robust citizen partici-pation initiatives, community co!kaboratives, conflict resolution and ... more ... robust citizen partici-pation initiatives, community co!kaboratives, conflict resolution and negotiation ... tions, destroy relationships, margmahze groups, ossify political structures, and create unnecessary conflict. ... scale change because of the lack of institutional connections and the ...

National Civic Review, 1991

National Civic Review, 1998

In different ways, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Charlotte, North Carolina, are on the cutting edge ... more In different ways, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Charlotte, North Carolina, are on the cutting edge of system change and government reform. The experiences of government reform and systems change in these two communities offer lessons for other local government leaders.

About the Coalition for Community Schools the coalition for community Schools, housed at the inst... more About the Coalition for Community Schools the coalition for community Schools, housed at the institute for Educational leadership (iEl), is an alliance of national, state and local organizations in education k-16, youth development, community planning and development, higher education, family support, health and human services, government, and philanthropy as well as national, state, and local community school networks. the coalition advocates for community schools as a strategy to leverage local resources and programs, changing the look and feel of the traditional school structure to best meet the needs of children and families in the 21st century. About the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) For a half-century, the institute for Educational leadership (iEl) has championed the need for leaders at all levels to shake off their institutional constraints and work across boundaries to address the needs of young people and their families. Bound by no constituency, iEl serves as a catalyst that helps policymakers, administrators, and practitioners at all levels bridge bureaucratic silos and undo gridlock to improve outcomes for all young people and their families. iEl's mission is to equip leaders to work together across boundaries to build effective systems that prepare children and youth for postsecondary education, careers, and citizenship. About Policy Link Policylink is a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by lifting up What Works.® Founded in 1999, Policylink connects the work of people on the ground to the creation of sustainable communities of opportunity that allow everyone to participate and prosper. Such communities offer access to quality jobs, affordable housing, good schools, transportation, and the benefits of healthy food and physical activity. About West Coast Collaborative the West coast collaborative is a partnership of three veteran community school initiatives designed to advance thought leadership and practical assets for our local efforts and the national movement. the collaborative is an effort to bring a proven approach to a new level of maturity, reach, sustainability and impact, to advance the shift "from great schools to effective systems. " Founding members include community School collaboration, los angeles Education Partnership and Schools uniting Neighborhoods.

Ancient Romans created fenced areas near their marketplaces as a place for lively political discu... more Ancient Romans created fenced areas near their marketplaces as a place for lively political discussions and public judicial activities. These areas became known as forums. People today continue to take their disputes to special arenas for solutions. The number and variety of forums in today's society for the host of judicial, legislative, and administrative deciSions is continually increasing. Rather than riding our chariot to the forum, we now use a broad range of sophisticated tools to select, develop, and use a forum. In conflicts, the choice of forum is often the most significant strategic decision. Each party is seeking to ensure that the forum is suitable for the pursuit of their interests. Forums, however, are easily slanted toward the interests of their creator. In public disputes, public agencies, like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are

Focuses on participation and collaboration as major elements of processes that are effective. Pro... more Focuses on participation and collaboration as major elements of processes that are effective. Provides examples of, and offers tools for overcoming, challenges to collaboration. Includes strategies and resources for evaluation and collaboration

National Civic Review, 1988

I organization from a long deteriorating, low-income neighborhood full of architecturally signifi... more I organization from a long deteriorating, low-income neighborhood full of architecturally significant buildings forces the city council to allocate significant funds for neighborhood improvement efforts. The city manager decides consensus should be achieved on how the funds are spent. Which scenario should the manager choose: The Blue Ribbon Panel A leading architect from the local university is asked to chair a task force which includes the Director of Community Development, the head of the Neighborhood Task Force from the League of Women Voters, the president of the Local Merchants Association, the president of the city's Historic Preservation Organization, a Legal Aid attorney and two representatives from the neighborhood. The panel is staffed by graduate students from the university. The Task Force is asked to make recommendations to the city manager. The Public Hearing Model The city manager directs the Community Development Department to write a plan after consulting with people in the neighborhood. The planner responsible for the neighborhood talks to six residents on the phone. The draft plan is reviewed at two sparsely attended public hearings held in the community and in city hall. The Community Development Department makes minor changes and submits the plan to the Manager.

