from the bargaining table - Interest Based Negotiations

Doesn’t get it- “I know how this interest based stuff works, it means you have to love everybody! "

Wrong!   In fact nothing could be further from the truth!  But hey, like I used to say to my good friends at CBP, both Union and management alike, “don’t let me slow you down with facts and common sense!”

One of the most salient facts I learned in my 33 year voyage of Labor and Management relations was the following.  ….

After years of distrust and broken agreements, the United States and the former Soviet Union USSR, that was the SALT I and SALT II nuclear weapons treaties were accomplished utilizing Interest Based Negotiations Principles! I thought, my God, no one hates, distrusts each other as these two parties!  If it can work for them.

Make no mistake, doing this ain’t easy!  But it DOES NOT require Love, just understanding an active listening and learning what the true interest and surrounding issues are for the conflicted other party!
You don’t have to agree.  You don’t have to Love.  But you should, as I have, when applying the principles, learn what the REAL ISSUES AND INTERESTS are!

So before being dismissive, ask yourself; is the conflict and parties involved really more complicated than the US/Soviet relationship? Because again, it worked successfully for them and it can work to at least identify the real and sometimes, underlying issues.  That after all is the only way to resolve conflict and create lasting solutions.

See you next time!  Thomas and Andy

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