Phyllis Kritek from firsthand experience explores instances where conflict resolution happen in situations where neither party is equal. One party has an advantage over the other party, therefore, influence the outcome of the disputes. She explains various ways one can manage to negotiate and solve a conflict despite being at a disadvantage. This study aims at showing that negotiating at a disadvantaged table is possible through the phrase I can live in the real world. Generally, there are injustices and negotiations tables are never fair, but we can make it through and get fair outcomes and solve disputes amicably. This can be done in a number of ways which this study aims to exemplify.
The real world is filled with uneven tendencies making the negotiation table disadvantaged to others. The main reasons are weaknesses in each person in the world, the need for power and the urge to preserve the status quo. This makes powerful people ensure the powerless remain as they are and decisions made are to the preservation of the situation as they be making the world a disadvantage.
The first way of negotiating in a disadvantaged table and manage to survive in the real world is by taking responsibility. If each and every person took responsibility for conflict resolution, living in the real world would be much easier. The other way is avoiding the focus and over attention on dominance of power. Dominance of power creates a systematic imbalance, excludes others from the negotiating table and alienates other dimensions of interest in the conflict.
Avoiding bias in conflict resolution is another way to solve conflicts amicably. This reduces the chances of withdrawals, use of assumptions and increases the likelihood of honesty and true conflict resolution in the world. Biases also increase defensiveness and feigning agreement which triumph over the need for honest consideration of the realities in a given conflict. Avoiding manipulation of the members of the negotiation table can also aid in fair conflict resolution. This is because it increases chances of fairness and gives each member a leeway to provide an honest evaluation of the conflict leading to fair conflict resolution.
Further, avoiding myths on the dominance of power in conflict resolution helps live in the real world. The myths serve to distort the realization of dominance of power, hence reduce the chances of reaching an amicable solution. These myths enhance maneuvering from the conflict consequently reducing the probability of resolving conflicts in a disadvantaged negotiation table. The need to avoid myths helps all the members of the negotiation table, especially the disadvantaged, aware of the need to avoid compromise and feigning agreement and aim at true resolution of conflicts.
To add on, being a truth teller and honoring one’s integrity, even at immense cost, aids in conflict resolution, in a disadvantaged table. This is because the matter at hand gets to be known fully and all the members work together with all impartiality to realize a common goal. The members of the negotiating table in the real world being truthful significantly reduce the disadvantage in the negotiation table and enhance conflict resolution.
In conclusion, learning on various techniques of negotiating in a disadvantaged negotiation table helps in living in the real world. This is because almost all negotiation tables in the real world are disadvantaged in a way. The reason is power dominance, and weaknesses that abound in all human beings, in the world, hence to live in the real world involves negotiating at disadvantaged negotiation tables. The main channels for living in the real world include taking responsibility of conflict resolution, avoiding bias, avoiding myths on power dominance; reducing manipulation of the negotiation table members, being truthful and upholding one’s integrity. This makes living in the real world possible, safer and more conflict free.