Facilitation & Negotiation
Overview
We often regard business activity as being essentially competitive - represented by ideas like: "all's fair in business" and "take no prisoners".
So we compete "to claim value". The concept is ancient and venerable and is based on the idea that if you have the right to win, or the might to win, then you should win. Typically, this produces a win-lose outcome that (sometimes) accords with our ideas of justice.
In contrast, modern concepts of relationship management and principled, interest-based negotiation and problem solving, are based on the idea that we should try to collaborate "to make value" (ie: work creatively on a problem, with others, to develop solutions that constitute win-win outcomes).
Solutioneering, the professional practice of Solutionism, helps people with problems to work together collaboratively to develop creative and strategic solutions to those problems. We use the CONSEPS Methodology to do this, the two main delivery processes being Facilitation and Negotiation.
Western cultures emphasise the value of self-sufficiency, especially in matters of human interaction. Consequently many people, especially those in positions of actual or perceived authority, struggle against the odds trying to make a success of situations that everybody else can see would clearly benefit from the involvement of an independent third party, acting as a Facilitator, or as a Negotiator.
In our experience, most complex situations are better handled when a skilled, independent third party is given responsibility for managing, or guiding, the communication process. This enables the parties involved to concentrate on what they need to say and do, rather than on the process of how it will be said or done.
In effect, the third party is a process manager. Depending on their role and skill they may also be a solution designer. The difference in the mechanical and creative dynamics can best be shown with a diagram:
Direct communication, discussion and/or argument. Success is a function of the parties' abilities and their bona fides.
Communication using a third party Facilitator or Negotiator. They manage the communication process and help parties achieve mutually acceptable outcomes.
The Facilitator / Negotiator is not personally involved in the issues, and is in a better position to see issues clearly, generate options and design or negotiate solutions.
Our Facilitation and Negotiation services are designed to assist and complement your own competencies. When you have difficult or critical discussions, challenges, conflicts or negotiations to make and you need better structure and discipline, or just want to maximise the likelihood of obtaining an optimal outcome - talk to us!
Facilitation
Facilitate: (v. t.) To make easy or less difficult; to free from difficulty or impediment; to lessen the labour of; as, to facilitate the execution of a task.
The concept of facilitation is not new, but the idea of using a professional facilitator to assist a communication or problem solving process is a relatively new concept in Australia.
The job of the Solutioneering Facilitator is to facilitate meetings (as above) on an impartial basis (ie: they don't work on any party's side). By improving the quality of the entire communication process, facilitators can usually improve outcomes in an absolute sense, while also taking much of the pressure off the people "in the moment".
Negotiation
Negotiate : (v. i) to arrange for or bring about by discussion and settlement of terms; to clear or pass an obstacle.
We negotiate, whether we realise it or not, whenever we try to get our own needs or interests satisfied by the actions, or inactions, of others.
Professional negotiators are engaged by one or more sides to help them get the best possible outcome from a deal or arrangement.
Our Solutioneering Negotiators practice "principled negotiation". Accordingly, they guide negotiations towards results that satisfy the needs and interests of all parties, while keeping their own clients' principal objectives firmly in mind.
Our Facilitation and Negotiation services draw on a skill base developed over many years spent dealing with an enormous variety of complex challenges and conflict situations. This experience enables us to measure and deliver the precise amount of support required to achieve optimal outcomes for our clients.
We offer two major categories of Solutioneering service:
Facilitation
- Change Management
- Meeting Management
- Problem Solving - Creative and Strategic Solutions
- Visioning - individuals, families, family businesses, businesses and organisations
- Strategic Planning
- Business Planning
- Succession Planning and Leadership Transition
Negotiation
- Preparation
- Presentation
- Evaluation
