Question

Emotions play positive and negative roles in negotiation. On the positive side, emotions make us care for our own interests and about people. Empathy can improve understanding and facilitate communication. On the other side, emotions like anger, fear, frustration, uncertainty, can give rise to unproductive behaviors such as: yelling, name calling, rudeness, bulling and threats, and withdraw. The challenge for the skilled negotiator is to be aware of emotions in yourself and others and deal with them effectively. Are you aware of your emotional triggers, the behaviors, words and actions that trigger strong emotion, positive and negative, in you? For example, how do you react when someone yells at you? Do you tend to lose it and yell back? What triggers you to behave badly? Awareness allows you to choose how to manage emotion, rather than simply react to it. Assignment: Write a paper based on your experience that describes the following: 1. Can you think of a negotiation that was not successful because emotions and egos of the parties involved got in the way? Describe the situation. 2. What emotions and behaviors did you observe that were disruptive in that situation? 3. How did the parties react when emotions seemed to derail the negotiation process? 4. What was the outcome? If a negative outcome, how did the behaviors and emotions of the parties play a role? If a positive outcome, what steps were taken to deal effectively with the emotions and behaviors of the parties? 5. What are some tips you would suggest for how to deal effectively with the following disrupting emotional behaviors in a negotiating situation? (threats, profanity, extreme positions, name-calling)

Answer 1

1. Can you think of a negotiation that was not successful because emotions and egos of the parties involved got in the way? Describe the situation.

• Yes, I think of a negotiation that was not successful because emotions and egos of the parties involved got in the way: when I was taking to my co-working in my past job, she bullied me and I reacted harshly to it. It resulted in my ousting from that job because of the gradual developments after that event. Here, as my team-leader was also supporting her, I became much irritated.

2. What emotions and behaviors did you observe that were disruptive in that situation?  

• Anger, irritation, bad-temper and stressed mentality were the results due to that issue.

3. How did the parties react when emotions seemed to derail the negotiation process?  

• The woman who bullied me join hand with my male team-leader and they started tp bully on me vigorously in order to tempt me to the limits of my negative bad-temper. So, there is not a chance to the negotiation process. It was simply derailed by my opposite parties.

4. What was the outcome? If a negative outcome, how did the behaviors and emotions of the parties play a role? If a positive outcome, what steps were taken to deal effectively with the emotions and behaviors of the parties?

• It was a negative outcome. I was removed from the job. The behaviors and emotions of the parties play a moderate role in this issue, and it lead to the gradual sidelining from my busy job. At one point, I was sidelined totally and I was requested to leave the job after a short notice.

5. What are some tips you would suggest for how to deal effectively with the following disrupting emotional behaviors in a negotiating situation? (threats, profanity, extreme positions, name-calling)

• We must be cool in these situations and we have to think that those threats are coming only to strengthen our soul-strength. Then, we can easily correct the situation. To achieve this end, we have to take up an effective meditation practice su