Managing COnflicts

Scenario: Agency Issues in Negotiations

Al and Bob entered the third meeting with some confidence. As the representatives for Symbiot Services (SS), they had hammered out some detailed language with the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) that would meet all of the prior objections raised during negotiations by the agency, and would still assure SS a reasonable profit for the services that SS would provide.

Al had been the primary negotiator for SS. Bob was now entering the negotiations to provide the final legal fine points to the agreement in principle, and to thereafter give the legal department¡¦s blessing to the agreement. On the other side of the table, Rhonda and Sarah unpacked their notes meticulously. Rhonda, DNR¡¦s primary negotiator, had worked with Al to identify all the issues raised by the respective organizations and craft an agreement that weaved together all the parts into an effective agreement. Sarah had joined Rhonda for this meeting to sign off for the States Attorney Office, putting the legal seal of approval on what had been written.

While Sarah and Bob unloaded their papers and books, Al and Rhonda chatted about how difficult it had been to identify all the issues raised at their respective home offices, then figure out how things could be addressed in a way agreeable to both sides, and then reduce the entire wall of post-it notes, taped copies of e-mails, and highlighted letters to a readable document. Because they are the talking links between their organizations, Al and Rhonda had to almost personally bridge the gaps between the organizations, and often it seemed they were a team of their own, arguing with the two ¡§home teams.¡¨

The last sticking point had been the issue of how much SS would discount its regular charges for services. DNR was a very big customer and expected to get the bulk discount for services. The DNR had wanted a 50% reduction from the regular rate; SS had offered 10%, and they had finally settled on a 25% rate reduction for this contract, in the interest of providing a break to taxpayers. Both Al and Rhonda were careful to obtain e-mailed or hard copy approval of the 25% rate reduction from their bosses, because neither had the authority to set unique rates unilaterally.

Sarah, representing DNR, brought the meeting to focus by reciting the issues that had been resolved, and asked SS if it had any final issues to resolve before declaring the final document completed.