"Ask lots of questions. Why do you want that? Why is that important to you? Negotiators say that you have to dig down five levels of 'why' to get to the root of the issue. It's okay to go into a negotiation not knowing everything -- but you must ask questions to understand fully what they want and why."
"In mediation, you often run into irate citizens. Usually, they're mad because they don't feel anyone is listening to them. Let people know that you hear what they want, understand why they want it, and think that it's a legitimate interest -- even though you may not be able to deliver it. Their rage will often dissolve, making further negotiations much easier."
Contact Susan Podziba by email (podziba@mit.edu).
Email
Digg
StumbleUpon
Facebook
Buzz Up!
LinkedIn
