Northwest Editors Guild Conflict Resolution Policy
The purpose of this policy is to provide a method for Northwest Editors Guild members, volunteers, board members, contractors, presenters, and program coordinators to address conflict in an effective, consistent, and productive manner and derive at a resolution that is mutually derived and satisfactory.
These policies have been created to ensure that interpersonal relationships in the Guild help maintain a level of professionalism and mutual respect.
NOTE: Board members aren't (usually) attorneys or trained mediators. They will work to the best of their abilities to help resolve the issue and take appropriate measures. Guild members always have the option of pursuing other remedies, such as contacting the Guild advisory committee or mediators who are external to the Guild.
Part I: Procedures
Introduction
This section is intended to provide a breakdown of specific types of conflicts and outline the appropriate steps in accordance with that type:
Conflicts between Guild members, where none is a board member
Conflicts between Guild members, where one is a board member
Conflicts between Guild members, where all involved are board members
Conflict with a program coordinator
Basic procedure
The first step in all situations is to try talking to the person one-on-one, using constructive language and highlighting reasons why the language or behavior was construed as offensive. Allow the other party to explain their language or actions, and then come up with a resolution that’s mutually acceptable. Often, the situation can be easily resolved this way.
If this first step doesn’t produce desired results, then seek help from the appropriate person(s), as highlighted in the following sections.
Conflicts between Guild members, where none is a board member
If two Guild members are having a conflict, these are the steps to follow:
Members reach out to each other to try resolving the issue between themselves in a respectful manner.
If the members are unable to resolve the conflict between themselves, one (or both) should contact the Guild administrator, who will then perform the following steps:
Ask the person(s) to fill out the Northwest Editors Guild Complaint form by a specified date.
Share the report with the current Guild president or Executive Committee to discuss the issue and further steps that might be required, including who might be involved as mediator.
The selected mediator would then contact the complainant and conduct some or all of the following steps:
Schedule a non-mediated phone or video call between the complainant and subject (if no such call has already occurred).
Set up a mediated call where the complainant can address the issue with the subject, engage in a constructive conversation, and determine a resolution that is mutually acceptable.
If the steps above yield a satisfactory resolution plan, set up a time for follow-up emails to determine progress.
If the conflict hasn’t been resolved or it escalates, discuss the issue with the Executive Committee. At this point, resolution might involve suspension or termination of membership for the subject of the complaint.
Conflicts between Guild members, where one is a board member
If a Guild member has a complaint about a Guild board member, then the first point of contact is the current VP of Board Development (unless that person is involved in the conflict or unless no one is in the VP of Board Development role, in which case the complaint should be addressed to the current Guild president), who will do the following steps:
Schedule a phone or video call to discuss the issue with the complainant. Often, this may resolve the issue if the complainant simply wants to be heard and considered.
Schedule and mediate a phone or video call between the complainant and the board member to resolve the issue in a manner that’s satisfactory for both parties.
If the problem is not resolvable through interpersonal mediation, or if the conduct warrants an official report, encourage the complainant to fill out the Northwest Editors Guild Complaint form, which the administrator will turn in to the VP of Board Development (or president, as described above) by a specified time.
After receiving the form, the VP of Board Development (or president) should schedule a meeting with the Executive Committee to discuss the issue and determine the next steps, which might involve the board member being suspended, being removed from the board, or having their Guild membership terminated if the conduct is found to be harassing, bullying, or violent.
Conflicts between Guild members, where all involved are board members
If a Guild board member has a complaint about another board member, then the first point of contact is the current VP of Board Development (unless that person is involved in the conflict or unless no one is in the VP of Board Development role, in which case the complaint should be addressed to the current Guild president), who will do the following steps:
Schedule a phone or video call to discuss the issue with the complainant. Often, this may resolve the issue if the complainant simply wants to be heard and considered.
Schedule and mediate a phone or video call between the complainant and the other board member to resolve the issue in a manner that’s satisfactory for both parties.
