INTEREST ANALYSIS I:Analyzing your interests, Analyzing the other disputant’s interests

<< SOURCES AND CAUSES OF CONFLICT II

INTEREST ANALYSIS II:What are interests?, Tips for Interest Trees >>

Conflict Management HRM624

Lesson 13

INTEREST ANALYSIS I

Quotations

The shortest and best way to make your fortune is to let people see clearly that is in their best interests to

promote yours. La Bruyere

Interests:

Interest may be defined as a sense of concern with and curiosity about someone or something.

The motivations that individuals have during a conflict, including positions (demands), aspirations,

underlying interests, principles, values, and basic needs may be described as interests.

Interests analysis:

Interest analysis is perhaps the most critical step in the conflict diagnosis process. A systematic exploration

of a conflict participant's interests is called interest analysis.

Briefly stated, interests analysis is the development of an accurate and complete understanding of each

conflict participant's positions, aspirations, interests, needs and values in relation to the interpersonal

conflict. Interest analysis includes an explanation of all the underlying interests, needs, and values of each

conflict, participant, as well as an exploration of how all link together and are organized.

An effective interest analysis can mean the difference between grudging settlement and real satisfaction.

Interests motivate people; they are the silent movers behind the positions people take. Your position is

something you have decided upon your interests. So, interest is something what caused someone to decide

something.

What people normally say they want out of a conflict are positions, whereas the why of people shows what

people want are interests.

Analyzing your interests

When you are involved in an interpersonal conflict, your thought processes are often clouded or diverted by

strong emotions and stress. People caught up in a conflict often focus on the lines they have drawn in the

sand-there positions-and on beating the other disputant-rather than on getting what is best for them.

Analyzing your interests also allows you to develop flexibility in your bargaining position, so that you can

find better ways of attaining an agreement.

In most negotiated agreements, "the devil is in the details"; failing to make effective arrangements for

delivery, payment, and so forth can make the difference between a good sale and a very bad one.

Finally, using interest analysis allows you to avoid the negative consequences of drawing lines in the sand,

known in the conflict resolution field as positional bargaining.

Positional bargaining

A process of negotiation that involves each disputant taking successively more moderate positions in hopes

that eventually a compromise will result is described as positional bargaining.

Negative consequences of positional bargaining

There are three negative consequences of positional bargaining.

1. becoming locked into position psychologically- regardless of whether a better option is available

2. becoming blinded to issues unrelated to your position

3. seeing the other disputant as the enemy leading to an unnecessary impasse and additional "spinoff"

conflicts

Conflict Management HRM624

Advantages of knowing your team's interests

Following are the advantages of knowing the team's interests

1. Gain a clearer understanding of your goals

2. Clarify what interests would be best met in resolving this conflict and what interests would be

better met elsewhere

3. Develop flexibility in bargaining, so that a good settlement is more attainable

4. Avoid the problems of positional bargaining

5. Finally, positional bargaining makes enemies.

Purpose of Interest Analysis

Here are some of the purposes of the interest analysis.

1. It promotes clear thinking and prevents inappropriate decision making resulting from emotional arousal

and stress

2. It helps clarify what one wants and needs, and helps the user rank interests in relation to one another

3. It helps user visualize and recognize alternate ways to meet goals

4. It creates greater flexibility in coming to settlement

5. It ensures user isn't diverted by details, hot emotion, heat of the moment, and so on

6. It ensures user doesn't miss an optimal resolution

7. It enables user to evaluate whether some interests could be met outside the conflict

Analyzing the other disputant's interests

Analyzing one's own interests and those of one's principal, it is also important to analyze the interests of the

other disputant. Here are some of the important points regarding analysis of other disputant's interests

1. Greater likelihood of settlement on optimal terms: ability to appeal to other disputant's desires while

meeting your own goals.

2. Avoid settling for less than you could get.

3. Minimizing the likelihood of settlement sabotage by appealing to the other disputant's interests.

4. Avoid positional bargaining.

5. If coercion becomes necessary, allows one to design more effective pressure.

Table of Contents: