Which of Daniels statements reflects a core assumption of any conflict resolution process

Top Ten Posts About Conflict Resolution

Posted October 11th, 2022 by & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Conflict resolution is the process of resolving a dispute or a conflict by meeting at least some of each side’s needs and addressing their interests. Conflict resolution sometimes requires both a power-based and an interest-based approach, such as the simultaneous pursuit of litigation (the use of legal power) and negotiation (attempts to reconcile each party’s … Read  

Leveraging the Power of Emotions As You Negotiate

Posted July 20th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under One-Day Expert Programs.

In this fascinating workshop, you will discover a powerful framework for understanding and addressing the challenging emotional dynamics that arise in everyday negotiations and conflicts. … Read  

Negotiation and Leadership In-Person Spring 2023 Program Guide

Posted September 12th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Free Report.

It’s often said that great leaders are great negotiators. But how does one become an effective negotiator? On-the-job experience certainly plays a role, but for most executives, taking their negotiation skills to the next level requires outside training. … Read  

5 Conflict Resolution Strategies

Posted October 11th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Whether a conflict erupts at work or at home, we frequently fall back on the tendency to try to correct the other person or group’s perceptions, lecturing them about why we’re right—and they’re wrong. Deep down, we know that this conflict management approach usually fails to resolve the conflict and often only makes it worse. … Read  

Mediating Disputes

Posted January 3rd, 2021 by PON Staff & filed under Mediation at PON.

In this popular program, you will acquire the practical skills and techniques for facilitating negotiations between disputing parties. From family and employment matters to public policy and business disagreements, you will discover effective ways to settle differences and mediate disputes across a variety of contexts. This program will provide you with core mediation skills and training … Read  

Negotiation and Leadership In-Person Fall 2022 Brochure

Posted March 10th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Free Report.

It’s often said that great leaders are great negotiators. But how does one become an effective negotiator? On-the-job experience certainly plays a role, but for most executives, taking their negotiation skills to the next level requires outside training. … Read  

3 Types of Conflict and How to Address Them

Posted October 10th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In the workplace, it sometimes seems as if conflict is always with us. Miss a deadline, and you are likely to face conflict with your boss. Lash out at a colleague who you feel continually undermines you, and you’ll end up in conflict. And if you disagree with a fellow manager about whether to represent … Read  

Negotiation Workshop: Strategies, Tools, and Skills for Success

Posted June 12th, 2018 by PON Staff & filed under Harvard Negotiation Institute, Harvard Negotiation Institute (Five-Day Programs).

Course Dates: This course is closed Turn disputes into deals. Transform deals into better deals. Resolve intractable problems. Negotiating effectively requires the ability to change the game – moving away from conflict and toward collaboration. In this intensive, interactive program, you acquire a proven framework for maximizing the value of your negotiation. … Read  

Negotiate Strong Relationships at Work and at Home

Posted April 19th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Free Report.

The experts and editors from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation offer a sampling of advice to help you learn to foster relationships by building rapport, manage conflict in long-term relationships and negotiate business decisions with family members. … Read  

3 Negotiation Strategies for Conflict Resolution

Posted October 10th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Dispute Resolution.

When a dispute flares up and conflict resolution is required, the outcome can be sadly predictable: the conflict escalates, with each side blaming the other in increasingly strident terms. The dispute may end up in litigation, and the relationship may be forever damaged. … Read  

Negotiating Difficult Conversations: Dealing with Tough Topics Productively

Posted June 8th, 2018 by PON Staff & filed under Harvard Negotiation Institute, Harvard Negotiation Institute (Five-Day Programs).

Course Dates: This course is closed When negotiations become difficult, emotions often escalate and talks break down. To overcome barriers and turn negotiations from difficult to collaborative, from breakdown to breakthrough, you must learn to understand the inter- and intra-personal dynamics at play. In this program, you will examine how your own assumptions and behaviors can … Read  

How to Control Your Emotions in Conflict Resolution

Posted October 4th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

To guard against acting irrationally or in ways that can harm you, authors of Beyond Reason: Using Emotions As You Negotiate Roger Fisher and Daniel Shapiro advise you to take your emotional temperature during a negotiation. Specifically, try to gauge whether your emotions are manageable, starting to heat up, or threatening to boil over. … Read  

Dispute Resolution: Building Momentum through Small Wins

Posted October 3rd, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Dealing with Difficult People.

Sometimes disputes are left to fester for years, even decades, until parties decide there is something to be gained from reaching agreement. In 2015, the nations of Bangladesh and India seized on an opportunity to push the “restart” button on a contentious border disagreement through dispute resolution. Such international conflict resolution examples can illustrate how … Read  

What is an Arbitration Agreement?

Posted September 19th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

If you have ever owned a cell phone or been issued a credit card, odds are you’ve signed an arbitration agreement. You also may have signed an arbitration agreement when you started your current job or a past one, whether you remember doing so or not. … Read  

Famous Negotiators: Tony Blair’s 10 Principles to Guide Diplomats in International Conflict Resolution

Posted September 15th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In his memoir, the former world leader highlights lessons from the peace process in Northern Ireland. One of the world’s most famous negotiators, Tony Blair, offers 10 principles to guide diplomats in international conflict resolution. … Read  

Using Conflict Resolution Skills: Trying to Forgive and Move Forward

Posted September 8th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In business negotiations, when a counterpart apologizes for harming or offending you, should you forgive and move forward? What if doing so seems impossible? … Read  

Arbitration vs Mediation: The Definition of Mediation as a Problem Solving Process

Posted August 29th, 2022 by Lawrence Susskind & filed under Uncategorized.

Mediation is often thought of as a last step to adjudicate disputes. In this article, professor Lawrence Susskind spells out the hidden advantages of using mediation early in the process to solve problems and reach voluntary compliance agreements. … Read  

Best Negotiators in History: Nelson Mandela and His Negotiation Style

Posted August 16th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The late Nelson Mandela will certainly be remembered as one of the best negotiators in history. He was clearly “the greatest negotiator of the twentieth century,” wrote Harvard Law School professor and Program on Negotiation Chairman Robert H. Mnookin in his seminal book, Bargaining with the Devil, When to Negotiate, When to Fight. … Read  

10 Negotiation Training Skills Every Organization Needs

Posted August 15th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

How can managers and their organizations increase the odds that negotiation training will lead to beneficial long-term results? Here are several pieces of advice, drawn from experts at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School. … Read  

Negotiating a Non-Compete Agreement with Employers

Posted August 15th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In integrative negotiation, each side seeks to create and claim value with an eye towards the future of the negotiating relationship. One way of securing this relationship is a noncompete agreement: Employers sometimes ask potential employees to agree not to work for their competitors in the future but don’t assume such requests are nonnegotiable. … Read  

How To Share a Negotiation Education with Kids

Posted August 11th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

There are numerous opportunities for adults to learn and practice their negotiation skills. Whether it’s working through an issue with a coworker, buying a home, or taking actual negotiation education classes, if you want to improve your negotiation outcomes, you can find ways to learn. But what about kids? Are they too young to learn … Read  

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) Training: Mediation Curriculum

Posted August 11th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In 2009, we collected many types of curriculum materials from teachers and trainers who attended the Mediation Pedagogy Conference. We received general materials about classes on Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) as well as highly specific and idiosyncratic units like Conflict Resolution through Literature: Romeo and Juliet and a negotiating training package for female managers … Read  

How to Overcome Cultural Barriers in Negotiation

Posted August 4th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Imagine that you’re the American representative of a U.S. food company, and you’re hoping to procure a new ingredient for several of your products from a German company. A representative from the company is flying in to meet with you. Do you expect your German counterpart to behave differently than the Americans you typically deal … Read  

Negotiations in the News: Lessons for Business Negotiators

Posted August 4th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

What can business negotiators learn from current negotiations in the news? Quite a bit, according to the dozens of negotiation experts who contributed to the January 2019 special issue of the Negotiation Journal, entitled “Negotiation and Conflict Resolution in the Age of Trump.” … Read  

The Pitfalls of Negotiations Over Email

Posted August 1st, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Negotiation research suggests that email often poses more problems than solutions when it comes to relationships, information exchange, and outcomes in conflict resolution negotiation scenarios. First, establishing social rapport via email can be challenging. The lack of nonverbal cues and the dearth of social norms regarding its use can cause negotiators to be impolite and … Read  

In Real-Life Conflict Scenarios, Promote Constructive Dissent

Posted August 1st, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Real-life conflict scenarios can keep groups from being effective. But at a press conference on March 6, Trump suggested that any conflict within the White House has been beneficial: “I like conflict. I like having two people with different points of view, and I certainly have that, and I make a decision. But I like … Read  

