Author name: Rosemary Mosco

Describe a conflict situation that you have experienced in which you had to use negotiation skills. Identify the type of conflict and discuss how you worked through the negotiation process. Then, evaluate both the process and the outcome of the negotiation.

Address the following questions in your assessment:

• What worked well?
• What would you have done differently?
• What was the most difficult part of the negotiation process?
• What part of the process (if any) went more smoothly than expected?

Your paper should be 2-3 pages in length and conform to APA Requirements. Include at least two scholarly references in addition to the course readings.

Grammar and punctuation are KEY!

Some notes:

Interpersonal conflict is the focus of this course. Interpersonal conflict occurs between two individuals, such as co-workers, partners, family members, and neighbors. Problems that may arise with respect to negotiation include:

• Filtering: When the receiving party manipulates information to make it appear more favorable to his or her side.
• Emotions: The emotional state of the receiver will affect how the messages are interpreted.
• Information overload: When the amount of information given exceeds the individuals’ processing capacity.
• Defensiveness: When one of the negotiating parties feels threatened, he or she may react by making sarcastic remarks or verbal attacks, or by questioning motives.
• Culture: A negotiator uses different tactics with different cultures; for example members of an individualistic society (e.g., the United States) versus members of a collectivist society (e.g., Japan) (Dontigney, 2014).

• Contending Strategy: Competitors or parties who feel very strongly about achieving a desired outcome will choose a contending strategy. This occurs when one party works hard to persuade the other party to accept their desired outcome, and pushes against any compromises and concessions that the other party may offer.
• Yielding Strategy: When one party works to accommodate the other party’s needs, then the accommodating party is choosing the yielding strategy. The yielding strategy is not simply a “doormat” approach; in fact, there can be advantages to accommodating the other party, particularly when a long-term relationship is at stake.
• Inaction: The third strategy for managing conflict is inaction. Inaction can be similar to choosing not to negotiate, or it may be a strategy used during the concession-making process. Silence and inaction toward the other party’s concession communicates disapproval.
• Collaborative Strategy: Problem solving together with the other party, called collaborative or integrative negotiating, is a strategy that results in maximizing the outcome for both parties. Negotiating on this level requires cooperation from both parties and a clear desire to achieve the best and most synergistic outcome possible together.

Compromising Strategy: The fifth strategy for managing conflict is compromising. It is distinguished from problem solving because the parties are not necessarily working together positively. The parties may be reluctantly compromising during the concession-making process in order to continue the negotiation and achieve a relatively acceptable outcome.