The Institute provides and arranges for training, facilitation, consultation, communications, research and development, and long term support services in order to achieve its mission. The Institute also serves as a clearinghouse and a source of leadership in its role as an advocate for change. Programs of the Institute are largely based on the negotiation and relationship principles discussed in Roger Fisher's books, Getting to Yes and Getting Together. Interest-based processes were used to reach the Camp David Accord between Israel and Egypt, and to develop the Central American Peace Plan. Institute programs also draw from the work of Peter Senge, Stephen Covey, Marvin Weisbord, and others.
Parties using it begin by together defining the problems or issues they want to resolve.
Then they identify all the stakeholders in the issue, stakeholders' individual and shared interests, and numerous options for resolution. The parties go on to jointly evaluate all options and select or synthesize one that best meets their individual and mutual interests. Experience has taught the Institute founders that breakdowns in employee-management relations are more often due to process problems than substantive differences. We therefore emphasize developing strong and sustainable working relationships based on shared norms of behavior, trustworthiness, full disclosure, mutual respect, pursuit of full understanding, and acceptance of the other party's interests. The grant is to support the initiation and long term success of labor-management cooperation and workplace partnerships in Northern and Central California.