Negotiations refer to the discussion between two or more individuals or parties with the aim of reaching an agreement to settle differences. Negotiations can happen between individuals representing themselves or individuals representing a group of people, such as an organization, an institution, or a department. In other cases, lawyers represent their clients in negotiation. Negotiations can either be conducted by the help of a neutral third party or merely between the conflicting parties. The primary goal of the talks is to have both parties involved shelve their interests to make peace with the other party (Coleman, Deutsch, & Marcus, 2014). However, individuals in negotiations usually seek to come out with an outcome that best represents their interests or those of their organizations. Negotiations processes are typically guided by the principles of seeking mutual benefits for all parties, fairness, and ensuring a good relationship between the two parties involved. There are specific components that all negotiations ought to include to ensure that they reach their goals. In one negotiation that I have observed, I am able to reflect certain vital components and negotiation skills.
The observed negotiation was inspired by a willingness to meet and solve the problem exhibited by both parties. According to Barsky (2016), two people or parties in conflict must exhibit the desire to solve their problem to drive a successful negotiation between them. Their willingness to resolve the conflict would be the driver to make them set negotiation dates and before they decide to meet. If one party is not willing to sit down and iron out issues with the other party, there is a chance that the negotiation may not be fruitful. This is to say that the negotiations will most likely fail to reach its intended goals. The observed observation had a neutral party approach the conflicting parties with the idea of negotiating to solve the problem between them, and both of the parties nodded because they had an interest in solving the problem.
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The idea of stating and clarifying goals was yet another visible component in the observed negotiations. Each party expressed their interests and goals as well as their respective views of the dispute. Goals and interests of disputing parties are equally important for the success of negotiations. As noted above, negotiations seek to create a mutual agreement between two conflicting parties and foster peace. Therefore, having to know the interests of individual parties is equivalent to setting the terms for negotiations. Moreover, individual interests are very important in setting mutual goals for the negotiation. Once negotiation has clear goals, it is definitely destined for success. Getting to know the interests of individual parties in a negotiation is also important in avoiding any possible misunderstandings that may come up in the middle of the negotiations. The two parties get to know their differences well in advance.
The observed negotiation also exhibited the willingness of negotiating parties to shelve their goals if need be. After the parties outlined their interests and goals, the negotiator sought to inform them that it was important that each of them had to forgo some interests at the expense of others to see them get to an agreement. In addition to that, the negotiator persuaded the two parties to be willing to forgo some interests. Negotiators must negotiate to achieve a win-win outcome, where both parties end up with equal levels of satisfaction that they have gained from the negotiation. Achieving a win-win result in a negotiation starts from the acceptance to forgo certain demands by parties involved in a negotiation (Young, 2018). This idea is also referred to as compromising other interests for the sake of peace. In the observed negotiation, the negotiator moderated the parties involved and shunned them from taking a hard stance. This is yet very key in the quest to achieve a win-win result and encourage compromises; Negotiations become successful when no party is allowed to take hard stances on various issues.
My observed negotiation involved a lot of listening during the discussion. This happened specifically during the discussion stage of the negotiation. While one party was presenting their goals, interests, and viewpoints, the other party and the negotiator listened keenly to understand every part of the ideas presented. Whenever someone is agitated by another individual, there is a great chance that they may fail to listen and, instead, may talk too much. During a negotiation, every party deserves a chance to present their case while others listen carefully. A moderator in negotiation also needs to apply listening skills for them to understand the source of the problem in question. Failure on either side to apply listening qualities may compromise the process of negotiation. This is because failing to listen may most likely lead to additional conflict between the parties that seek conflict resolution. On the other hand, failing to listen keenly on the side of the moderator or the neutral party could possibly cause them to make uninformed decisions. On a similar note, the moderator of the observed negotiation employed questioning during the negotiation. Questioning is the process of asking questions and seeking clarification on conflicting statements made by the parties involved in the conflict (Deutsch, Coleman, & Marcus, 2011). Questioning helps in ensuring that the parties present truths during a discussion to help solve all issues leading to conflict.
The observed negotiation was characterized by a high level of knowledge on both parties involved in the negotiation. Both of them expressed knowledge of the issues causing conflict. Subsequently, they were able to lay forth their interests and goals due to the vast knowledge of the issues at hand. Indeed, possession of knowledge during negotiation is a key skill that helps individuals through winning in the negotiation. In a case where individuals are sent to negotiate on behalf of a group of people, especially a company, a department or an administration, it is of much importance for them to conduct adequate research to have the necessary knowledge about the institution they represent (Sonnenberg & Cavallaro, 2012). Additionally, it is also important for negotiators to have adequate knowledge of the issue causing conflict. This includes but is not limited to the root cause of the conflict and the turn of events that followed the cause of events.
In summary, negotiations are intended to resolve conflicts in such a way that everybody wins. Most importantly, the procedure of the negotiation, the skills of the negotiators, and the neutral moderator are all very important in determining whether or not the negotiation reaches its goals. Just like my observed observation, all other negotiations, with the exception of a few, exhibit key components that drive them to success. The initial signal of a successful negotiation is the willingness to meet and talk on the parties that were involved in a conflict. Negotiating parties must also exhibit their willingness to negotiate and solve the problem between them. Additionally, negotiations are inspired by the honesty in negotiating parties, which drive them to open up to share their individual goals and expectations. Listening and possessing a high amount of knowledge is a set of skills that has inspired a lot of individuals into successful negotiations. While listening is important because it protects the negotiation from further disagreements, knowledge equips negotiators with confidence during negotiations.
References
Barsky, A. (2016). Conflict resolution for the helping professions: Negotiation, mediation, advocacy, facilitation, and restorative justice . Oxford University Press.
Coleman, P. T., Deutsch, M., & Marcus, E. C. (Eds.). (2014). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice . John Wiley & Sons.
Deutsch, M., Coleman, P. T., & Marcus, E. C. (Eds.). (2011). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice . John Wiley & Sons.
Sonnenberg, S., & Cavallaro, J. L. (2012). Name, Shame, and then Build Consensus-Bringing Conflict Resolution Skills to Human Rights. Wash. UJL & Pol'y , 39 , 257.
Young, M. (2018). Fighting for Our Principles: Interests vs Values in Conflict Resolution. Journal of Mediation & Applied Conflict Analysis , 5 (1), 678-686.
