Effective Negotiation

At the end of the day, any negotiation is about getting all parties involved to say, “Yes.”  There are many ways and different techniques to get to this ultimate goal.  However, the negotiation is not very productive if we don’t get what we want in return. 

The podcast titled, “Entrepreneurship -Part 7: Negotiation” covers many different negotiation techniques and principals.  However, I would like to focus on using objective criteria.  This can be very useful and necessary to avoid the parties arguing about their positions.  To avoid conflict in a negotiation, you can bring in a set of third party standards or criteria.  This can include things such as industry norms and standards.  Instead of battling over who is right and who has the best position, you can use objective criteria to set a standard to work from.  This can help with any aspect of a negotiation to include price and the amount of time a job can take.

            From the next video that I watched in regards to avoiding conflict in negotiations titled, “HandlingConflict in Negotiations” I will focus on how to “Separate the people from the problem.”  In many situations, the best way to avoid conflict is to focus on the problem and remove the people and emotions from the situation.  The speaker in the video discusses how personal emotions can ruin the chance of an agreement and ultimately ruin the relationship all together.  He talks about how we need to be “Hard on the problem and not the people.”  Once we are able to remove emotions from the negotiation we are able to come closer to an agreement that solves the problem and benefits all parties involved.

            The next video that I have chosen to view for this blog is titled, “BATNA – Negotiation.”  In order to understand how this can help us to the “Yes” that we are looking for, we must first understand what a BATNA is.  BATNA is simply the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement.  The speaker defines this as, “A comparison of your options.”  The speaker uses a continuing example of a salesman trying to sell a car and how you need to analyze the individual interests.   In every situation you need to know what you best option is.  Maybe your company can perform the task instead of outsourcing with the other party of the negotiation.  We also need to determine what each party’s interests are in the situation.  In a situation of getting paid now or later for a product or service, most would rather have the money now.  However, it’s not always that simple.  What if you could have $25,000 cash today or $30,000 a week from now for the same product or service, which would you choose?  Now, that changes the game.  You now have to look at your needs and interests to determine which is better for your company.  If you need the money now, you only have one option it seems.  If you need more money and can wait, then you wait.

            Negotiations may not be easy or cut and dry.  However, there are always many different ways of avoiding conflict and getting to the bottom line.  I have only discussed a few of them here in this blog post.  In my opinion these are some of the most helpful tools in negotiation.  You always have options and interests; at the end of the day it all depends on what is best for you or your company.

Homeless Veterans

As we all go about our daily lives with little to now worries, there are thousands of our nations veterans that don’t even have a place to call home.  For many Americans, this may not seem like a problem that needs solving.  However for those who have served, or are close to those who have served, this is a huge problem.  As young men and women they answer our nations call to service and selflessly serve our nations in land all over the world.  While answering our nation calls for defense, we put our lives on hold to travel to distant lands where we face unimaginable odds.  While most of us make it home, some do not.  In America today, none of this seems to bother most Americans.  I have answered our nation call twice now, and now have a greater respect for life and a stronger desire to help others.  However, when we return home we face even more struggles, as if the war never ends for us.  We fight to live a normal life, but life after the military is not easy and money does not grow on trees.  According to (NCHV, 2015), “The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) estimates that 47,725 veterans are homeless on any given night.”  If that estimate does not keep you awake at night trying to mastermind a plan to end this, then there is something wrong with the way you think.  I personally don’t feel that there should be anyone sleeping on the streets on any given night, but definitely not our nations defenders.  Since leaving the Army back in 2009, I have tried to find a solution.  I have been homeless myself since my release from the Army, so I understand this struggle more than most.  As I move forward with my life, I am working on starting a record label, Battle Mind Records, from which I will use the profits to help put an end to homelessness among veterans.  I will use my label to help raise awareness for the issues veterans face everyday and use the profits to help find solutions.  This is my life’s work, to serve those who have served.  We must work together as a nation to find a solution, who will join me in this fight?

NCHV (2015).  FAQ ABOUT HOMELESS VETERANS.  National Coalition for Homeless Veterans.  Retrieved on January 8, 2016 from http://nchv.org/index.php/news/media/background_and_statistics/

Autonomous Robotic Weapons

I chose to watch a video from Ted.com called, “The kill decision shouldn't belong to a robot,” by Daniel Suarez.  I chose this video because I found the title to be very interesting, as I have spent over 7 years in the U.S. Army.  Daniel Suarez is speaking on the use of autonomous robotic weapon systems.  These are systems that function without being controlled by humans.  His main point is that we should not allow autonomous robots to be able to make the decision to kill without a human.  I feel that the goal of his speech is to both educate and persuade people to agree with his position on this matter.  He is talking about something that most people, outside the military, know absolutely nothing about.  He talks about how the use of these weapons could change the entire social landscape.  Before we begin to employ weapon systems such as these, we must first understand how they could impact the world around us and how we, as humans, make decisions and work with each other to attempt to gain world peace.  The effects that could be brought on by these weapon systems could be completely catastrophic.  In the video (Daniel Suarez, 2013) states, “The way humans resolve conflict shapes our social landscape.”  He speaks on both the pros and cons of autonomous robotic weapons.  He also goes into more depth on the possible cons of these weapons systems.  There may be many great uses for un-armed weapons, but not to the point that they can completely make their own decisions.  I feel that the way he approached this particular topic, shows that he has a great deal of knowledge of these weapons systems and the true power that they can harness.  I also feel that by educating the audience on this topic it will help to persuade others to agree with his position. 

Suarez, Daniel (June 2013). Daniel Suarez: The kill decision shouldn't belong to a robot.  Ted.com.  Retrieved on November 29, 2015 from http://www.ted.com/talks/daniel_suarez_the_kill_decision_shouldn_t_belong_to_a_robot#t-780609

Music & Expressive Writing Therapy For Veterans

For those of you who do not know or truly understand what Battle Mind Records is about, it all boils down to helping veterans through music.  I plan to use music and writing as a form of therapy for veterans that suffer from PTSD, along with generating a revenue source that will be used to help house homeless veterans.  Music therapy is proving to be a very positive form of therapy for many combat veterans.  The therapy can include listening to music, playing musical instruments, or even writing song lyrics.  I truly understand the help of all three of these elements.  I have always used listening to music as an escape from the stress of life, more so when I was deployed in Iraq.  Music has helped me to push forward under odds unimaginable.  I have also been writing song lyrics and poetry for most of my life.  I never truly understood how helpful it was until I was deployed.  It always helps to get things off of your chest, whether through talking or writing.  For those like me who have trouble confiding in others, writing is a great alternative.  According to Arts & Healing, “Expressive Writing (EW) is a brief intervention that instructs individuals to write about their deepest thoughts and feelings about a stressful event without regard to the structure of the writing.”  I no longer play any musical instruments, but I started recording songs during my second deployment.  I realized very quickly that while I was writing and recording, the terrible world around me would disappear.  Many psychological studies have been conducted on music therapy.  The results show that it can be very helpful for those who have survived traumatic events.  According to WQXR, “Studies show that music can trigger the brain to release chemicals that distract the body from pain.”