Conflict Resolution: Negotiation

Conflict resolution is a fairly new discipline in the academia world. It is also a desperately needed area of growth to help reduce global conflict. A conflict resolution technique that is most often used by governments is negotiation. Negotiation is a dialogue between two or more parties designed to meet the interests of each party. With negotiation, parties do not always create a "win-win" solution. Rather, parties collaborate to ensure that only their interests are met, with little regard for the opposing party. Therefore, negotiation is often used as a means of conflict resolution.

Think of a few global conflicts that currently reside and try to understand each country's best position. For example, the ongoing the Israel v. Palestinian conflict illustrates that negotiation is a key factor. Each ruling party will attempt to negotiate with one another to convince each other to see that their interests are met. Therefore, their negotiation skills will be based on how to convince the other party to see to their perspective and gain an optimizing outcome for themselves.


Another example, let's say a husband and wife are negotiating in an attempt to gain their way. The wife wants to convince her husband that investing money in a bigger closet is better than him investing the money in a new car. So each person will negotiate with their skills to try to manipulate each party to see that money spent on a closet is a better choice than spending money on a new car. How do you get your way?

Negotiation on a macro level is often used by even non governmental agencies, third parties, and countries to establish an upper hand to ensure that their demands are met. Everyone wants their interests and needs met, therefore, negotiation is the best alternative. The key is to find a balance or come in the middle so that each party will have a "win-win" resolution.

For more information regarding negotiation, negotiation skills, and other conflict resolution techniques contact us today: info@groupwhynot.com 


Posted on behalf of Group Whynot.