Q & A Table of Contents
Distinguishing Outcomes from Interests
From: Mark, Melbourne, Australia
Question: In your opinion, what are the benefits of considering your own and others outcomes in negotiation preparation.
Response: The benefit of considering the outcomes for yourself and other stakeholders, both those 'at the table' and stakeholders who are not participating in the negotiation, gives you an initial sense of 'what' people are looking for.
It is far more important to look to the INTERESTS of the stakeholders. The question to ask is WHY people want the outcome they are pursuing. It is easy to think of desirable outcomes in terms of money, for example. That is WHAT people want. The important questions to ask relate to WHY it is important: serve the ego, save money for the company, get cash to pay some bills, etc. When you understand the interests, you have the building blocks for a workable agreement.
When you are thinking ahead of time about stakeholders' interests, you are making a series of assumptions. You should use the negotiation process to pursue the fundamental asset of negotiation, which is information. Are your assumptions accurate? If you test the interests you have assumed are 'out there', the answers you derive should yield a clearer understanding of the actual interests that motivate the parties and will lead to a successful agreement.
Good luck and good negotiating, Steve.
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