Many people approach the subject of negotiation looking for tricks and stratagems with which they can gain the upper hand in negotiations. Their quest flows from a mental model of negotiation as a contest around persuasion where the “winner” is able to determine the outcome of the deliberations. The techniques sought are those that will “force” or “trick” the “other side” into capitulating to the will of the trickster.
This presentation casts negotiation into the more realistic workplace setting where the goal of the activity is to seek solutions that are best for the team and their stakeholders/customers. In this setting teams typically work together over periods of time that transcend particular negotiations. Intra-team and organizational relationships are important to success over time and should not be subjected to techniques that will damage them in order to achieve a “win” in a particular negotiation.
The work of Simon Sinek and James Carse serves to frame the contrast between the “play to win” mindset and the longer-range considerations as finite and infinite games. This presentation will show the wisdom of adopting the “infinite game” view of workplace negotiations and teach solution-seeking techniques designed to produce healthy and effective negotiations that will generate creative solutions while preserving and strengthening team relationships.