If the problem is not resolvable through interpersonal mediation, or if the conduct warrants an official report, encourage the complainant to fill out the Northwest Editors Guild Complaint form, which the administrator will turn in to the VP of Board Development (or president, as described above) by a specified time.
After receiving the form, the VP of Board Development (or president) will schedule a meeting with the Executive Committee to discuss the issue and determine the next steps, which might involve the board member against whom the complaint was raised being suspended, being removed from the board, or having their Guild membership terminated if the conduct is found to be harassing, bullying, or violent.
Conflict with a program coordinator
If a Guild member has a complaint or conflict with a coordinator of a Guild-sponsored program, these are the steps to follow:
If the complainant was unable to have the issue resolved interpersonally, they should contact the Guild Administrator, who will then do the following steps:
Ask the person(s) to fill out the Northwest Editors Guild Complaint form by a specified date.
Share the report with the current Guild president or Executive Committee to discuss the issue and further steps that might be required, including who might be involved as mediator.
The selected mediator would then contact the complainant and conduct some or all of the following steps:
Schedule a non-mediated phone or video call between the complainant and program coordinator so that they can discuss the issue and acceptable resolution among themselves.
Set up a mediated call where the complainant has a safe environment to address the issue with the program coordinator, engage in a constructive conversation, and determine a resolution that is mutually acceptable.
If the steps above yield a satisfactory resolution plan, set up a time for follow-up emails to determine progress.
If the conflict hasn’t been resolved or it escalates, discuss the issue with the Executive Committee. At this point, the resolution might involve one or more of the following: (1) suspension or termination of the program coordinator’s leadership of the program, (2) suspension or termination of the program coordinator’s Guild membership, and/or (3) dissolution of the program if it’s dependent on the coordinator to run.
Part II: Conflict Resolution Steps
Conflicts often occur when several different people are working together on a project. Most often, the conflict derives from a misalignment of opinion or a general misunderstanding, which could lead to a bigger issue if not addressed immediately.
It’s important that conflicts are resolved in a peaceful manner. Most conflicts can be resolved interpersonally, with both parties actively listening to each other and reaching resolution through constructive, respectful dialogue. The following steps outline approaches that you can consider during these situations.
Communicate openly with the person(s) with whom you are having a disagreement.
The conflict might be resolved by simply listening to each other and then allowing the other person to acknowledge their part and feelings in the situation. Assure the person that this might be a case of a difference of opinion, which is okay because differing opinions are great components of problem-solving and critical thinking. Most often, people are seeking a chance to voice their ideas and feel comfortable doing so, and validating their opinions and insight might help resolve the issue easily. Sometimes, people only need to feel heard.Engage in a constructive conversation.
To avoid the situation escalating, encourage each other to engage in a constructive and respectful discussion of the issues, whether in person or via email, phone call, or video conference.
Each party should express their version of the situation and allow the other to share their version as well. Listen to each other and engage in a considerate, constructive conversation that works toward mutual resolution.Get the appropriate Guild official involved.
If the matter cannot be resolved mutually in a private discussion, then one or both parties should report to the appropriate Guild official (administrator, VP of Board Development, or board president, depending on the situation), who would then likely schedule a phone or video conversation to help resolve the issue through mediation.
When the meeting is complete, all parties involved should have guidance and a plan for moving forward. At some point, both parties should expect follow-up emails to ensure that the issue has been resolved or is in the process of being resolved.
If the issue has escalated, an in-depth investigation will take place, and disciplinary action might result if evidence of harassment, bullying, or other unacceptable behaviors have occurred. This could include suspension or termination of Guild membership.File an official complaint.
If the conflict escalates or the complainant experiences harassment, bullying, or violence, they are strongly encouraged to skip the first steps and immediately file an official written complaint.
If such a conflict is between two Guild members or between a member and a board member, file the official complaint with the Guild Administrator or the current VP of Board Development. If the conflict is between two board members, the official complaint should be filed first with the VP of Board Development (unless they are the subject of the complaint, in which case it should be filed with the president).