Paper provides guidance and examples on how transportation planners ca use collaboration and comm... more Paper provides guidance and examples on how transportation planners ca use collaboration and community engagement under the (then) new federal transportation law, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA).

This paper explores the role of social capital in fostering efforts to strengthen communities, pa... more This paper explores the role of social capital in fostering efforts to strengthen communities, particularly those supported by local government.

Several scholars in the field of conflict resolution have been searching for a generic or foundat... more Several scholars in the field of conflict resolution have been searching for a generic or foundational theory to unify the disparate disciplinary strands traditionally brought to bear on conflict and conflict resolution theory.1 A recent effort by John Burton and Dennis Sandole attempts to use human needs theory as a generic adisciplinary theory of conflict and conflict resolution that encompasses the arenas of practice of interpersonal to international.2

Mediation quarterly, Jun 1, 1987

Journal of Nutrition Education, Sep 1, 1998

This article reports on 10 sites that received support from Food and Consumer Services, U.S. Depa... more This article reports on 10 sites that received support from Food and Consumer Services, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Community Nutrition Education Consortium, a 2year effort to promote collaborative, community-based approaches to nutrition education. Drawing from external evaluations of each site, as well as a report that synthesizes findings across sites, this article establishes a conceptual framework for understanding the type of community collaboration sought in this effort. A description of the consortia frameworks used by the sites to enable collaboration and a discussion of the nature of the collaboration at the sites is also offered.The article concludes with an exploration of the interaction between collaboration and an intervention and offers preliminary lessons and implications for practitioners and policy makers. Collaboration is hard. The literature is replete with barriers to collaboration.'-4 Practitioners share stories of seemingly endless meetings. Integrated services, one of the desired goals of collaboration in human services, can be troublesome too. Multiple and conflicting criteria for eligibility for serv i c e~,~ challenges in addressing confidentiality issues between a g e n c i e~,~ conflicting guidance from federal and state agencies,' and plain old turf issues can push the goal of truly integrated services out of reach. So why do tens of thousands of community leaders, agency managers, front-line workers, businesspeople, and- .

National Civic Review, 1999

Successful efforts to address community issues through collaboration are found in every part of t... more Successful efforts to address community issues through collaboration are found in every part of the country, in communities of all sizes. These efforts have produced lasting change, yet many of the toughest challenges remain. The strategies that supported the growth of collaboration over the past decade appear to be necessary, but not sufficient, for these powerful challenges.

National Civic Review, 1997

... 133 but they have not developed the trust and reciprocity among groups necessary to work toge... more ... 133 but they have not developed the trust and reciprocity among groups necessary to work together on shared ... experience) that collectively characterize a community High levels of generalized social capital create the common ground essential for building a vision of ...

Public Administration Review, Sep 29, 2016

I n my work in conflict resolution, consensus building, and large-scale collaboratives, I have fo... more I n my work in conflict resolution, consensus building, and large-scale collaboratives, I have found that articulated and shared goals can anchor institutional commitments to a collaborative initiative. But ostensible goals can also mask real intent and underlying interests. Goals can be ambiguous with amorphous boundaries. They are also far from immutable. What is a goal? John Bryson, Fran Ackerman, and Colin Eden ' s article, "Discovering Collaborative Advantage: The Contributions of Goal Categories and Visual Strategy Mapping," notes that goals can be categorized in ways that "help articulate collaborative advantage." Using the authors' framework, I reflected on two large-scale collaborative efforts with which I have

