Remember That Rationality and Fairness Are Relative
Research on negotiator perception and cognition is quite clear:People tend to view the world in a self-serving manner and define the"rational" thing to do or a "fair" outcome or process in a way that benefit themselves.First,negotiators need to be aware of this tendency in both themselves and the other party.Negotiators can do three things to manage these perceptions proactively.First,they can question their own perceptions of fairness and ground them in clear principles.Second,they can find external benchmarks and examples that suggest fair outcomes.Finally,negotiators can illuminate definitions of fairness held by the other party and engage in a dialogue to reach consensus on which standards of fairness apply in a given situation.
Moreover,negotiators are often in the position to collectively define what is right on fair as a part of the negotiation process.In most situations,neither side holds the keys to what is absolutely right,rational,or fair.Reasonable people can disagree,and often the most important outcome that negotiators can achieve is a common,agreed-upon perspective,definition of the facts,agreement on the right way to see a problem,or standard for determining what is a fair outcome or process.Be prepared to negotiate these principles as strongly as you prepare for a discussion of the issues.