Dealing with people is possibly the biggest problem we face especially in business, and our attitude may define the approach we decide to take to resolve our conflicts, make transactions or negotiate agreements which as a consequence will determine our personal and professional success. Satisfactory outcomes are not reached with magic. They have to be successfully negotiated, and our attitude plays a vital role in choosing the right approach to deal with any situation. To build a prosperous professional career, we need to have the right view because our attitude establishes the path that we usually take to tackle goals and targets.
If we think about it, a successful career is founded on our ability to build positive relationships that allow us to accomplish goals faster, and we need the right attitude that will lead us to the right approach to negotiating any transaction. Considering that our reaction to solve problems has a substantial effect on our relationships, there are three approaches to negotiation that any professional should consider studying to reach fruitful agreements and build a successful career.
Reconciling-Interests Attitude
When we want to negotiate an agreement or when we face any dispute, we can approach it trying to reconcile the interests of the parties involved. This process is called the interest based approach. A positive attitude will increase the parties trust in each other, will grow people’s disposition to work with us in the future, and it will reduce the incurrence of possible disputes. To apply an interest-based approach means to keep a problem-solving attitude and to focus on facts rather than assumptions. Reconciling interests means to take into account people’s needs, desires, concerns and the things they care about or want. An assertive attitude will give us the opportunity to produce back-and-forth communication intended to reach agreements and produce durable resolutions.
Right-Based Attitude
While most negotiating strategies and agreement’s processes seem like common sense, it's not uncommon for people to get caught up in the emotion of the moment and approach them with attitudes that may accomplish the goals, but may as well reduce the possibility to build networking. Some people approach conflict trying to determine who is right, and it is true that no all negotiations or disagreements can be solved based on both parties interests. However, if we approach our transactions intending to determine who is right or who is wrong, our possibilities to construct a successful career will be reduced because in business our ability to strengthen our relationships is fundamental, and this approach tends to increase the incurrence of disputes and decrease the parties capability to work together in the future. Frequently, this attitude leads to a competitive environment where the parties believe that their goals are mutually exclusive, and only one side can win or be right.
Power-Based Attitude
Having a positive attitude that conduces our decisions to maintain an interest-based approach is critical for improving our professional life. However, some of us choose to accomplish goals and to deal with conflict base on our power. A power-based approach reduces the opportunity to reinforce a positive communication channel where ideas and opportunities to achieve goals and to deal with conflict can be exposed. This approach is often characterized by an exchange of threats, and power contest in which people take actions to determine who will prevail. Exercising power typically means imposing a cost on the other side. This approach may reach successful outcomes, but if we want to build a successful career, our ability to motivate and to encourage others to propose creative solutions is essential.
We can conclude that a positive attitude will lead our decisions to an approach where the outcomes of our transactions are benefited. It is better to reconcile our interest than to focus on who is right or who has more power because in business our ability to build strong relationships is fundamental. Besides, if we take into account other’s opinions and engage them in the decision-making process, they will be more motivated to produce the expected results and to build a team-working culture rooted in collaboration.