Power, Trustworthiness, and Willingness to Negotiate

Posted on February 21, 2013 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

by Cindy T. Christen, Ph.D.

Most investigations of the negotiation process assume that the parties to a conflict are willing to participate in formal negotiations. In reality, a number of factors can influence a party’s willingness to consider negotiation as an option for resolving a dispute. Even when objective interests overlap, negotiations can be difficult to bring about in light of subjective misperceptions that can exist between parties (Fisher, 1989). To encourage parties to come to the table, it is important to consider the perceptions of the parties to a conflict and the effects of those perceptions on each party’s willingness to negotiate.

One perception that can influence willingness to negotiate is the perceived balance of power in the relationship (Burkhardt et al., 1997; Christen, 2004, 2005). Continue reading →

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American Negotiating Style, Part 1

Posted on May 25, 2012 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

In recent years there has been a good deal written about the American style of negotiation. The information helps diplomats and can be a lesson for Americans negotiating with each other. Knowing about negotiation style helps us understand where others are coming from when they bargain with us.

John McDonald is a senior American diplomat who posted a summary of his assessment of American negotiation style on the American Diplomacy webpage (2001). Here are some of his observations:

Impatient: McDonald believes that Americans are frequently in a rush. Others know this and try to use it to their advantage. He says, “Impatience is such an ingrained, subconscious tendency in most Americans that they don’t even realize the rest of the world marches to the tune of a different drummer.”

Legalistic: McDonald observes that Americans “…are intelligent, hardworking, adversarial, usually dedicated to the task at hand, and legalistic.” By legalistic he seems to mean very concerned with detail and less with general principles.  Continue reading →

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Stakeholders

Posted on May 5, 2012 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

One of the most frequent questions we are asked is about stakeholders. Who are stakeholders in a negotiation, how do you identify them, and how do you work with them?

We have written about stakeholders and talked about working with stakeholders in several places.  Here are some of the links:

Stakeholders in Multi-party Negotiations (part 1)

Stakeholders in Multi-party Negotiations (part 2)

How to Treat Stakeholders

Importance of Trust

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Keys to Negotiation 11: Bargaining with “Deepening Conversations”

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

Becoming a better bargainer means being a better listener.  We negotiate every day. Some of these negotiations are at work, where we try to plan future actions or resolve conflicts over what we have already done. Some are with friends and family as we try to work out solutions to life’s everyday problems. Whenever we find ourselves in conflict we want the best resolution possible.  To do this involves listening to others.

One way to listen more effectively is known as “deepening conversation.” Continue reading →

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The Special Challenges of Multi-Party Negotiations, Part 2

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

 By Susan K. Driver

As I discussed in an earlier article, the structure of every negotiation is multi-dimensional. At any given time, negotiations are occurring simultaneously along three distinct dimensions: (1) the horizontal dimension across the table with the other side; (2) the internal dimension within each negotiation team or party to the negotiations; and (3) the ratification dimension between each team or party and the organizational hierarchy they report to. In this article, I focus on the horizontal dimension across the table and illustrate how quickly a simple negotiation process can become more complicated as additional stakeholders are added. Continue reading →

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The Influence of Culture on Strategy Selection

Posted on November 11, 2011 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

By Cindy T. Christen, Ph.D.

Dr. Cindy T. Christen

Negotiation researchers have identified a number of factors that can influence selection of cooperative or noncooperative strategies. These can include objective factors, such as overlapping preferences, interests or goals, and subjective factors, such as perceptions of the power and trustworthiness of contending parties and the nature of the relationship between parties (see, for example, Fisher, 1989).

It is worth noting, however, that much of the research on strategy selection in conflict situations has been conducted in Western cultural contexts. In today’s world of interconnected economies, ecologies, and communication technologies, the conflicts that arise often span political boundaries and involve multiple cultures. In selecting strategies for managing a conflict, and anticipating the likely strategies of other parties to the conflict, it is important to know if factors such as power, trustworthiness, and type of relationship have similar effects on strategic choice in different cultures.

Continue reading →

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Understanding Irrational Negotiation Behavior: The Ultimatum Game

Posted on October 17, 2011 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

                                                                                      By

L. Steven Smutko, Ph.D.

If I take a $5 bill from my wallet and offer it to you, no strings attached, what would be your response?  You might hesitate a moment – maybe you don’t fully trust me – and ask a question or two to clarify my offer, making sure that nothing is required of you in return.  Honestly, no strings attached.

Dr. Steven Smutko University of Wyoming

Chances are very good that you would take the $5 bill, thank me, and pocket it.  After all, why wouldn’t you take an offer of free money?  Well, game theory shows us that it depends on the circumstances surrounding the offer.

Let’s change the circumstances slightly.  Continue reading →

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Negotiation Quick Tips: Using Questions

Posted on October 15, 2011 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

Using questions to help move the negotiation along is closely associated with the goal of staying on message.  A key element in achieving success in negotiations is to stay on message and not fall into the trap of blurting out a rejoinder whenever someone makes an accusatory, harsh, or emotional statement.  This is not always easy, especially when another party’s posturing may be designed to make you angry and elicit your negative reaction. Sometimes it is best to not say anything at all, to just sit there in silence and allow the absurdity of their statement or position to sink in. Then when you do speak, make a point to  respond within the context of the discussions at hand—not their triggering statement – and continue to  stay on message. This sort of calm, measured, non-emotional response is better than cross-accusing or challenging another party and, in the long run, will work wonders to bolster your credibility and earn your opponent’s trust and respect. Continue reading →

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Negotiation and the 4 Cs

Posted on September 7, 2011 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

By Elisabeth Graffy

Recently, I’ve been thinking a lot about policy conflicts, large and small, and the drumbeat of concern about civility and insistence on compromise. Many are sure there is not enough of either, but no one seems to know how to get more. An explanation may lie in a few unexamined popular assumptions about negotiation. One way to think about this is to focus on the 4 Cs:

Dr. Elisabeth Graffy, University of Wisconsin

compromise, civility, competition, and compassion. Another is to consider whether people view negotiation as a set of skills or techniques or a particular kind of interpersonal dynamic. I suggest that how negotiation is seen results in processes that feel very different and create very different outcomes. What follows is a reflection, based on my own experience.

Continue reading →

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Negotiation Quick Tips: When Values Clash

Posted on August 22, 2011 by Negotiation Guidance Associates

An interesting question came up while I was lecturing about multi-party negotiations at the Eastern Management Development Center (EMDC).  The EMDC is one of the executive training centers of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management.  It is located in Shepardstown, WV.  The class was composed of 20 students.  Half represented a variety of government agencies in India and the other half were from Federal agencies in the United States, such as the EPA, Homeland Security, and Department of Defense.  The question was what to do when there is a clash of values. Continue reading →

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