There is a large part of governance textbooks don’t prepare you for.
This includes how to identify and understand different interests at play in any matter or decision.
In governance, interests are the core needs, desires and goals that drive individuals, groups, or organisations to influence decisions. Simply put, interests represent why a person cares about an issue and what they stand to gain or lose from it.
It is important to note this, because people generally take up a position in line with their interests. A position is a specific demand a person makes or advocates for, and the interest serves as the underlying need that drives that demand.
Effective governance and decision-making involves, to a large extent, focusing on identifying and addressing the underlying interest a person holds. To put it another way: It is very difficult to move someone from their current position on a matter unless you address, appease or replace the underlying interest.
How does one do so? Firstly, the more committed a person is to the interest, the more difficult it will be to change their position.
To change someone’s position, you can adopt the following option: You can shift their focus by helping them see a bigger problem that affects them or their interest more. You can also introduce them to new facts or information that shed more light on their interest and why it may or may not work.
The ideal, if possible, is to offer a new or different way to reach the same goal.
On the other side of the coin, one can also make their current proposed interest unreachable by adding barriers, or if there is a power imbalance, you can put them in a place where they need to compromise and accept what little part of their interest they can get.
