Mastering the Art of Collaborative Negotiation
Negotiating collaboratively is indispensable in both personal and professional spheres. It leads to a high degree of satisfaction and better solutions because you are invested in the process, have done your own work and are inviting others to engage and build something with you. It is a win-win for everyone.
Part of being a member of a group necessitates the need to negotiate. Some people avoid negotiating and accept whatever happens whether or not their or other’s needs are met. Some people focus on their own needs and not anyone else’s. And others have the desire and skill to collaboratively negotiate.
I grew up in a household where arguing or the silent treatment were often the norm for communication. We didn’t learn very much about listening, discussing, resolving or safety. I wonder how many more needs would have been met if we knew how to collaboratively negotiate and I wonder how much our view of ourselves and the world would be different if we did?
In this blog and in my upcoming webinars and training, will delve into the intricacies of effective collaborative negotiation by touching on: the nature of conflict, key communication skills, exploring interests, and examples of collaborative conflict resolution frameworks.
For an overview of tools and concepts, join my free one-hour webinar, “Build Negotiation and Collaboration Into the Way You Operate”
Tuesday February 6, 2023, 7 PM PST
Cost: $0
Sign up by emailing me at Marcia.Bertschi@gmail.com
For a deeper dive and practical application, enroll in my monthly webinar series for April 2023, “Build Negotiation and Collaboration Into the Way You Operate”
Four 2-hour sessions via Zoom
Tuesdays: April 9, 16, 23, 30
9:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Cost: $100
Reserve your spot by emailing me at Marcia.Bertschi@gmail.com
Let's embark on a journey to enhance your ability to navigate and resolve conflicts.
Let’s Get Started:
1. Understanding the Nature of Conflict
Conflict is an inevitable part of human interaction. Acknowledging its nature is crucial for negotiating collaboratively. People see things differently, want different things and have different ideas of how to get there.
Definition of Conflict:
A clash of interests, values, needs, or goals that can occur in any relationship or situation.
Conflict is natural and neutral;
It is how we manage it that determines if we grow together or separate because of it.
2. Communication Skills are Required to Support Collaboration
Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful collaboration. Here are some essential communication skills:
Active Listening: Focus on understanding the other party's perspective.
Clarity and Conciseness: Clearly articulate your ideas to avoid misunderstandings.
Empathy: Understand and acknowledge the emotions and concerns of the other party.
Taking time to process how you feel, what you are thinking, what you want from the situation and being curious about what might be going on for others, prepares you to invite others into a dialogue.
Check out this practical resource on communication skills.
3. What are Interests and Why are they Important?
Understanding and addressing underlying interests is crucial for successful negotiation. Rather than solely focusing on positions, it's more effective to explore and collectively determine the interests behind those positions. For example, I could state my position that I want to go on vacation to Buenos Aries this summer, or express my interests of exploring a different culture and language.
Both parties benefit from identifying, sharing and exploring interests and creating options based on those interests.
Definition of Interests: The underlying needs, desires, and concerns that drive a person's position in a negotiation.
Types of Interests:
a) Substantive: related to the subject matter, concrete & tangible
vacation example: cost, purpose, activities
b) Procedural: related to how the process is conducted
vacation example: how we decide details of our vacation
c) Psychological: related to personal needs
vacation example: desire to explore other cultures & languages, safety, fun, relaxation, travel, art, history, astronomy
d) Relational: concerning the relationship between the parties
vacation example: maintain & enhance relationship
How to identify interests:
Ask open-ended questions
Probe for underlying needs, concerns, expectations, priorities, values, intent, hopes, beliefs, fears, assumptions
4. The Power of Resolving Conflict Through Interests and Generating Options
Resolving conflict based on interests, rather than positions, is powerful for several reasons:
Preserves Relationships: Focusing on common interests fosters collaboration and maintains positive relationships.
Fosters Creativity: Identifying shared interests opens avenues for creative solutions.
Increases Satisfaction: Parties are more satisfied when their underlying needs are met.
Once interests are explored, the next step in negotiating is to be generate options: You will find more options and often better options are identified through this process.
5. Ways of Facilitating Collaborative Negotiation
Using a framework and process to negotiate helps provide structure, create transparency and get the most of each step/principle of the process. Below are some frameworks that can help you navigate a negotiation.
Collaborative Conflict Resolution Frameworks:
Focuses on identifying and satisfying the interests of all parties.
Encourages joint problem-solving.
Developed by Roger Fisher and William Ury.
Emphasizes separating people from the problem, focusing on interests, and generating options.
Another option for a framework is to try this practical tool Mediator in A Box which walks you through a process to: identify the issue(s), exploring interests, brainstorming solutions and deciding what action to take. It is easy to use this “game” at your kitchen table and it teaches you to be collaborative without having had to hone your communication skills or your understanding of the process. You just need to have a desire to work together on an issue.
By incorporating these skills, insights and strategies into your interactions you will find yourself naturally negotiating collaboratively. You and your collaborators will find the world, its options and the amount of satisfaction expand. There will be more harmony, connection and an abundance of needs being met.
