2024 Leadership Development Course-Strategic use of Interests, Rights and Power

Strategic use of Interests, Rights and Power

Pdf Summary

Anne L. Lytle, Jeanne M. Brett, and Debra L. Shapiro's essay focuses on effective negotiation strategies using the interests, rights, and power framework, primarily drawn from Ury, Brett, and Goldberg's work. The authors explore how negotiators can use these strategies to resolve disputes efficiently. They note that negotiations often cycle through these three approaches, influenced by patterns of reciprocity among the parties involved.<br /><br />In the negotiation context, focusing on interests involves understanding each party's needs and seeking mutually beneficial solutions. Conversely, focusing on rights might involve adhering to legal standards or fairness principles, often resulting in a winner-loser dynamic. On the other hand, focusing on power involves attempts to coerce the other party to concede, potentially leading to contentious outcomes.<br /><br />The research highlights common challenges in negotiations, such as conflict spirals where parties reciprocate contentious communications, leading to one-sided outcomes. To counter this, the authors suggest strategic use of interest-based communications and avoiding getting drawn into disputes purely over rights and power. They recommend negotiators to not reciprocate negative tactics and suggest combining rights or power statements with interests-based proposals to break negative spirals.<br /><br />In exploring dispute resolution, the authors detail a case study involving a simulated negotiation between two companies, Rapid and Scott. Findings from this study reveal the dynamics of cycling between interests, rights, and power within negotiations and illustrate the strategic decisions negotiators must make to achieve successful outcomes.<br /><br />Ultimately, the essay provides practical guidelines on starting negotiations, deflecting potentially destructive tactics, and knowing when to utilize rights or power carefully. Their conclusion emphasizes the importance of a negotiator being adept in employing different strategies to effectively resolve disputes and reach satisfactory agreements.

Keywords

negotiation strategies

interests rights power

dispute resolution

reciprocity patterns

conflict spirals

interest-based communication

contentious outcomes

case study

simulated negotiation

strategic decisions