A successful negotiation occurs when both parties have their interests or needs listened to and addressed. By taking the time to understand why something is desired, you open the doors for different solutions that can still meet everyone’s needs—which is what you really want to achieve anyway. When you work to meet individual interests, you will discover more opportunities to collaborate. This in turns helps you avoid getting stuck defending one position, which even if it’s good for you, it may not lead to a successful resolution. The purpose of this course is to help you focus on interests and needs versus positions and viewpoints. In other words, understanding why something is desired versus what is desired. It’s a subtle shift in thinking, but an important one. This change in focus can mean the difference between a quick and mutually beneficial solution, versus a long drawn out process in which neither party ends up satisfied with the outcome. By completing this course, you will be able to strengthen your ability to advocate for interests rather than positions.