National Civic Review, Sep 1, 1988

Let's examine a brief case study. In Texas, highway officials sought to expand the number of lane... more Let's examine a brief case study. In Texas, highway officials sought to expand the number of lanes of an Interstate highway that forms the southern border of downtown Fort Worth. After the requisite public hearings, a citizens' group filed suit because it opposed the option selected-expanding an elevated freeway. Ten years of litigation led to a ruling that the highway department had not met citizen participation obligations because one of the first public hearings was advertised as focusing on an intersecting Interstate highway. Getting to the Table Joint decision making, which includes negotiated, mediated, and facilitated processes, comes without the rules and established practice that guide many other forums. This flexibility creates both opportunity and obstacle. The opportunity arises from the ability to create a joint decision-making forum that directly responds to the nature of the issue, the needs of the parties, and the external constraints. The obstacle emerges as you explore the other parties' desires and test the willingness of people to work together. They may want a much different forum than you, they may not trust you to create a fair forum, they may be trying to create their own forum, or they may be reluctant to try something new. The process of overcoming the obstacles and building an acceptable forum has been dubbed "getting to the table nS • The bestseller on negotiation, Getting to Yes 4 , starts with the parties at the table. In multi-party, high-stakes disputes, the most difficult part of the process may be gaining agreement on what is the design •of the table,• who should be "at the table," and which Issues should be "on the table". Indeed, parties in complex disputes often must deal with competing forums and forum shopping. Yet, getting to the table, often called "negotiating about negotiating", is possible. It is the phase during which the parties design a forum. Indeed, most executives and managers do it all the time, intuitively moving through the steps. The purpose of this guide is to offer a four-step process for designing a forum to help you get to the table. Mini-case studies which represent composites of actual conflicts involving the Corps are presented throughout. A variety of approaches are suggested for overcoming the obstacles you are likely to encounter. While this guide focuses on both public disputes and contractual disputes that occur in construction projects, the emphasis is on public disputes. If you face a contract dispute, we also encourage you to read the Corps publication, Using ADR in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Framework for Managerial Decision Makings. But, before we go step-by-step through the process, it will be helpful to have in mind the various kinds of forums you might use.

National Civic Review, 1999

... Note: William H. Schechter, Christine Benero, and Maggie Bailey contributed to the devel-opme... more ... Note: William H. Schechter, Christine Benero, and Maggie Bailey contributed to the devel-opment of this article, which was supported by a generous grant from the Annie E. Casey Foundation. Page 2. 176 Potapchuk, Crocker ...

National Civic Review, 1996

... robust citizen partici-pation initiatives, community co!kaboratives, conflict resolution and ... more ... robust citizen partici-pation initiatives, community co!kaboratives, conflict resolution and negotiation ... tions, destroy relationships, margmahze groups, ossify political structures, and create unnecessary conflict. ... scale change because of the lack of institutional connections and the ...

National Civic Review, 1991

National Civic Review, 1998

In different ways, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Charlotte, North Carolina, are on the cutting edge ... more In different ways, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Charlotte, North Carolina, are on the cutting edge of system change and government reform. The experiences of government reform and systems change in these two communities offer lessons for other local government leaders.

About the Coalition for Community Schools the coalition for community Schools, housed at the inst... more About the Coalition for Community Schools the coalition for community Schools, housed at the institute for Educational leadership (iEl), is an alliance of national, state and local organizations in education k-16, youth development, community planning and development, higher education, family support, health and human services, government, and philanthropy as well as national, state, and local community school networks. the coalition advocates for community schools as a strategy to leverage local resources and programs, changing the look and feel of the traditional school structure to best meet the needs of children and families in the 21st century. About the Institute for Educational Leadership (IEL) For a half-century, the institute for Educational leadership (iEl) has championed the need for leaders at all levels to shake off their institutional constraints and work across boundaries to address the needs of young people and their families. Bound by no constituency, iEl serves as a catalyst that helps policymakers, administrators, and practitioners at all levels bridge bureaucratic silos and undo gridlock to improve outcomes for all young people and their families. iEl's mission is to equip leaders to work together across boundaries to build effective systems that prepare children and youth for postsecondary education, careers, and citizenship. About Policy Link Policylink is a national research and action institute advancing economic and social equity by lifting up What Works.® Founded in 1999, Policylink connects the work of people on the ground to the creation of sustainable communities of opportunity that allow everyone to participate and prosper. Such communities offer access to quality jobs, affordable housing, good schools, transportation, and the benefits of healthy food and physical activity. About West Coast Collaborative the West coast collaborative is a partnership of three veteran community school initiatives designed to advance thought leadership and practical assets for our local efforts and the national movement. the collaborative is an effort to bring a proven approach to a new level of maturity, reach, sustainability and impact, to advance the shift "from great schools to effective systems. " Founding members include community School collaboration, los angeles Education Partnership and Schools uniting Neighborhoods.

