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As adults, we have to rely on our ability to negotiate to get what we
want or need. There are many ways to win at negotiation, but they
needn’t be at the expense of others. In addition to gaining what you
want – more money or a better price, for example – there are benefits
to building a relationship through negotiation.

Negotiation can reveal previously hidden opportunities for both sides:

 in cases of conflicts inside an organization, negotiation can
strengthen the structural links that exist between people and
departments, and
 in cases of negotiation between organizations, each side may
discover that the other has useful strengths or resources and that
both can benefit from an exchange or partnership

While negotiation is an ideal strategy for handling conflict, there are
some non-productive ways of dealing with conflict that should be
avoided. These include denial, escalation to a higher authority,
capitulation, and passive-aggressive behaviour.

Types of negotiation:

These two approaches align more or less with the two main types of
negotiation:

 Distributive – Distributive negotiation is a way of dividing up
a single, fixed quantity where a gain to one side results in a loss to
the other. While both sides may benefit from the deal, one side
will definitely benefit more than the other.

 Integrative – Integrative negotiation involves a more
collaborative approach, where both sides work together in the
hopes of achieving the greatest possible benefit for both sides.
Even in a negotiation where there’s direct competition between
the two sides, there are often opportunities for collaboration. It’s
rare to find a negotiation that’s purely distributive or purely

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