Elements of Conflict: Diagnose What’s Gone Wrong

Posted July 28th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In the heat of conflict, it can be difficult to think rationally about how you got where you are and how you might make things better. But by taking a break to consider the elements of conflict, you can move toward a more rational assessment of the dispute and come up with ways to address … Read  

Mediation and the Conflict Resolution Process

Posted July 25th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

It’s often the case that when two people or organizations try to resolve a dispute by determining who is right, they get stuck. That’s why so many disputes end up in court. There is a better way to resolve your dispute: by hiring an expert mediator who focuses not on rights but on interests—the needs, … Read  

Mediation Process and Business Negotiations: How Does Mediation Work in a Lawsuit?

Posted July 25th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

How does mediation work in a lawsuit? What benefits can mediation offer businesses that deal with multiple contractual agreements, some of which may end in disputes? These questions were answered by Harvard Law School Associate Professor and negotiation expert Dan Greiner in an “Ask the Negotiation Coach” segment from our Negotiation Briefings newsletter. … Read  

The Two Koreas Practice Conflict Management

Posted July 25th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In August 2015, the decades-long conflict between South Korea and North Korea threatened to reach a breaking point. The causes of conflict between North and South go deep, but in this case, the South accused the North of planting landmines that seriously injured two South Korean border guards. South Korea retaliated with an old tactic … Read  

Business Conflict Management

Posted July 21st, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In the business world, workplace disputes are all too common. Consider these real-life conflict scenarios: a group of employees who, working overtime to make up for staff shortages, complain to their manager that they aren’t getting paid enough for the extra time. A colleague confides about his boss’s verbal abuse. Two employees argue openly about … Read  

The Difficulty of Achieving a Win-Win Negotiation Outcome

Posted July 18th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

In a negotiation, it may help to signal to your counterpart your willingness to engage in bargaining aimed at creating a win-win outcome for both parties. … Read  

What is a Win-Win Negotiation?

Posted July 14th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

In an episode of the American television show The Office, bumbling manager Michael Scott consults with a manual on conflict resolution while attempting to mediate a dispute between two of his subordinates, Angela and Oscar. After Scott explains that there are five approaches to resolving conflict, beginning with “win-lose,” an annoyed Angela interrupts: “Can we … Read  

How to Negotiate Mutually Beneficial Noncompete Agreements

Posted July 14th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

If you’re looking to get more leverage out of your next job negotiation, the noncompete agreement that may very well be tucked inside your employment contract could provide an opportunity to achieve the mutually beneficial win-win situation you desire. … Read  

Types of Conflict in Business Negotiation—and How to Avoid Them

Posted July 11th, 2022 by Ruth Collins & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Conflict in business negotiation is common, but it doesn’t have to be that way. There are steps we can take to avoid types of conflict and misunderstandings. Often, it helps to analyze the unique causes of conflict in particular negotiation situations. Here, we look at three frequent types of conflict in business negotiations and offer … Read  

Managing Expectations in Negotiations

Posted July 11th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Successful negotiators work hard to ensure that when they and their counterpart leave a negotiation, both sides feel satisfied with the agreement. Why should you care whether the other side is pleased with negotiations or not? … Read  

A Case Study of Conflict Management and Negotiation

Posted July 5th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In this case study of conflict management, the Program on Negotiation offers advice drawn from negotiation research about forming negotiating teams and avoiding conflicts within teams and working groups. … Read  

Team Negotiation: Tackle Common Pitfalls

Posted July 4th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

When a team negotiates on behalf of an organization, it can often achieve more than an individual would, thanks to team members’ cumulative knowledge and experience. Yet team negotiation can create new problems. Groupthink—the tendency to go along with the dominant point of view rather than challenging it—can promote overly simplistic decision making in teams … Read  

How to Manage Conflict at Work

Posted June 30th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Sooner or later, almost all of us will find ourselves trying to cope with how to manage conflict at work. At the office, we may struggle to work through high-pressure situations with people with whom we have little in common. We need a special set of strategies to calm tempers, restore order, and meet each … Read  

Conflict Management Skills When Dealing with an Angry Public

Posted June 28th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

When negotiators get along well, creative problem solving is easy. When they become upset, however, they seem to forget everything they know about finding joint gain, to the point of giving up tangible wins simply to inflict losses on the other party. This is especially true in high-profile negotiations that turn nasty. … Read  

What Is Collective Leadership?

