Reflection: What I Have Learnt About Negotiation and Conflict

¶ … Conflict Negotiation Conflict is part of human life. It occurs every day when people relate to each other in the society as they try to understand their environment and themselves. Conflict also occurs when people try to grasp why natural happenings occur the way they do. However, as a student, I have realized that it is important to address conflict occurs within the society so that members can interact harmoniously.

Almost every one of us is likely to encounter this conflict when we leave our comfort zone and expose ourselves to new environments. The best way to settle conflicts is by negotiating because both parties will present their personal views on the matter: in the process, a mutual agreement will result. Moral courage is fundamental during conflict resolution. During negotiation, it is necessary to make strong decisions for moral reasons even when a possibility of adverse consequences is imminent (Kritek, 2008).

I have learnt in my career that it is necessary for one to strategize during negotiation. In fact, anyone will be able to deal with anything that comes up during conflict resolution. There are two main types of negotiating strategies. One of them is called distributive negotiation. This is where there is a fixed amount of resources and the parties involved try to acquire the most of the resources. This means that every negotiator views the other party as opponents.

This is clearly seen as the parties try to get most of the limited resources. I have come across many situations where I was required to apply such tactics. For instance, when making purchases in a non-fixed price situation, negotiation on a distributive basis is necessary. Because of the many similar experiences, I have realized that it is appropriate to know how low the seller is willing to sell his merchandise (Kritek, 2008). With such information, I can comfortably declare a reasonable price range.

On several occasions, I have appreciated this tactic because it works in many other negotiation tables. The strategy is used mainly when the two parties do not know each other well, but are willing to create a starting point for future relations. Thus, it is necessary for one to study the other party: it usually happens during the negotiation. While studying the other party, I have realized that I can understand what they want.

This often influences my stance: I have to adjust to the situation so that the final decision is acceptable to them, but still favorable to my side. Integrative negotiation results when discussions are aimed at reaching a mutual agreement favoring both parties. In such a case, either of the parties does not intend to argue excessively with the intention of winning the case before them. The parties agree and come on a level ground. This is different from negotiating on an uneven table (Taylor, 2005).

When negotiating on an uneven table, the individual on the uneven end has to make various adjustments when dealing with the negotiation. In this case, the party has to be truthful in whatever he or she says. When this does not happen, the person can be in the 'offside'. The person has to ensure that he or she provides the relevant facts. Besides, the person has to ensure that he or she stays at the negotiating table.

In this case, the person has to ensure at most of the time he or she stays in the negotiation at all circumstances (Kritek, 2008). This ensures that victory prevails at all times after both sides have understood and resolved their conflict. The presence of a third party ensures that other parties are not pressurized while the shared sentiments are appreciated. Besides, the party has to ensure that he maintains a high level of integrity and that he or she avoids rudeness.

In such a case, he or she will be able to negotiate smoothly with the other parties even if he is at an uneven table. This makes the other parties to listen to his facts without any doubt of fraud. This means that they will acquire the truth relating to the subject being negotiated. I also learnt that the person has to know everything that he or she ought to know about the topic before the negotiation (Kritek, 2008).

Since the individual is already at an uneven table, he or she should gather all the.