Archive for July, 2010

By Karen S. Walch

The most classic worst case scenario plan is the one to prevent the use of nuclear and other weapons of mass destruction. In the Cold War era, Herman Kahn perfected the classic plan of a highly coordinated, massive attack that would guarantee total annihilation. Such a “mega death” approach is believed to be the smartest way to prevent the classic “unthinkable” worst case scenario. This week’s law will address the preparation required for a successful rights-based negotiation strategy without the sole reliance on mutual assured destruction.
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By Karen S. Walch

Over the centuries, the classic hardball negotiation orientation has been shaped by military strategy and scenarios. Today, methods to deceive others and to prevent others from doing the same continue to be promoted through folk stories and popular idioms. “Deceive the Sky and Cross the Ocean” reminds negotiators to divert a counterpart with slight of hand, and “Surrounding Wei to Rescue Zao” outlines how to attack vital weak points and avoid direct communication. This week’s law will focus on the need to use a rights-based negotiation approach when deceptions and smoke screens lead to an impasse or breakdown in negotiations.
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Global negotiator Willy Sono ’81 has found success in business by bringing people together and helping them find common ground. “You always talk about the expertise and know-how,” he says. “But it is also important to remember the know-who.” Sono, a Peruvian native, works in Lima as a consultant for Thunderbird Resorts (no relation to Thunderbird School of Global Management). He says successful negotiators do at least two things well: 1. They find win-win solutions and 2. They balance their short-term goals with mid- and long-range goals. “People want things to happen in an immediate way,” he says. “But things don’t necessarily work that way. You have to work for things. Everything in life is a process.” Watch more of the interview in the video above.

By Karen S. Walch

Much of the strategy about power in classic approaches is developed in ways to use stealth, deception and manipulation.  It is through the battle of wills that wins are accomplished.  This involves all levels of pressure tactics, including personal attacks.  Camouflage, deception, and concealment, for example, have no particular standards or rules to abide by; except to win at all costs.  It is fundamental to prepare for what ever takes to win in a negotiation in the classic approach. This week’s Law will conclude our series on integrative negotiation approaches with a focus on how to use objective criteria versus the battle of wills as a way to increase your power in a negotiation.  This week we will focus on the practices of independent and objective standards that can be used to change the negotiation from a hardball approach to an integrative negotiation process.
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