Posted June 27th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

When we think of successful leaders, we typically envision a solitary person—a president, CEO, or entrepreneur—drawing on their vision, charisma, and drive to inspire and direct others. As our world grows increasingly more connected and complex, however, this top-down approach to leadership is becoming increasingly outdated. More and more, organizations are replacing charismatic leadership by … Read  

Cognitive Biases in Negotiation and Conflict Resolution – Common Negotiation Mistakes

Posted June 27th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Negotiators planning to engage in conflict resolution in a personal or business disputes should be aware of cognitive biases in negotiation, particularly when your dispute is being decided by a judge. Before doing so, you should consider carefully what psychologists, political scientists, and legal scholars have learned about judges from negotiation research and social science: … Read  

MESO: Make Multiple Equivalent Simultaneous Offers to Create Value in Dealmaking Table

Posted June 21st, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

MESO negotiation, a negotiation strategy for creating value with a counterpart who may be reluctant to negotiate, allows negotiators to propose multiple offers without signaling commitment or preference for any one option. Business negotiators that practice integrative negotiation strategies often complain that although they try to focus on creating value, they run into far too many difficult … Read  

What is Conflict Resolution, and How Does It Work?

Posted June 14th, 2022 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

If you work with others, sooner or later you will almost inevitably face the need for conflict resolution. You may need to mediate a dispute between two members of your department. Or you may find yourself angered by something a colleague reportedly said about you in a meeting. Or you may need to engage in … Read  

Teaching Critical Leadership Skills

Posted May 13th, 2022 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Running a multinational corporation, starting a small business, or leading a diplomatic mission all require critical leadership skills. Being an effective leader necessitates negotiating both within your organization and with external partners. In Real Leaders Negotiate, author Jeswald Salacuse explains that leaders can increase their effectiveness by using negotiation in each of the three phases … Read  

Negotiation in the News: The Art of Communication and Conflict Resolution

Posted May 5th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

What do you do when you believe you’ve been wronged, the offending party won’t talk to you, and you have no legal recourse? Would you look for new paths for communication and conflict resolution? Or would you go public? That’s what the world-renowned art museum the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, Italy, did in January 2019 to … Read  

Learn from the Best with the Great Negotiator Case Studies

Posted March 28th, 2022 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

No one can provide perspective on conflict resolution like experts who have been involved in some of the world’s most complex negotiations. Since 2001, the Program on Negotiation (PON) has bestowed the Great Negotiator Award upon distinguished leaders whose lifelong accomplishments in the fields of negotiation and dispute resolution have had compelling and lasting results. The Great … Read  

Moving Toward Group Conflict Resolution

Posted March 24th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Over the years, what many believe to be Jesus’s tomb in Jerusalem’s Old City has been the site of tensions that have at times escalated into violence. Inside the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Greek Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Roman Catholic communities guard the shrine surrounding the tomb, which they consider the holiest site in … Read  

Teach Your Students to Negotiate Climate Change

Posted March 21st, 2022 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

How Can Communities Negotiate Climate Change Risks? With ocean temperatures rising and hurricanes growing more frequent and severe, the impacts of climate change are dramatically affecting many communities. The severe flooding brought on by repeated storms has forced the impacted communities to confront a range of public health risks, as well as evaluations of drainage and … Read  

In Business Disputes, Conflict Resolution Styles Can Make All the Difference

Posted March 17th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Business disputes don’t have to be antagonistic. Nor does litigation need to be the go-to method of solving conflicts. Thoughtful negotiation can often often result in an amicable solution. To see the difference between two different conflict resolution styles, take a look at two real-life copyright cases in the music industry. Imagine that you’re an up-and-coming … Read  

Dispute Resolution Example: The Chicago Symphony’s Contract Dispute

Posted February 21st, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

A 2019 contract dispute between the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) and its musicians led to a disruptive seven-week strike, the longest in the venerable orchestra’s 128-year history. The unlikely intervention of Chicago’s mayor just before he left office managed to draw this thorny dispute resolution example to a mutually satisfactory finale while also highlighting the … Read  

Download Your Next Mediation Video

Posted February 17th, 2022 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Use Video Examples to Teach Your Students to Become Better Mediators Parties engaged in disputes are often unable to reconcile their differences alone, or fail to reach outcomes that are adequate for everyone. Mediators can add a great deal of value by helping parties to efficiently and effectively examine the issues at hand, take the interests … Read  

Does Using Technology in Negotiation Change Our Behavior?

