Conflict Management and Negotiations

Teachers’ Association 6 Jersey, changes in the health benefits program revised in April 2018, and changes in severance pay over the years and corresponding New Jersey laws governing the same. Anticipating a back-and-forth to bargain in between the range of possible salary increases for teachers, our team pre-calculated the amounts that existed in the range between our initial offer and resistance points. Lastly, we unanimously agreed that texting through WhatsApp in our laptop browsers during the negotiation would be the best internal communication tool, which was critically important to stay on the same page with decision-making. Lessons Learned. Considering the lack of confirmed agreements at the conclusion of our first negotiation, we were able to identify areas to improve our preparation that we believed would enhance the likelihood of an outcome in our interests in the second negotiation. First, we realized that establishing two lead negotiators and five supporting members of the Teachers’ Association was a good strategy in theory, but it proved challenging in practice. The intention was that two lead negotiators would more easily voice the concerns of the larger body of teachers rather than seven representatives weighing in and potentially creating a cacophony and no movement on our agenda. However, we experienced that this approach created a disproportionate division of roles in our team, resulting in multiple breaks to review rebuttals and counter-offers from the BoE, dragging out the process. Furthermore, we saw that there was greater opportunity to be more collaborative by disclosing information in exchange for trust with the BoE. Our preparation was very focused on getting a fair deal with salary that we were concerned to give concessions, which resulted in more competitive preparation than was probably necessary. Our team should have been more prepared with an approach to pivot towards greater collaboration, but our cautiousness prevented this. We also realized that we needed to improve our preliminary financial model to incorporate the parameters and information we gathered and learned from the first negotiation. This would theoretically allow us to make decisions objectively and enable us to weigh the pros and cons before committing. Lastly, there was likely greater opportunity in our preparation to brainstorm with free-flowing and non-evaluative means to create alignment between the BoE and the Teachers’ Association. Knowing how challenging it would be to make our cases to the BoE, describing the benefits of nonfinancial incentives that could meet interests might have demonstrated goodwill for the board to be able to consider what a concession might look like for salary. Negotiations Meeting 1 : In the first negotiation meeting, we opted to be competitive for the majority of the time. We began by discussing the shared goals and remained focused on gathering vital information to structure our thoughts and understand the other party’s

MGT | 6215 | Conflict Management and Negotiations | lecture notes | Teachers’ Association 6 Jersey

Reﬂection Journal #5 Amaan Kidwai One of the ﬁrst things that I liked was how the professor pointed out that lying doesn’t always have to be stang something falsely, but it can be implying something else than what it is supposed to be, or it could be withholding informaon. I think it’s important to understand what is acceptable and what is unacceptable in these scenarios. The personal bargain inventory is a good place to take a moment and reﬂect upon this. The other thing which really hit me was how easy it is to get swayed if we do not have our resistance point set in stone. The example provided by the professor of his cousin was very impacul and any parent in that situaon, most likely, would purchase the higher priced car. One of the other things was the case of Paciﬁc Oil. The professor aptly pointed out the mistakes which were they did not set a deadline that if it is not agreed by this me frame, they will have to call oﬀ the deal. I think this is a good lesson for any negoaon and to ensure that you are not manipulated in respect to me. A good piece of advice which I noted was never be hesitant to take a break during negoaon and try to break the momentum. Alternavely, if you are negoang try to build me pressure and avoid leng the other person take a break. The last piece of advice which I enjoyed was when selling, always ask quesons to which the answer is yes. It makes selling easier.

MGT | 6215 | Conflict Management and Negotiations | study guides | Reﬂection Journal #5 Amaan Kid

Conflict Diagnostic Model Difficult Manageable Issue Principles/values Divisible Significance Major consequences Minor consequences Interdependence Zero-sum Positive-sum Continuity Short term Long term Structure Disorganized Organized Third-party No trusted third Trusted, powerful third progress Unbalanced Balanced History Animosity None or positive Determinants of How Conflicts are Approached • Situational ► Time pressure ► Importance ► Personal relevance ► Complexity ► Etcetera… • Person ► Functional background ► Transient state ► Gender ► Personality ► Style Individual Self-Assessment Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Instrument Conflict Styles Assertive: High concern for own outcomes Unassertive: Low concern for own outcomes Cooperative: High concern for others’ outcomes Collaborating Accommodating Uncooperative: Low concern for others’ outcomes Competing Avoiding  Compromising is somewhere in the middle About Styles You must bake with the flour you have. - Danish folk saying Steve Ross, CEO of Time-Warner, and canasta in his plane Larry King and Ted Turner of CNN, negotiating salary Conference Table Thought Experiment • Does this describe you? ► Situational or dispositional • Why are you this way? ► Influences from your past or present • Does your style serve you? ► Adaptive in your current situation • Do you need to change? ► Other style more effective X Role and Effect of Conflict • Negative ► Compete v. cooperate ► Misperceptions ► Emotions ► Hindered communications ► Blurred issues ► Rigidity ► Magnifies differences; minimizes similarities ► Escalation ► Infection ► Distrust ► Absorbs time and energy • Positive ► Compete to higher level ► Sharpens perceptions ► Enlists emotions ► Builds cohesion/trust ► Alters/clarifies issues ► Fixes priorities ► Points our strengths and weaknesses ► Opportunity for learning Dyad Exercise PEMBERTON’S DILEMMA Interdependent Relationships: The Ties that Bind and Liberate Leave a good name in case you return. - Kenyan Folk Saying • All relationships, personal and professional, are interdependent ► Contrient: Interests of parties are contrary (zero-sum) ► Promotive: Interests of parties are compatible (non- zero-sum) ► Mixed Motive: Interest of parties are simultaneously contrary and compatible • Game Theory ► Mutual influence and imperfect information, and thus, the necessity for speculation

MGT | 6215 | Conflict Management and Negotiations | lecture notes | Conflict Diagnostic Model Diff

NEGOTIATIONS CONTACT LIST # NAME PHONE EMAIL ATTENDANCE 1 Xiangkai Feng 202-808-1365 fengxk@gwu.edu 2 Di Yan 202-212-9272 deniseyuan@gwu.edu 3 Jolito Rivera 843-602-6306 jjriver2@gwu.edu 4 Viraj Jagani 202-290-7556 jagani@gwu.edu 5 Yubo Wang 202-203-0967 volley@gwu.edu 6 TaVona (Tay) Davis 202-277-3565 tadavis19@gwu.edu 7 Elizabeth Terry 30

Contact___Pairing.docx-NEGOTIATIONS CONTACT LIST # NAME PHONE

Reading 1.1 Three Approaches to Resolving Disputes: Interests, Rights, and Power William L. Ury Jeanne M. Brett Stephen B. Goldberg It started with a pair of stolen boots. Miners usually leave their work clothes in baskets that they hoist to the ceiling of the bathhouse between work shifts. One night a miner discovered that his boots were gone. 1 He couldn’t

All courses in MGT

Popular Documents