Negotiation is a method of bringing two conflicting parties for a discussion with the aim of reaching an agreement. Parties come with pre-determined goals which they hope to achieve, but they must be willing to compromise to reach a consensus (Sheldon, 2015). There are five key elements of negotiations which include:
Preparation and Planning: This is the primary stage in the negotiating process. Parties need a thorough understanding of the nature of the conflict, the people involved and goals to be attained. This element can give a team an edge as they will know how to respond to any unexpected situation.
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Setting the Ground Rules: This stage involves defining the rules and procedures to be followed. This includes venue of the discussions, the participants, issues to be negotiated and the time frame for solving issues in case of an impasse. Parties may also exchange their initial set of demands or proposals.
Clarification and Justification: After exchanging the initial proposals/demands, the parties get a chance to explain in detail, their position to justify their demand. There is no need for confrontation, and any form of documentation can be provided to the other party to support the demand.
Bargaining and Problem Solving: This is the actual give and take scenario. At this stage, concessions are made, and hardline stances toned down to come into agreement.
Closure and Implementation: This forms the final step in the negotiation process. At this stage, the agreement is formalized, and the procedures for implementation and monitoring are set out.
Effective negotiation skills are needed. These include:
Problem Analysis; a negotiator must identify the problem before offering solutions.
Active listener; listen to all sides, read body language and non-verbal communication.
Team Player; work with all parties impartially.
Excellent interpersonal skills such as patience and persuasion.
Ethical and reliable. Has to earn the trust of the parties and follow up on the promises/agreements.
Rational Choice theory is centered on the belief that people choose an activity that is in line with personal liking (Shapiro, 2016). It implies that negotiators have a clear set of goals that they want to achieve and given a choice, will go for the option that meets their expectations.
The dual concern model suggests that conflict requires balancing between meeting one’s goals and concern for the other parties while maintaining healthy relationships (Sheldon, 2015). The big five personality dimensions are extroversion, openness, consciousness, agreeableness, and neuroticism. In negotiations, extroversion is related to confrontational conflict style whereas openness is identified with integration. Agreeableness is associated with dominance and neuroticism with avoiding styles. Disagreements are inevitable, and negotiation will remain the best option for solving conflicts.
References
Sheldon, P. (2015). Negotiation Skills . North Ryde (N.S.W.): Mc Graw-Hill Education.
Shapiro, I. (2016). Rational Choice Theory . London, United Kingdom: SAGE Publications.