Part III: Discipline
The following discipline procedures distinguish between discipline of Guild members, board members, and program coordinators.
Disciplinary measures are progressive and will be followed after interpersonal mediation does not result in resolution and/or if the subject of the complaint escalates the issues or engages in harassment, bullying, or threatening behaviors.
Discipline by board of a Guild member
After the initial discussion and mediation, if it has been determined that the Guild member who is the subject of the complaint has engaged in harassing, bullying, or threatening behaviors, the Guild Executive Committee will follow this procedure:
Written warning - The Executive Committee will discuss the gravity of the issue with the subject of the complaint and inform them that action will need to be taken within 30 days to resolve the issue in a conciliatory, acceptable manner.
Suspension of membership - If within 30 days the subject of the complaint has not taken steps to resolve the issue in a satisfactory manner, the current Guild president and Administrator will issue a 60-day suspension, under which the member will be suspended from all Guild events, email, and access to the website for 60 days, during which time the subject will be asked to take action to resolve the issue in a satisfactory manner.
Termination of membership - If the subject of the complaint has not taken any steps to resolve the issue, then the current Guild president and Administrator will issue a termination of membership notice, under which the member will be permanently removed from Guild membership.
Discipline by board of a program coordinator
After the initial discussion and mediation, if it has been determined that the program coordinator has engaged in harassing, bullying, or threatening behaviors, the Guild Executive Committee will follow this procedure:
Written warning - The Guild Executive Committee will discuss the gravity of the issue with the program coordinator and inform them that action will need to be taken within 30 days to resolve the issue in a conciliatory, acceptable manner (or within the parameters of the agreement between the parties).
Suspension of membership and program - If within 30 days the program coordinator has not taken steps to resolve the issue in a satisfactory manner, the current Guild president and Administrator will issue a 60-day suspension, under which the program coordinator and the program will be suspended from all Guild entities, events, and website for 60 days, during which time the program coordinator will be asked to take action to resolve the issue in a satisfactory manner.
Termination of membership - If the program coordinator has not taken any steps to resolve the issue, then the current Guild president and Administrator will issue a termination of membership notice, under which the program coordinator will be permanently removed from Guild membership and the program will be dissolved or redistributed.
Discipline by board of a Guild member
After the initial discussion, if it has been determined that the board member who is the subject of the complaint has engaged in harassing, bullying, or threatening behaviors, the Guild Executive Committee will follow this procedure:
Written warning - The Guild Executive Committee will discuss the gravity of the issue with the subject of the complaint and inform them that action will need to be taken within 30 days to resolve the issue in a conciliatory, acceptable manner (or within the parameters of the agreement between the parties).
Removal from the board - If within 30 days the board member has not taken steps to resolve the issue in a satisfactory manner, the current Guild president and Administrator will remove the board member from board service.
Termination of membership - If the board member has not taken any steps to resolve the issue, then the current Guild president and Administrator will issue a termination of membership notice, under which the board member will be permanently removed from Guild membership.
Part IV: Appeals
The subject of the complaint has a right to appeal the process if the appellant believes that the board’s decision is mistaken due to:
Mistaken facts
Misinterpretation of Northwest Editors Guild policies or procedures
Violation of the member’s rights
Documented bias or discrimination
When the appellant has indicated an interest in starting the appeals process, the Guild board will appoint a separate Appeals Committee that will meet and discuss the issue separate from the Guild board.
Steps to the appeal process are as follows:
Written appeal notice - The appellant should fill out the Conflict Resolution Form Notice of Appeal and submit it to the Administrator and Guild Board, which will then form an appeals committee (formed of non-board members) for review. .
Appeals committee review - The appeals committee will review the notice, examine the evidence, and analyze the decision-making process, keeping in mind the best interest of the Guild while ensuring fairness to the appellant.
Decision - The appeals committee will inform the appellant of their decision within 30 days of receiving the appeal notice. Their decision will be final, and the issue will be considered closed.