Kenobi Ep. 5: The quick fix
Noam’s analysis of power-over and power-with in Episode 5 is excellent. Let me add one more conflict-related thought before Episode 6.
When Leia is working to restore power to the hangar doors, an altered Lola suddenly emerges from behind the wires and begins attacking her. Leia grabs the tiny droid and inspects it, finding the tracker Reva attached to Lola in Episode 4. Leia pulls off the tracker and throws it aside. Lola is instantly back to normal. “Much better,” says Leia matter-of-factly before returning to her work.
I bring up this small moment because it’s a wonderful illustration of an important (though somewhat uncommon) phenomenon in negotiation, conflict resolution, and really any kind of problem-solving: the quick fix.
The quick fix is any adjustment that resolves an issue entirely, with no additional work or discussion or implementation required. It’s like removing the thorn from the lion’s paw. Before the thorn is removed, the lion is in terrible pain and no amount of assessing the lion’s surroundings or recounting how the thorn got there or analyzing the lion’s feelings/relationships will resolve this pain. Once the thorn is removed, however, the pain is gone. Of course, there may be useful debriefing after this happens (like maybe don’t walk in the thorny part of the jungle next time) but the immediate problem—the pain—is completely addressed by the action of removing the thorn from the paw. It’s a quick fix.
Likewise, Leia’s removal of the Lola’s tracker is a quick fix. Once it’s gone, there’s no need for additional followup, discussion, or action. Leia is startled and upset by Lola’s attack, but once the tracker is removed, Lola is restored and Leia calmly turns back to figuring out how to fix the doors.
Not every conflict has a quick fix, of course. Many of our conflicts and our negotiations around those conflicts are much too involved for quick fixes. Even when we come to agreement or resolution, there may be lingering issues or feelings that remain unresolved. Dealing with conflict is often an iterative and time-consuming process, because many conflicts are created by numerous contributing factors over time. The fact that these kinds of conflicts are not amenable to quick fixes doesn’t mean they’re hopeless—it just means addressing them will take more effort, creativity, and willingness to stay engaged.
In Episode 5, for example, the negotiation between Obi-Wan and Reva takes place in the context of an incredibly complicated backstory of betrayal, abandonment, loss, and revenge that has been developing for at least ten years. Obi-Wan offers some potential options, starting with an offer to work together and then, when Reva rejects any alliance with Obi-Wan, creating a situation in which Reva and Darth Vader will be alone in the tunnels (“I’m giving him to you”). Neither of these approaches is a quick fix, though, because both approaches are risky, uncertain, and incapable of resolving the entire conflict alone.
Distinguishing between situations (and parts of situations) that have quick fixes and those that don’t is an important skill not only for negotiation and conflict management but also for making decisions more generally. When we can identify what can be resolved quickly and what will take more attention and planning, we can allocate resources, prioritize tasks, and manage expectations more effectively.
Finally, it’s useful to remember that although many conflicts and negotiations are not amenable to a quick fix, you may be able to carve off some part of the situation that can be addressed discretely and completely. Applying a quick fix to these carve-outs may not resolve the entire conflict but can improve the overall picture for negotiators and conflict interveners. Destroying the Death Star(s) did not end the war between the rebels and the Empire, but it certainly helped.
