Understanding Beliefs and Values to

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Understanding Beliefs and Values toMove from
Debate to DialogueDr. Lyn KathleneDr. Robert
WardColorado Institute of Public PolicyColorado
State UniversityMaryLou SmithAqua
Engineering, Inc.Colorado Water WorkshopJuly
28, 2006
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Water in the Rocky Mountain West, 2025

• Colorado Institute of Public Policy

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Beliefs and Values as a Means for Cooperation

• Colorado Institute of Public Policy

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Conflict or Cooperation?

• How do we address
• scarcity
• increasing demand
• new uses
• declining quality

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Understanding Beliefs and Values

• Instead of fighting for favorite solutions
  (positions)
• Step back to understand the beliefs and values
  (interests) those positions are based on

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The Water Survey

• Q-Methodologyassign different weights to beliefs
  and values statements
• Used in contentious policy arenas
• Important to have the full range of stakeholders
  participate, but numbers not so important

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Q-Sort Statement Array
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Affiliations of 84 Survey Participants
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Six Belief Types

• Statewide Economic Growth
• Environmental Concerns
• Living within Our Limits
• Stay the Course
• Broken System
• State Rights

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Everyone agreed

• Water is fundamental to the economy.
• An appropriated right does not mean water will be
  available for use.
• Agricultural water is the prime target for water
  transfers to urban and recreational uses.

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Most everyone agreed...

• Money has become the driver for allocating water.
  
• The market is not always the appropriate method
  for allocating water.
• It is important to protect existing individual
  water rights.
• Water court decisions have been favorable to
  agricultural interests.
• Current water law is quite functional.

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But they disagreed about

• The use it or lose it doctrine.
• Whether there is a disconnect between land use
  and water planning.
• Whether the recent drought proved the current
  water system works well or not.
• Whether there is plenty of water if used wisely
  or
• If new water needs to be developed.
• Whether or not environmental claims have adequate
  legal standing.

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An example of shared beliefs

• Statewide Economic Growth
• and
• Environmental Concerns
• Environmental needs should have similar standing
  in water law
• Water conservation are important policies to
  implement
• Using less water does not mean our quality of
  life will be lowered and
• Markets are not always the best mechanism for
  allocating water.

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An example of conflicting beliefs

• Statewide Economic Growth
• versus
• Environmental Concerns
• Differ on whether or not land use planning and
  water planning are adequately connected
• The Statewide Economic Growth group believes the
  current system is working fine.
• The Environmental Concerns strongly believe these
  is a disconnect between the two types of
  planning, which is detrimental to the long-term
  sustainability of water.

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What can we do with what we learned?

• Do we see commonalities we didnt know or
  consider before?
• Can understanding where we come from help us
  move from debate to dialogue about the future of
  water in Colorado?

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Understanding Beliefs and Values to Move From
Debate to Dialogue..

• . Just the Beginning

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If conversations within the water community
begin with values and beliefs, common values can
emerge, allowing for a wider range of positions
and more enduring solutions.
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The water community has not embraced dialogue
and cooperation among all interests as the first
and fundamental step toward addressing
challenges. We are beginning to talk about the
potential for such approaches, but have yet to
implement them in an effective manner.
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DEBATE Me against You
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• DIALOGUE You and Me
• Against the Problem

THE PROBLEM
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Debate vs. Dialogue

• We debate positionswhat we want
• We have a dialogue about interests
  (beliefs/values)why we want it

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A Debate over Positions

• My position is what I want
• We have to build more storage!
• We have to keep more water in the streams!

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A Dialogue about Our Interests (Beliefs and
Values)

• My interests are why I want it
• We need enough water for the population
• We need to protect the environment

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Debate PolarizesDialogue Builds on Shared
Values

• It is easier to agree on shared values than to
  agree on positions.
• Agreeing on shared values gives us common ground
  to start from. We can build solutions from
  there.
• Even having a dialogue about where we disagree is
  powerful

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Dialogue to Clarify Three Categories of
Interests/Values

• Shared
• Different but Compatible
• Conflicting

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Debate vs. Dialogue
We are adversaries We are collaborators
I want to win I want to find common ground
I defend my assumptions as truth I open up my assumptions for evaluation
I defend my views I admit your ideas can improve my view
Only one right answer Several possible options
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Debate vs. Dialogue
I listen so I can make counter arguments I listen to understand and seek agreement
I search for flaws in your position I look for strengths in your position
I seek results favorable to me I seek results which can unite us
May save time in the short run Usually saves time in the long run

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To incorporate beliefs and values into decisions
about water

• Clarify the interests (values)
• Recognize the commonalities
• Understand the differences
• Face the challenges
• Work toward innovative strategies

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