Conflict resolution
- Philip Brophy
- Mar 26
- 3 min read
Mastering negotiation techniques • 3 min read
A 2008 global study carried out by CPP Global, revealed that 76% of all workers had seen conflict as leading to favourable outcomes — for example, innovation, more productive approaches to issues, and a deeper understanding of colleagues.
The conclusion was that these positive results would never have materialised had the conflict/confrontation been avoided.
Introduction
Successful negotiation depends on numerous factors, including: the interests of the parties and the nature of the communication.
Today we’re going to look at some further techniques to enhance the negotiation process. We’ll educate you on finding resolutions to conflicts and workplace tensions, while reducing stress levels for all involved.
So, let’s begin with:
Owning your position
Avoiding a high-conflict relationship doesn’t necessarily mean ignoring your interests. The key to effective negotiating is having confidence in your own values and position.
Preparation is key. If you have your baseline and boundaries in place before walking into the meeting, you can focus on the discussion itself, being more present and listening more intently. Rather than framing the issue as “us” against each other, try framing it as “us” against the problem.
How about focusing on the following cycle: validate their concerns > shift to your concerns > offer solutions > brainstorm together to find mutually beneficial solutions.
Aims of the other party
Try to allow the other party to reveal their ideal terms first. By knowing the ultimate aims of the other party, this can help better form your own bottom line. However, when our own ideal benchmarks aren’t met, willingness to compromise will help to nurture long term working relationships.
Practising delivering your words
Preparing before your meeting will boost your confidence while honing your negotiation skills. For example, you can prepare potential answers or rebuttals by practising with different types of thinkers — in other words, anyone in your life who thinks differently from you. This will allow you to adapt different types of negotiation approaches according to your given audience.
Avoiding ultimatums
An ultimatum is a demand for behavioural change accompanied by a threat. No one likes to hear stubborn absolutes as they tend to reflect the interests of one party only, undermining the security of the working relationship. This is why building rapport is essential to becoming a great negotiator — actively listening and finding a common ground and opening to share your own interests.
For example, instead of saying, “This is all I’m willing to offer” — what could be seen as a win-lose strategy that disregards the other party’s needs, how about focusing on more open, “win-win” focused language? — e.g., “I can see this approach isn’t what you had in mind; how about we look into this as an option?”
Harnessing self-awareness
Assume your role in a disagreement, e.g.,”Sophie, I can see the quality of your work has been impacted — I share responsibility for this due to my inability to speak openly about these issues with you, whom I like and whose work I respect a lot.”
This approach makes the problem of Sophie’s quality of output a shared issue, creating the possibility of working collaboratively towards finding a solution. By taking her by surprise, it may also sway her to move from a defensive position to one more open to progress.
Key takeaways
To find solutions through collaboration, focus on: validating their concerns > shifting to your concerns > offering solutions > brainstorming together to find mutually beneficial solutions.
Practice the delivery of your words with different types of thinkers. This will help inform a polished argument as part of your negotiation, while inspiring an inner confidence and external air of humility.
By assuming your role in the conflict, it will set the tone for the discussion ahead, honouring both the problem and the working relationship while encouraging the other party to move from a position of defence to one of collaboration.
Think big, act small
Effective negotiation relies on many factors, including the presence of trust-building relationships and the existence of other options that satisfy both parties’ interests.
Can you trial one to the above methods to artfully negotiate workplace conflicts?
How about practising your delivery with different thinkers?
Content sources
Center for Management and organizational effectiveness, 'Workplace Conflict: Statistics That Reveal Its Cost'
Harvard Business Review, 2001, Holly Weeks, ‘Taking the Stress Out of Stressful Conversations’
Forbes, 2021, Forbes Council Member, ‘14 Key Skills And Traits To Hone For More Successful
Psychology Today, 2020, Arash Emamzadeh, ‘The Psychology of Negotiation, Explained’
Verywellmind.com, 2021, Elizabeth Plumptre, 'Why Giving an Ultimatum Can Hurt Your Relationship'
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