A Pragmatic Approach to Peacebuilding Informed by International Commerce
By Piotr Kędzierski
Summary: Working in the field of business consulting, and especially in the area of negotiations, has taught me a great deal about how to reach relative harmony and peace between different, often opposing, parties. My experience in this sector informs my recommendations in this article related to approaching conflict resolution from a pragmatic, business-oriented point of view.
Facing Reality
Having ideals is nice. No doubt about it. We, as humans, need to go outside ourselves and aspire to something more than our physical existence and the world around us. Thanks to this drive, we have art in many forms, as well spirituality. We have turned religion into an art of its own kind, including philosophies that are still practiced across the world today. That is all great. But in our complex world, having a shared sense of morality or common set of human rights ideals is not enough to achieve true peace. Having results is nicer.
While philosophy may stay abstract, we would not have Leonardo Davinci’s Mona Lisa without turning mental images into something tangible—without turning ideals into something concrete. So much of the beauty created by people would not be accessible without means to reach out to other people. Therefore, having a strong, real-world foundation is the key. But how can we get there? And how does this conceptualization relate to peacebuilding?
We live in a world that seems so massive that we often forget that not only do we inhabit a small part of the Earth’s surface, but that our planet is a finite one, including its resources. Forgetting these realities can be a source of huge conflicts, even wars. Differing worldviews may trigger a cascade of problems. While this is a messy reality of our existence, we cannot pretend that it is possible to escape it. If we want to do something as peacebuilders, we have to face the reality as it is: bloody, messy, and confusing—and far from ideal. And no, this is not, in any way, a license to stay idle. On the contrary, it is a call to action. But not just any action—rather, a mindful one.
Gathering Knowledge
I have been involved in international cooperation and commerce for quite some time, which has allowed me to gain experience in different areas, on different levels. Through my work, I have been able to meet people from very diverse cultures, spanning every continent and most of the countries across the world. I have experience working in different sectors, often without prior background in these fields. My professional journey has been a humbling experience, but it forced me to leave my comfort zone and grow. These cross-cultural and multi-sector experiences have opened my eyes and given me a broader and deeper perspective on the world around me—and fortified my pragmatism even more. But still, you might wonder, how does this apply to peace?
From these experiences, I have developed understandings that I believe can be similarly relevant to the peacebuilding sector. First, I believe that it is important to provide a correct assessment of the conflict environment, wherever it might occur in the world. Without understanding the situation—its ins and outs—it is impossible to propose any feasible solutions. In the context of peacebuilding, the most important questions are: who are the conflict parties and the communities they impact? Where do they come from? What are their interests and goals?
Assessing Nuance
Without understanding the people, their motives, their culture, and all other relevant factors, it is impossible to try to solve any problems. And I do not mean surface-level media sound bites or our own projections of others. I mean getting to know real people and their baggage—as they are, without any filters. How do we as peacebuilders do this?
When I prepare myself for any project, I try to do my best due diligence possible. I want to understand the people and the situation I am getting involved with. It is true that we all share a common humanity, but we often forget that humanity consists of different colors and shades. Far too often, people try to approach others with preconceived ideas and prejudices. The world appears all the much easier when we fall into simple templates.
Yet, it is not that simple. And these misunderstandings often lead to the conflict situations present across our societies and some of the perhaps good-intentioned, but impractical approaches to peace that are implemented globally today. We have to be mindful of those nuances and accept them for what they are. We should make this knowledge an advantage in the process of peacebuilding.
Finding Solutions
Once we have gathered and assessed the necessary knowledge about the conflict environment, what is next? Of course, peacebuilders have to apply this knowledge and collaboratively come up with a solution—which is easier said than done!
Peace practitioners try to strike a balance with the conflicting interests. Most importantly, everyone at the table must feel somewhat satisfied, meaning that every actor in the conflict gets something from the peace accord in order to achieve a delicate balance between conflicting interests. Therefore, how can a pragmatic approach continue to be carried through to the ways that peace is conceived and implemented in such complex environments?
1) Setting a reasonable and achievable goal is fundamental. Without it, we cannot assess if we achieved anything meaningful and impactful. It does not mean that your objectives will not change; openness to change is a valuable trait. Your plan should also be reasonable and achievable, and does not have to be something huge at the beginning. Even small steps may prove to be beneficial and help you achieve your goals along the way.
2) Patience is also important. There are situations that cannot be untangled right away. You need time to solve this complex problem. So, do not rush anything. Good preparation may save you even more time in the future.
3) While patience is important, so is time management. Do not waste your or anyone else’s time if you do not see results from your initial approach. It is better to step away from the table and think about changing your strategy.
Notably, there are situations where there are no “nice” solutions to peace. Either you have to force a party to agree—some may argue, using any means possible—or to separate the parties to avoid further escalation. If you think it is worth it, do whatever it takes to achieve your goals. But it is important to approach peace mindfully and to bring in systematic thinking in order to have the greatest impact. Only results matter in the end.
By drawing upon the information you have gathered and assessed, you have constructed a foundation for building bridges between adversaries. It does not guarantee that a conflict may not escalate or immediately end, but it is a good start for creating an informed and intentional peacebuilding process.
We should especially remember how fragile peace is. No peacebuilding solution is guaranteed to last because this world is messy and complicated. We, the people, are messy and complicated. The situation is far from ideal. And yet, we should not cease to aspire to something better—a more just and peaceful world. This, however, can best be achieved by taking a pragmatic and methodical approach to peacebuilding.
About the Author
Piotr Kędzierski is a Polish entrepreneur, business consultant, and social innovator always ready to change the world one step at a time.