Post #7: When an angry public wants to be heard + Mental errors

When an angry public wants to be heard?

Anger is a really powerful emotion. It can absolutely destroy relationship between two parties who after a moment seem to forget everything they know about finding joint gain. Confronted with negative publicity, negotiators become so focused on controlling public relations and managing the crisis that they forget to work for their own best interests. So, the given article gives some advice for negotiators dealing with an angry public. I will quote some of them:

• Encourage joint fact-finding—basically this process is about finding a set of respected experts (third party people) with different views and disciplinary backgrounds who take a neutral side in negotiation and so help to reach a consensus between two parties easier and a more effectively. 

• Accept responsibility, admit mistakes, and share power—this is exactly what angry public craves most of all especially because they do not want mistakes to be repeated. It is always easier to blame someone rather than to take responsibility and admit mistakes. However, it is necessary to reach a better result and relationship. 

• Focus on building long-term relationships—in order to create a strong relationship we are always concerned about the future of this relationship. Even if both parties are at odds, they should think of interests if dealing together. 

To conclude I will say that, in my opinion, the primary goal in negotiations is to search for tradeoffs that will lead to a mutually beneficial agreement in order to create value together. The two sides would never begin to negotiate if they both did not need each other. 

 Mental Errors

The next chapiter is dedicated to mental errors that parties commit during the negotiation process and was particularly interesting for me. There are some common errors mentioned in the article and that I personally found interesting to discuss: 

• Irrational Escalation—a human behavior pattern in which a negotiator facing increasingly negative outcomes from some decision, action, or investment nevertheless continues the same behavior rather than alter course which is very irrational. One of the reasons for this behavior may be a high ego, or unwillingness to be seen coming home empty-handed from a negotiation. People used to get everything they want are more likely to make this mistake. Personally I have never experienced this but I witnessed how people, losing their sanity, were ready to do everything to get what they want. 

• Irrational expectations—very common error in terms of negotiations. Sometimes we want something and we expect that it is easy to get. Unfortunately, most of the time this expectation follows disappointment. Negotiations have always wanted a strategic analysis and thoughtful actions. So we have to take off pink glasses and to be more realistic.

• Overconfidence—confidence itself is a very good thing which gives us courage to take risk and to tackle difficult and uncertain ventures. However, overconfidence encourages us to overestimate our own strengths and underestimate those of our rivals. Basically overconfidence can blindside you to dangers and opportunities. It is also related to mental errors known as groupthink. The last one is about making irrational decisions within a group of people desiring more to get harmony inside the group without any critical evolution. Personally it does not concern me because I am rather unconfident in making decisions.