Interpersonal Negotiations

and Fair Play

Mistugu Iwashita

Negotiation is one of the toughest jobs of any manager.

A great deal of time and energy is spent on
interpersonal negotiations for the purposes of
coordinating departmental differences, building
consensus and involving people in plan activation and
implementation.

Negotiations are particularly difficult when the key

person the negotiator is dealing with to resolve an issue,
belongs to another department. In such cases, a
manager skilled in interpersonal negotiations is vital in
maintaining the concept of fair play in negotiations. Just
what is the concept of fair play in interpersonal
negotiations?

Start with the best plan
Present the best plan at the beginning of the
negotiations and justify it with sufficient evidence. The
plan should, ideally, be implementable. After you have
presented your best plan, listen carefully to how the
other party responds to the plan.

No hidden agenda
Disclose all vital information in the early stages of
negotiation. Provide your negotiation counterparts with
all information they need for the decision-making
process. It is unfair to bring new opinions to justify your
case in the later stages of the negotiation. Basic
arguments and reasons should be presented early in the
process.

Active listening
In the opening stage, the negotiating party should
present his agenda and all necessary information for the
decision-making process, One you have presented your
agenda, give your counterpart time to think. Listen
closely for his reactions to your expectations.

One subject at a time
Discuss one subject at a time. Never introduce two or
three different topics at the same time. When cause-
effect issues are under discussion, stick to discovering
the causes of the problem. Stay away from all discussion
of solutions at this stage. Move on to the discussion of
solutions in a separate phase of the negotiations. Never
go back to a subject once an agreement has been
reached.

No personal attacks
Never criticize the personality of your counterpart even
when you believe that he is wrong. Try to use logic to
disprove his ideas, and politely present your own ideas
without damaging your interpersonal relationship.

The fair play concept is an unchallengeable, undeniable

and absolute rule for any interaction!

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