What Are The Four Types Of Negotiating Outcomes?


Negotiating outcomes are the types of results that can happen at the end of a negotiation. All negotiations end up with one out of four possible outcomes: one party wins and the other loses, both parties lose, they get stuck in a stalemate, or both end up winning. Obviously, the goal in a cooperative negotiation is for both parties to walk away with their needs being satisfied. Familiarize yourself with the four different negotiating outcomes and make it your goal to aim for a mutually-beneficial outcome.

Lose-Lose

In this type of outcome, ego's come into play which thwart the negotiating process. Both sides dig into their positions and are unwilling to compromise with each other. In the end, both parties end up losing in the deal. Resentment exists between both parties as a result of the outcome and it is unlikely that they will ever negotiate with each other again.

Example

A labor union refuses a contract offer and goes on strike until demands are met. The company refuses to give into to this bullying-type technique and digs into their position of not budging. In the end, the strikers go back to work without a raise and with lost income and the company loses a large amount of sales revenue, and the consumer loses because the company must raise prices to pay for its losses.

Win-Lose

In this type of outcome, one side wins and the other side loses. There is no compromise with a win-lose outcome. It's a one-side takes all battle with one side getting all their needs satisfied and the other side getting nothing. While the side that wins may be very happy about the outcome; the losing side has a high level of resentment over the deal because they did not have any of their needs met. This usually results in a end to any future negotiations and a termination of the relationship.

Examples

A street brawl is the ultimate in win-lose negotiations. One side wins by use of physical violence and the losing side has no choice but to submit to defeat.

A civil court battle is win-lose. A judge or jury decides winner and loser based on available evidence. One side wins punitive or compensatory damages and the other side loses that money.

Stalemate

In this type of outcome, neither side wins or loses and after a long negotiating session, both sides are at the exact same place that they started off at. This is a result of not being able to deal with interests and only positions. Stalemates happen when both sides aggressively defend their positions and neither side is able to make the other side budge.

Example

You go to buy a car and the salesman quotes you a price that is too high. You are unwilling to budge on your price and the salesman is unwilling to budge on his quote. You then walk out of the dealership and go find another one to deal with and the salesman moves on to the next customer.

Win-Win

This is the type outcome that you strive to achieve when you Street Negotiate. In this type of outcome, both sides walk away with their interests and needs being met. Both sides leave the negotiating table satisfied because they came out of the negotiation with more than they had started with. Relationships are preserved because both parties cooperated with each other in determining a fair solution to the problem. This outcome also bolsters trust for future negotiations between the two parties because they have established a positive relationship.

Example

A hostage taker agrees with the police negotiator to surrender and release his hostages. In return, the negotiator agrees that the SWAT team won't bust through the doors and kill the hostage taker. In this example, the hostage taker gets his needs of survival taken care of and the negotiator gets his needs of ending a potentially deadly confrontation without any bloodshed satisfied.

Key Points

The four possible outcomes to a negotiation are: lose-lose, win-lose, stalemate, and win-win.

Set your goals on having a win-win outcome in all of your negotiations. A win-win outcome is where both negotiating parties walk away with having both of their needs met.

About The Author

Tristan Loo is an experienced negotiator and an expert in conflict resolution. He uses his law enforcement experience to train others in the prinicples of defusing conflict and reaching agreements. Visit his website at http://www.streetnegotiation.com







Related News



NITEL: NCP invites BNP Paribas for negotiation - The Punch

NITEL: NCP invites BNP Paribas for negotiation
The Punch, Nigeria -Sep 1, 2008
By Everest Amaefule The Technical Committee of the National Council on Privatisation has invited BNP Paribas Consortium for negotiations on modalities for ...

Thornburg needs more negotiation time - Bizjournals.com

Thornburg needs more negotiation time
Bizjournals.com, NC -Sep 3, 2008
Thornburg Mortgage has once again extended the deadline of its preferred stock tender offer as it continues to try to nail down the details of a bailout ...

No room for US negotiation: CNMI Governor - Radio Australia

Radio Australia

No room for US negotiation: CNMI Governor
Radio Australia, Australia -Sep 3, 2008
[ABC] The governor of the Commonwealth of the Northern Marianas in the Pacific says there's no room for negotiation with the US on the law that would put ...

MILF says DDR is okay, but… - Inquirer.net

Voice of America

MILF says DDR is okay, but…
Inquirer.net, Philippines -Sep 6, 2008
By Charlie Señase COTABATO CITY, Philippines -- The Moro Islamic Liberation Front, in pushing for another round of peace negotiation with the government, ...
Moro group expresses fear on the government's decision to abort ...Minda News
Opposition rejects Nograles’s proposalSun.Star
Peace panel with MILF dissolvedManila Bulletin
GMA news.tv - Inquirer.net
all 352 news articles


Negotiation strategies help boost leverage - Arizona Republic

Negotiation strategies help boost leverage
Arizona Republic, AZ -Sep 3, 2008
4, 2008 12:00 AM My name is Marty Latz, and I am the founder of Latz Negotiation Institute, a national negotiation training and consulting company, ...

Mediation team to meet on Monday - Nation Multimedia

Pattaya Daily News

Mediation team to meet on Monday
Nation Multimedia, Thailand -2 hours ago
Senate speaker Prasobsook Boondech said he will discuss with the mediation team on Monday the protesters' condition that they will enter a negotiation to ...
Abhisit blames PM for not dissolving HouseBangkok Post
PAD says no to talk with GovtNation Multimedia
prasobsook takes mediator roleNation Multimedia
all 81 news articles

Newcastle takeover negotiation on Monday - NDTV.com

Newcastle takeover negotiation on Monday
NDTV.com, India -3 hours ago
Reports said Ambani's representatives will start negotiations tomorrow with the Premier League club owner Mike Ashley, who has been in the centre of hate by ...

Culpepper retires - The Gazette (Montreal)

Culpepper retires
The Gazette (Montreal), Canada -Sep 4, 2008
What you're probably unaware of was that, until recently, Culpepper was on the Alouettes' negotiation list, giving Montreal exclusive CFL rights on him ...

• Saucon teachers set to strike - The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.com

• Saucon teachers set to strike
The Express Times - LehighValleyLive.com, PA -9 hours ago
Since then, negotiations got stuck on salary and health benefits, both sides said. No negotiation sessions are planned. But the teachers hoped early notice ...

Negotiations: Egyptian revelations - Milwaukee Small Business Times

Negotiations: Egyptian revelations
Milwaukee Small Business Times, WI -Sep 5, 2008
Whether you visit Cairo’s Khan el-Kahlili bazaar, founded in 1382, or a small port bazaar, expect your negotiation skills to be tested. ...