What topics are involved in a succesful negotiation process? - Chapter 0

What is the 'negotiation revolution’?

About 25 years ago, decision making was mostly a hierarchical process. The people at the top would make the decisions and the people at the bottom would follow their orders. There has been a lot of change since then due to flatter organizations, innovations, and the Internet. Now, to accomplish what we want or need, we are forced to negotiate with many individuals and organizations. The pyramids of power have changed into networks of negotiation. This shift is being called the ‘negotiation revolution’.

How has the meaning of the term negotiation changed?

Previously, the term negotiation was more associated with specialized activities in business or diplomacy. Negotiation was not always a pleasant activity to look forward to as it usually involved someone losing and someone winning. Nowadays, negotiation is used constantly in a more informal sense. It is recognized that there are cooperative ways of negotiation and the goal is usually a win-win solution or an equal agreement.

Why should we not want to eliminate conflict?

Conflict is an inevitable and useful part of life that can lead to change and new insights. Many injustices would have been unaddressed if it had not been for conflicts. The best decisions do not come from a superficial consensus, but from exploring different points of view and creative solutions. Also within businesses and organizations, conflicts can bring prosperity. The goal should not be to eliminate conflicts, but to transform them so that we are able to deal with them together.

What is meant by 'conflict is a growth industry'?

More and more occasions require negotiation nowadays. Fewer people are willing to accept decisions that are dictated by someone else and more people want to participate in decisions that affect them. In many areas in business, government, and family, people reach decisions through negotiation. It is a basic means of getting what you want from others, a back-and-forth communication designed to reach an agreement.

Which three ways to negotiate are distinguished?

The first two ways are soft and hard. A soft negotiator wants to avoid personal conflict and tends to make concessions easily to reach an agreement. They prefer an amicable resolution, though often end up exploited and bitter themselves. A hard negotiator wants to win and tends to take a more extreme position and hold out longer. They often give out a very hard response that causes harm to the relationship with the other side. The third way to negotiate is called principled negotiation and is mainly what this book is about. It refers to looking for mutual gains whenever possible. It insists that the results are based on fair standards independent of the will of either side.