Don't Expect Thanks or Gratitude When the Negotiations Are Over

After the dispute is resolved move on.

Don't expect any thanks or gratitude from the other side. The fact that the case has been resolved is thanks enough. Don't expect the other side to be grateful that you spent so much time on the settlement or that you conceded on some main points or that you gave a heart-felt apology. Sometimes there is a mental letdown after you have have invested so much energy in resolving a dispute. You may have had some sleepless nights as you were analyzing the pros and cons of your arguments and strategies. However, when it is over, it is over. Let it go.

Even though you should not expect thanks or gratitude for your efforts, you can still thank the other side for their efforts. Your comments and compliments might help future negotiations run more smoothly.

Give Yourself a Debriefing After the Negotiation is over.

This is a way to evaluate the case and make changes in future negotiations.

Ask yourself the following questions:

1. Were any mistakes made?

2. What worked and why?

3. What could I have done differently?

Keep a Copy of Agreement For Your Comments

After finishing union negotiations, I always keep a copy of the contract nearby so I can make comments for the next negotiations cycle. As I read the language for a specific situation, I might catch a typo, misspelling or misplaced comma. Through interpreting the contract, I may see a section that I believe should be changed in the next bargaining sessions. These notes become the outline for my negotiating topics. Always write your name in big letters on your copy so you don't give it away by mistake.

IF you follow these rules, you will be negotiating like a pro




Mary Greenwood, Mediator, Attorney and Author of
How To Negotiate LIke A Pro: 41 Rules for Resolving Disputes, Winner of six book awards
Best How To Book, DIY Festival
Runner Up, New York Book Festival, E-Book and Self-Help Category
Finalist ForeWord Magazine Book of the Year Awards
Finalist, Best National Book Awards, Self-Help Category
Honorable Mention, London Book Festival
How To Mediate Like A Pro: 42 Rules for Mediating Disputes
Winner of five book awards
Best National Book AWard, Law Category
Best E-Book, New York Book Festival
Best How To Book, Beach Book Festival
Best E-Book, Indie Excellence Awards
Spirit AWard, South Florida Writers Association
Email: howtonegotiate@aol.com
www.marygreenwood.com