Article 2

I equate anger as passion...to display the type of emotion that anger conveys you have to be passionate about the subject. If controlled, showing anger in negotiations can be a valuable asset to getting what you desire. In a casual, average negotiation if I go into the process with a little bit of fire in my belly it can be a powerful thing...it likely will either intimidate or at least throw off the other party's game plan.
It is however important to realize that while anger can be a great tool in negotiating, if you lose control of the emotion it can also b greatly detrimental to your cause. Going into a negotiation like a ball of fury and not having a clearly thought out plan other than to let your anger guide you, will likely not get you a desired outcome.
Like the article states..."to use anger in negotiation wisely, at the right time, with the right tone and in the right amount is an art." Few people are really able to wisely display anger in negotiation, but if you can learn to do so it will be a great advantage for you.

Article 1

I think article 1 from this weeks doc sharing gives some good insight to the practice and details of negotiation. I cannot see too many car purchases going as the example did, partially I guess because we are all aware of ways of negotiation, even if we don't know it. In the section about Lose-Win, the part that asks "how comfortable would I feel if all my clients were in the same room together and they compared notes about the price they paid for my products/services?" is a good rule to live by for sellers. Bad business practices have a way of coming back to bite you, like the article noted, a person that has a bad experience will obviously never buy from you again and they will tell on average, 8 people about their experience, and some of those 8 may also pass on the story...that isn't saying that you have to please every client no matter what, if you strive for that you will end up in a lot of Win-Lose situations. In a perfect world we would end up with Win-Win situations every time, but it isn't a perfect world and it is unreasonable to expect a Win-Win outcome all the time, someone will always be trying to get over on someone else.

Class

So...last week of class...this sure has gone by in a hurry. I will spend the last week completing the last of the items to be done in the class and finalize the work to be done on our group's project. Our power point will come together soon and turned in by middle of the week. This class has been very beneficial I think...anytime you take an Internet course it can present a unique set of challenges. The online project was a new experience for me and overall I think it worked out great. Our group is very s[read out, but worked extremely well together to overcome distance challenges and communicated well. Hopefully the end result will show that.

week 3 phone call

I completed this weeks assignment with Lucy. She played the role of an employee looking for an increase in salary, I was the manager. She presented very good information supporting her request for a 5% pay raise. She noted her high levels of productivity, exemplary skill set and great work ethic. I replied by making sure she knows that the organization recognized and appreciated her hard work and it had not gone unnoticed. She is a valuable asset to the team at the company, and I would take the steps necessary to make sure she continues to be. I am not aware of many companies that would simply hand out a 5% pay increase on the spot based on a request. I noted that the organization has procedures in place that are designed to build a pay scale...these involve performance reviews and evaluations. However, I did assure her that she had my support and that I would do what I could to expedite the review process.
This is a conflict that occurs in the workplace as often as any other issue. There is no way to handle all these conflicts i the same way. Each case should be decided on its own individual merits based on what is best for the employee and the company.

Group update

My last entry talked a bit about how our group is progressing as the due date for the project approaches...and also about how fitting the project is for a conflict resolution class. To extend on that a little bit, the goal of resolving a conflict is to come to the decision that will be the best possible for all parties involved...which is what we have done by changing our presentation format from an iLinc presentation to power point. We had begun to experience challenges since everyone was so far apart and power point gives us the best chance of success since as a group our familiarity with iLinc is minimal. As a summary I think working through this project, not so much the project subject itself is the best lesson in conflict management.

Group project update

As a group we are still working very well together. I got to thinking about the project and how it relates to the class...I think we are getting more out of it than just running through a mediation session to resolve an issue that we have created...as we are in a conflict resolution class, we should be learning how to deal with challenges we face...I think getting 6 people on the same page, especially when for the most part we live nowhere near each other, can be a challenge. I am proud of the way we have come together to work towards completion on the assignment. We all have our roles in the project and have come up with a story line of sorts. We have laid out what each of our issues will be so will be well prepared when we present. Issues like the one we are dealing with, a dispute between neighbors, happen quite often and usually there is a more ideal outcome then what actually occurs. Overall I think the assignment is very fitting for the course and I am excited to be a part of our final product.

Movie assignment

For the assignment I chose to watch Erin Brokovich, I have seen it in the past but figured since I was familiar with the story I could more easily focus on the items that pertain to this class than I could with a movie that I hadn't seen before.

-The main character, Erin, faced a number of conflicts in the movie...these included conflicts that were career related, personal conflicts as well and family life conflicts. But just as difficult as it is to deal with those issues it is also hard to balance all of the challenges you could face resulting from the conflicts. Erin deals with the ups and downs at her job. She gets a new job opportunity but quickly blows it by not communicating well. Had she communicated with Ed and her co workers, and informed them of the project she was working on, it is quite possible that she would not have been fired. She also struggles with personal relationships...she has been divorced twice before and the emotional damage from those failed relationships shows in the difficulty she has letting a new man into her life. She gets very involved in the conflict with PG&E and begins to neglect her family responsibilities. It is evident that at least in the beginning she is really struggling to balance the commitments she has made to the different people in her life.
-I believe the conflicts are absolutely realistic. I am sure there are many people that deal with these internal and external conflicts on a daily basis.

-In hind site, it is easy to say that I would be a more consistent communicator. Erin seems to occasionally let her emotions get the best of her...this is evident in the court room, when she blows up and ends up costing herself a settlement in the accident case, and again she messed up when she didn't communicate with the boss and co workers which ends up getting her fired. Over commitment is something many people get involved with. I try not to stretch myself too thin, so that I can fulfill the obligations I have as a student, employee and husband as best as possible. Erin didn't seem to quite stay in control of her life, however she does what she feels is best for her family.

-I think Erin's negotiating and communication skills developed significantly throughout the film. At the beginning there were the two instances where she had difficulty with communication. But through her job and her acceptance of a new man in her life she is able to communicate better. The results of her improved communication skills are settlements for the families that suffer from issues caused by PG&E in the amount of $300 million. She is able to communicate with them and inform them that the reason they are sick is not what the doctor paid by PG&E says but the reason she is giving the. She gains their trust and develops a relationship with them. Her negotiating skills help her with getting the settlement and the information needed to get the necessary information to improve her negotiation tools.