Negotiation Journal - Essay Example

The outcome of a negotiation will often depend on the manner in which the parties carry out the negotiations. In order to engage meaningfully in any negotiation, it is necessary to develop a multi-pronged strategy that seeks to address some of the major concerns brought out by the competing parties. A good negotiator must begin from a clear and concise understanding of the issues at the center of the conflict. In many cases, this necessarily involves an awareness of the points of strengths and weaknesses of all the parties involved.

A moderation of factual analysis of the issues and the power of persuasion is one of the ways that have always proven resourceful in the course of any negotiation. The art and science of negotiation entails the adoption of flexible approaches. The methods to be used in any negotiations should, in most cases, be determined by the specifics of the problem. Depending on the level of complexity of any situation, the process of negotiation may require the inclusion of the counsel of experts on some specific matters.

The inclusion of expert opinions could serve to increase the cooperation of the parties involved in a conflict or disagreement because professional facts are always neutral. This strategy has often worked in negotiations that involve the settling of some technical details, which may not be easily comprehensible to one or more of the parties involved in a conflict. Finally, all negotiators must guard against the temptations of succumbing to presumptions, stereotypes, prejudice, or open bias. Such tendencies usually compromise their levels of neutrality and incur the displeasure and non-cooperation of some parties involved in negotiations.

All negotiations should be carried out in sensitive and delicate processes, which involve clear attention to the core issues and the underlying concerns. The use of timelines while carrying out negotiations is an important strategy of measuring the amount of progress and success. In some cases, the process of negotiation may require occasional revision of strategies in order to fulfill certain desired