The article under consideration “Negotiating without a Net: A Conversation with the NYPDʼs Dominick J. Misino” by Diane Coutu describes the importance of knowing how to conduct negotiations properly and sheds light on some simple and intricate techniques. Negotiation, as a process, proves to be a decisive part in conflict resolution, since many different things, starting from the place in the store queue and ending with a human life, can be at stake. Despite the fact that conducting negotiations is not an easy task, having a well-organized team and a more thorough strategy can simplify the task to a great extent and mean the difference between success and failure in the modern world.
To begin with, there are no special requirements to be a good negotiator. No strategy book can create one (Whittington 23). However, the one and the only thing one has to possess is common sense. According to the article, an individual has to think of the shortest way to reach the consensus. Having a common sense implies possessing a set of basic social virtues, like unconditional respect, and using them during negotiations (Ledwig 73).
In addition, being a good listener and having a strong sense of empathy are crucial. Both those abilities are interconnected and can be a great aid in making a negotiation fruitful. The article states that listening, especially active listening, helps to identify the opponent’s emotions and alter them, if needed, by working those emotions trough. Empathy also helps in “understanding the mechanism of human behavior” (Iacoboni 79). Besides, the other party of a negotiation will more than certainly perceive your desire to hear him, which builds a platform for cooperation.
Moreover, bargaining is an essential part of any negotiation. Standing one’s ground is important, but sometimes the end justifies the means and what one gives in bargaining seems to be a trifle in the end (Usunier 120). Some facets are more important than the others are. One party can regard something as a matter of principle, while the other one can do without it. It is vital to determine which facets can be spared to satisfy the opposition party’s requests. A story about how the police negotiator sacrificed sticking to the official arrest procedure, while the culprit gave in under the condition to be seen as a non-compliant individual is a great example of bargaining. In this case, both sides had to perform concessions to achieve a suitable result, even though at the beginning the situation might have seemed desperate.
Furthermore, a successful negotiator needs a good team. Human abilities, no matter how intelligent an individual might be, are limited. One of the paragraphs from the article describes a negotiation team. The key features of that team are not different to any other efficient crew. It consists of a person in charge, a negotiator, and a support crew with a scribe and an information collector. It is imperative that each role has to be strictly distinguished (Larsen 44). Besides, each member of a team must perform his functions as well as possible.
To conclude, having a productive team and sticking to the basic negotiation techniques are the keys to success, regardless of how the complicated the situation might appear at first. Both social and business aspects of life cannot go well without one possessing an ability to find a common solution. Being reasonable, respectful, being ready to give up on something of minor importance, and showing interest in what the opposition party wants and thinks are the building blocks for a successful negotiation.
Works Cited
Coutu, Diane. “Negotiating without a Net: A Conversation with the NYPD’s Dominick J.Misino.” Harvard Business Review on Winning Negotiations. Ed. Harvard Business Review. Boston: Harvard Business School Publishing, 2011. 111-126. Print.
Iacoboni, Marco. “Understanding Others: Imitation, Language, Empathy.” Perspectives on Imitation: From Cognitive Neuroscience to Social Science 1.1 (2005): 77-99. Print.
Larsen, Eldon. “Making the Team: Teams, Teamwork, and Teambuilding.” Chemical Engineering Progress 106.6 (2010): 41-45. Print.
Ledwig, Marion. Common Sense: Its History, Method, and Applicability, New York: Peter Lang Publishing, 2007. Print.
Usunier, Jean-Claude. “Cultural Aspects of International Business Negotiations.” International business negotiations 2.1 (2003): 97-135. Print.
Whittington, Richard. “Learning to Strategize: Problems of Practice.” SKOPE 20.1 (2001): 1-28. Print.