Improvisational Negotiation: A Mediator's Stories of Conflict about Love, Money, Anger--and the Strategies That Resolved Them

Conflict happens. It happens in all areas of business. Disputes can arise between employees, between business partners, between a company and a client. And if such issues are not settled, bad things can happen. Good people quit. Profitable relationships dissolve. Great companies go under. This has always been true, of course. But according to renowned mediator Jeffrey Krivis, in a global economy the implications of conflict are more profound than ever before.

"In a world where relationships matter more than ever, mediation skills matter more than ever," says Krivis, author of Improvisational Negotiation: A Mediator's Stories of Conflict about Love, Money, Anger--and the Strategies That Resolved Them (Jossey-Bass/A Wiley Imprint, 2006, ISBN: 0-7879-8038-2, $35.00). "Companies can locate anywhere. People can work anywhere. Clients can stay with you or go with a competitor halfway around the globe. So whether you manage employees or clients or both, it's critical to learn the art of bringing harmony out of conflict."

Krivis serves corporations and individuals from all walks of life, helping them settle disputes before they end up in the courtroom. His book, which is packed with stories from his own career, reveals some fascinating ways he and other mediators have helped people stop beating their metaphorical heads against metaphorical brick walls and reach creative, mutually beneficial solutions.

What, exactly, is negotiation? Krivis says it's reframing a situation in order to get people to shift their positions in a way that makes a resolution possible. His own formula for negotiation is as follows:

Instinct + Information = Intuition
Intuition + Knowledge = Improvisation

In short, negotiation is part art and part science. You needn't become a certified mediator in order to settle a dispute at work or at home. You just need to understand some basics about human behavior, practice the fine art of paying attention, and offer yourself up as a neutral party who just wants to resolve the problem.

Here are ten insights and tricks of the trade Krivis suggests you use: