Page 226 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Notes negotiations, because the bargainers must defend their own “arbitrary” positions—saying
things like “I must have this price” or “This is my position, take or leave it”—and because
they must also attack the arbitrary positions of the other party, they often must resort to
yelling and threatening as a means of making their points.
5. Leaving past issues behind: Discussions are focused on current issues and how to resolve
them. The parties agree to not bring up past disagreements or try to settle old scores.
6. Expressing interests, not positions: Once options are identified through brainstorming,
the parties—unlike the process in traditional negotiations—do not each take a position
and defend it, and then try to exchange concessions until a middle ground is found. Instead
they ask probing questions, use objective analysis, and seek to develop options that meet
the mutual goals of both parties.
7. Both parties committing to IBB: An essential factor of most IBB negotiations is that both
parties agree at the start to receive IBB training (if they have not in the past) and to accept
and utilize the IBB process. The FMCS does not believe that IBB can become a universal
bargaining method that replaces distributive, integrative, or other traditional methods.
In fact, it notes that unless the parties have had a positive past relationship and have
received joint IBB training, it is not likely to succeed in a given negotiation situation. The
growth of IBB as a bargaining method, according to the FMCS, is likely due to the realization
by both labor and management leaders that they have a fundamental mutual interest in
the long-term success of the organization.

Notes Integrative Bargaining occurs when the two sides look not just for their own
outcomes, but for favorable outcomes for both sides. It is sometimes called Win-Win
bargaining or Non-Zero-Sum bargaining.
Integrative Bargaining requires a “problem-solving” orientation rather than an adversarial
approach.
First, you have to really understand your interests. You may need to ask yourself questions such
as: “What is it that I really want?” “Why do I want that?” “What are my underlying problems or
interests?” “If I couldn’t get what I think I want, what else could satisfy me?”

Example: You are a junior high school teenager who wants to go to an “All-Nighter”
recreational event sponsored by a local church. It will involve a youth service followed by a
variety of activities at different locations in town and shuttle busses will take people from one
place to another (bowling, movies, a gymnasium, etc.) and these places will stay open all night
just for this group. You decide to approach your father and ask for permission to go.
You first have to ask yourself why you want to go this event: Is it for the “freedom” of being “out
from under your parent’s supervision?” Is it for “the thrill of staying up late?” Is it so you can
have fun with your friends? Is it so you can evangelize (or at least set a good example for) your
acquaintances from school? Is it so you can grow spiritually from the youth service?
Once you understand your own motivation more fully, you can then ask yourself: “If I can’t go,
then what other options exist that might satisfy my underlying interests?” If, for example, your
main motivation is to go bowling with your friends (you “party animal,” you!), then you might
explore bowling as a separate activity on a different night.

In this example, you are assessing your own goals, priorities, and interests.
Next, you have to try to understand the other side’s priorities and concerns.

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