A submission to the subsidiary body for livening up the negotiations.

This story was first posted on the UKYCC blog

Today is a day of getting nowhere but needing to get somewhere. So, in an effort to put forward solutions instead of criticisms, here are 5 suggestions for moving negotiations forward:

1) Get to know each other through team-building activities.

I’d suggest something like the services provided by the National Maritime College of Ireland. In particular I recommend their ‘Escape to Victory’ exercise where, according to their website,

“Team members must work together to repair all cracks and holes in the sinking ship. People must use hammers, wedges and quick thinking to concur this physically and mentally draining task. This is a timed exercise were all team members must work together as many hands really do make light work for this challenge.” (1)

2) Laugh more.

Saudi Arabia should provide a good source of material for this.

3) Build the trust.

There’s lots of ways to build trust with colleagues, but I’d suggest taking the same tactic as the Egyptian Executive Director of UNEP 1987 who

‘… put the 15 or so key negotiators in the worst room in the conference centre and keep them there till they reached agreement.’ (2)

Any suggestions for the worst room in the Maritim?

4) Take regular breaks for energizers.

YOUNGO would be more than happy to lead these sessions, particularly the following games:

• Jazzy bananas,
• Zip Zap Boing,
• BANG!,
• Animal reverse-charades,
• High Goals,
• The stalker game’
• ‘The Pony song’…

5) Begin a process of daily evictions a la reality TV programmes.

Nothing would give people a kick up the rear like the risk of being chucked out of the negotiations for being totally rubbish. The winner gets all the half price cocktails and free peanuts in the Piano Bar that they want. I wonder who would be evicted first……

(1) http://www.nmci.ie/teambuilding

(2) http://www.iofc.org/node/44761