Negotiation Approaches
Discussion 1
Question 1
When the mediator moves to the agenda too quickly, the issues that need to be addressed during the negotiation process will not be presented appropriately. As such, a premature negotiation can restrict how the parties think about the potential outcomes of the negotiation process.
Question 2
Non-negotiable issues such as trust and respect can be incorporated into the agenda by pursuing a discussion of the kind of relationship the parties would like to have in future (McCorkle &Melanie, 2014). In this case, the mediator leads the parties into discussing what they would prefer their communication to incorporate in future, how it will be carried out and how they will resolve trust and respect issues that may arise in future.
Question 3
Asking whether there are other issues of concern that need to be added to the agenda helps the mediator in verifying that all the issues raised are on the agenda list. This is a critical phase that is viewed as a summary of the things that will be discussed during the negotiation process and occurs just before the mediator transitions to the negotiation phase.
Discussion 2
Question 1
I am not equally comfortable with the competitive and cooperative negotiation strategies I use in my daily life. McCorkle and Melanie (2014) stated that cooperative negotiation involves the use of cooperative and collaborative negotiation approaches to creating a shared and common understanding between conflicting parties. In this case, every view posed by the agents is taken into account and addressed during the negotiation process to help solve the conflict. In competitive negotiation, people use aggressive strategies to assert their ideologies on their opponents. They are not concerned about building lasting relationships with the opponents. Instead, they are only focused on having their way on the matter. I prefer cooperative negotiation as opposed to the competitive type since in the former, all the parties are given the space to air and explain their viewpoints. As such, parties to the conflict are given a fair chance to explain their opinions before reaching a conclusive answer. This strategy breeds respect and trust among the conflicting parties as opposed to the competitive type that builds more divisions.
Question 2
Some of the factors that lead to a shuttle mediation include failing to pay attention to the views of the opponent and poor planning. Planning involves setting out the agenda in the appropriate way and involving the parties in all stages. It also involves asking the necessary questions to the parties and avoiding impartiality at any step (Buell, 2007). Besides, it is imperative to ask the parties whether there are other issues they would wish to be included in the agenda before setting up the negotiation tone. Paying attention to all the parties ensures that there is transparency and trust during the negotiation process. It also ensures that the mediator avoids partiality by favoring some of the parties while ignoring others. As such, all the parties will be contented with the negotiation process and the outcomes.
Question 3
Some of the questions that can be asked during negotiation to elicit cooperativeness include:
- What are the agreements you made before concerning this issue?
- What led to the change in the issue resulting in the current conflict?
When the first comments seem unreasonable, the mediator can encourage brainstorming to allow negotiators spend some time alone developing creating ways to resolve the dispute (McCorkle & Melanie, 2014). Besides, the mediator can also coach the parties on how to rephrase the questions and show empathy to help reach an agreement.
Question 4
Saving face is essential since it defines how my friends and colleagues view me. Sometimes, I may be exhibiting a different personality when am around people and another unique one which may not be likeable when alone. As such, saving face would foster the continuation of the relationships I have with my friends and colleagues. It ensures that they do not view me in a different way that would compromise their trust and respect for me.
One incident I remember is when I continuously lied that I had not tampered with my colleague’s report by accessing his password. I did this in the midst of a panel and would have lost my job if I did not do so.
The threat to face can be recognized by involving a pre-meditation strategy where each party is directed to disclose his/her feelings to the mediator in a private session. The mediator should be sensitive to the face-issues raised in private during the negotiation process.
References
Buell, B. (2007). Negotiation Strategy: Seven Common Pitfalls to Avoid. Stamford Business. January 15, 2007. Web. Retrieved on February 1, 2018.
McCorkle, S. and Melanie, J. R. (2014). Mediation Theory and Practice, 2nded. New York: Sage Publications.
