One thing should now be clear: We negotiate all the time. We negotiate when we ask for a raise, benefits, and working conditions; when we ask someone out on a date; when we haggle over the price of a car or rent; and when we try to get our children to clean their rooms. The list is endless...
What are some things that you have to negotiate on a daily basis?
Michael C. Donaldson lists 10 important negotiations from daily life in his book "Negotiating for Dummies":
- Salary: asking for a raise
- Buying a used car
- Buying engagement and wedding rings
- Planning a wedding
- Buying a home
- Negotiating a home improvement contract
- Divorce settlement
- Arranging for naptime, curfew, dessert, and other children's needs
- Choosing medical care for an incapacitated parent
- Buying funeral services
(Michael C. Donaldson, David Frohnmayer (forworded by) (2007). Negotiating For Dummies (2nd ed.). Wiley Publishing, Inc.)
In each of these cases, we are trying to get something that we want by reaching an agreement with another person. Negotiation is a process of communication in which both parties work to find a solution that satisfies their respective interests. It is a way of resolving conflicts and disputes. Negotiation can be used to resolve conflicts in business, personal relationships, and international relations. In order to negotiate effectively, both parties need to understand the needs and interests of the other side. In some aspects, negotiation requires the willingness to compromise and find a solution that is acceptable to both sides.
In the upcoming blog posts, we will dive into these and other elements of negotiation.