Negotiation Skills for Conflict Resolution

Quick reference

• 00:04 Sometimes conflict resolution requires some negotiation.
• 00:08 So let's explore essential negotiation skills for conflict resolution.
• 00:13 We'll talk about some of the principles of effective negotiation and
• 00:17 strategies for achieving win-win outcomes.
• 00:20 All of us have been in many different kinds of conflicts throughout our lives,
• 00:25 whether it's arguments with our siblings, parents, friends, or
• 00:29 professional conflicts with our co-workers and managers.
• 00:32 When parties have incompatible goals or interests,
• 00:36 this is when negotiation becomes a crucial skill in resolving conflicts.
• 00:41 In order to negotiate effectively, you'll need to consider these key principles.
• 00:47 Preparation, gather relevant information, define your objectives,
• 00:53 and anticipate the other party's interests.
• 00:57 We'll get into preparation more in a moment.
• 01:00 Relationship building, establish trust and
• 01:03 rapport with the other party to facilitate open communication.
• 01:07 The easier it is to talk with the other side,
• 01:10 the quicker it may be to get to that solution.
• 01:13 And collaboration, focus on finding solutions that address the needs and
• 01:18 interests of all parties involved.
• 01:20 But let's get back to preparation, this is a crucial aspect of negotiation,
• 01:25 it sets the foundation for your successful outcome.
• 01:29 Before you enter a negotiation, think about the following steps.
• 01:34 First of all, identify your goals,
• 01:37 clearly define what you want to achieve from the negotiation.
• 01:41 Be specific about your desired outcomes and
• 01:44 objectives because they will help guide your strategy throughout the process.
• 01:49 And determine your priorities,
• 01:51 assess which issues are most important to you and which ones can be compromised.
• 01:56 Understanding your priorities will help you stay focused on the essential
• 02:01 aspects of the negotiation while remaining flexible in other areas.
• 02:05 Understand the other party's interests, put yourself in their shoes and
• 02:09 try to anticipate their needs, concerns, and objectives.
• 02:13 By understanding their perspective, you can tailor your approach to address
• 02:18 their interests and facilitate a more collaborative negotiation process.
• 02:22 Establish your BATNA, that's B-A-T-N-A, this stands for
• 02:27 the best alternative to a negotiated agreement.
• 02:31 This concept was introduced in the legendary book on negotiation,
• 02:36 Getting to Yes, and it refers to the alternative course of action that you
• 02:40 will pursue if the negotiation fails to reach a satisfactory outcome.
• 02:45 Being aware of your BATNA helps you assess the relative value of any
• 02:50 potential agreement and maintain a stronger position during the negotiation.
• 02:56 Now, if everything goes well, at the conclusion of a negotiation,
• 03:00 both sides will be happy, and that's called a win-win.
• 03:04 And sometimes it's just not possible to achieve a win-win based on how
• 03:09 divergent each party's desires are.
• 03:11 But it's absolutely worth considering if possible,
• 03:15 because if both sides can benefit, it's an ideal scenario.
• 03:20 So to pursue win-win negotiations, consider these strategies.
• 03:25 Focus on interests, not positions,
• 03:28 think back to our lesson on how to identify the underlying issues.
• 03:32 It's those interests, those root causes and
• 03:36 concerns rather than specific demands that you should focus on.
• 03:40 Generate multiple options,
• 03:42 brainstorm various solutions that could satisfy both parties' interests.
• 03:47 Based on the other side's priorities, you may find a quick way to a win-win.
• 03:53 Use objective criteria, base the negotiation on fair and
• 03:57 objective standards or benchmarks.
• 04:00 For example, in a salary negotiation, both the employer and
• 04:04 employee should be referring to industry standards,
• 04:08 company pay scales, and the candidate's experience and
• 04:12 qualifications to establish a fair and mutually acceptable salary range.
• 04:17 Keep things objective and both sides will be more likely to agree to terms.
• 04:23 And be open to compromise, be flexible and
• 04:25 willing to adjust your position to find a mutually beneficial outcome.
• 04:30 Remind yourself which issues are priorities and which are not.
• 04:35 So that's it for this lesson, in our next lesson, we'll discuss the role of
• 04:40 mediation and third-party interventions in conflict resolution.
• 04:44 Stay tuned.

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