Tip Tuesday: Four Ways to Overcome an "Us Versus Them" Mentality During Negotiations
Connecting with people on the other side of the bargaining table can help build strong relationships to get the parties through difficult times. Still, it can also promote suspicion toward anyone on the other side of the table. Groups in conflict tend to have an inaccurate understanding of each other’s views and to see the other’s positions as more extreme than they are.
Getting caught up in a me vs. you or us vs. them mentality can be easy during high-stakes or contentious negotiations. How can you overcome the “us. vs. them” mentality during negotiations?
- Overcome the tendency to demonize the other side by looking for an identity or goal you share.
- Do not attack individuals or make negotiations personal.
- Begin your conflict management efforts by highlighting your common goal of reaching a fair and sustainable agreement.
- Try to identify and discuss points of similarity between you (ex, growing up in the same region). The more points of connection you can identify, the more collaborative and productive your conflict-resolution process will likely be.