Negotiation Tips from U of M Debate Expert

There has been a lot in the news lately about negotiations and debate. From the NFL Labor dispute to trying to get a budget deal done or bills passed at the Capitol. It’s also part of the average person’s everyday life. Whether you’re trying to decide with your family on where to go for a summer vacation to buying a new car or asking for a raise at work... negotiating is an important skill.

According to our guest, each party in the negotiation needs to be offering concessions that are seen as meaningful by the other parties. In other words, the value of a concession is determined by those with whom you are negotiating, not the party offering a concession. Most importantly, the outcome of any successful negotiation must provide each party with “wins.” For lawmakers, they need to be able to “sell” those back to their constituents. For the average person, that means both sides can walk away happy, because they’ve gained something.