Ancient Romans created fenced areas near their marketplaces as a place for lively political discu... more Ancient Romans created fenced areas near their marketplaces as a place for lively political discussions and public judicial activities. These areas became known as forums. People today continue to take their disputes to special arenas for solutions. The number and variety of forums in today's society for the host of judicial, legislative, and administrative deciSions is continually increasing. Rather than riding our chariot to the forum, we now use a broad range of sophisticated tools to select, develop, and use a forum. In conflicts, the choice of forum is often the most significant strategic decision. Each party is seeking to ensure that the forum is suitable for the pursuit of their interests. Forums, however, are easily slanted toward the interests of their creator. In public disputes, public agencies, like the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, are

Focuses on participation and collaboration as major elements of processes that are effective. Pro... more Focuses on participation and collaboration as major elements of processes that are effective. Provides examples of, and offers tools for overcoming, challenges to collaboration. Includes strategies and resources for evaluation and collaboration

National Civic Review, 1988

I organization from a long deteriorating, low-income neighborhood full of architecturally signifi... more I organization from a long deteriorating, low-income neighborhood full of architecturally significant buildings forces the city council to allocate significant funds for neighborhood improvement efforts. The city manager decides consensus should be achieved on how the funds are spent. Which scenario should the manager choose: The Blue Ribbon Panel A leading architect from the local university is asked to chair a task force which includes the Director of Community Development, the head of the Neighborhood Task Force from the League of Women Voters, the president of the Local Merchants Association, the president of the city's Historic Preservation Organization, a Legal Aid attorney and two representatives from the neighborhood. The panel is staffed by graduate students from the university. The Task Force is asked to make recommendations to the city manager. The Public Hearing Model The city manager directs the Community Development Department to write a plan after consulting with people in the neighborhood. The planner responsible for the neighborhood talks to six residents on the phone. The draft plan is reviewed at two sparsely attended public hearings held in the community and in city hall. The Community Development Department makes minor changes and submits the plan to the Manager.

Paper provides guidance and examples on how transportation planners ca use collaboration and comm... more Paper provides guidance and examples on how transportation planners ca use collaboration and community engagement under the (then) new federal transportation law, the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA).

This paper explores the role of social capital in fostering efforts to strengthen communities, pa... more This paper explores the role of social capital in fostering efforts to strengthen communities, particularly those supported by local government.

Multiparty Negotiations, 2008

A substantial focus of the negotiation and conflict resolution literature focuses on how to build... more A substantial focus of the negotiation and conflict resolution literature focuses on how to build agreements. This chapter focuses on the elements of building an implementable agreement.

Consensus Building Handbook, 1999

Collaborative Leadership Fieldbook, 2002

This article describes with innovative use of 21st Century Town Meeting in the development of pla... more This article describes with innovative use of 21st Century Town Meeting in the development of plans and priorities for the District of Columbia

Deliberative Democracy Handbook: Strategies for Effective Citizen Engagement in the 21st Century, 2005

Conflict: Human Needs Theory, 1993

Effective governance, it is argued, can contribute to the development of a just and peaceful soci... more Effective governance, it is argued, can contribute to the development of a just and peaceful society. This chapter explores that premise