Posted January 27th, 2022 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

It’s not hard to picture the use of technology in negotiation. Imagine that two people are introduced to each other via email by a mutual friend. They begin discussions on the phone regarding a potential business partnership, which lead to several in-person meetings during which their laptops are open and their smartphones are on the … Read  

Dear Negotiation Coach: Responsible Negotiation Means Caring Beyond the Deal Closing

Posted November 9th, 2021 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Alain Lempereur, has developed the concept of “responsible negotiation”, and answers questions about how to conduct more ethically sound negotiations. … Read  

Conflict-Management Styles: Pitfalls and Best Practices

Posted October 25th, 2021 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

People approach conflict differently, depending on their innate tendencies, their life experiences, and the demands of the moment. Negotiation and conflict-management research reveals how our differing conflict-management styles mesh with best practices in conflict resolution. A Model of Conflict-Management Styles In 1974, Kenneth W. Thomas and Ralph H. Kilmann introduced a questionnaire, the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, … Read  

Digitally Enhanced Simulation Packages – With Live Data Analytics

Posted October 22nd, 2021 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

In-depth Teaching Materials with Real Time Data Analytics Designed to Enhance Teaching Negotiation  From the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center (TNRC) at PON, and iDecisionGames: digitally enhanced simulation packages designed to take your teaching to the next level. The Enhanced Simulation Package from the TNRC and iDecisionGames brings a new, interactive learning experience to teaching negotiation. This easy … Read  

Madeleine Albright’s Ways to Avoid Conflict In Negotiation: First, Put Yourself In Their Shoes

Posted July 29th, 2021 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

When parties can trade on their preferences across different issues, they reduce the need to haggle over price and percentages. But are there ways to avoid conflict in other types of negotiation? To find ways to avoid conflict, especially deep-seated conflicts, and reach agreement with adversaries, former U.S. secretary of state Madeleine Albright advises close observation … Read  

India’s Direct Approach to Conflict Resolution

Posted May 27th, 2021 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In our global economy, organizations have unprecedented opportunities to grow by forming partnerships worldwide. Yet when we are negotiating abroad, cultural, language, and other differences can lead to misunderstandings that may eventually spiral into conflicts ranging from labor strikes to lawsuits to broken partnerships that require conflict resolution. At the same time, we want to … Read  

Case Study of Conflict Management: To Resolve Disputes and Manage Conflicts, Assume a Neutral 3rd Party Role

Posted April 29th, 2021 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In their book Difficult Conversations: How to Discuss What Matters Most (Penguin Putnam, 2000), authors Douglas Stone, Bruce Patton, and Sheila Heen tell us how to engage in the conversations in our professional or personal lives that make us uncomfortable by examining a case study of conflict management. Tough, honest conversations are critical for managers, … Read  

Methods of Dispute Resolution: Building Trust in Online Mediation

Posted April 5th, 2021 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, mediators and other negotiation practitioners often insisted on meeting in person, convinced that online methods of dispute resolution lack “the human touch”—the warmth, energy, body language, and other subtle factors that build essential ingredients in conflict resolution, including trust, empathy, and rapport. But when lockdowns and social-distancing restrictions took hold in the … Read  

Negotiating Identity and Values-Based Disputes

Posted April 2nd, 2021 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

How Do Parties in Conflict Negotiate Core Beliefs? Identity and values-based disputes are particularly challenging to resolve, as identities are naturally inflexible and values are typically much less elastic than interest-based issues. In conventional interest-based negotiation, parties often do give up one thing in exchange for getting something they want more. This is often not possible … Read  

Lessons Learned from Teaching Online: Pedagogy in a Pandemic

Posted March 26th, 2021 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

The exercises and videos developed for teaching online can also help improve in-person courses. As teachers and trainers around the world are working to transition their courses online and wondering about how their approach to teaching will be altered moving forward, the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center (TNRC) asked some of our experienced online teachers to share … Read  

Lessons learned from a great negotiation leader

Posted December 31st, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Leadership in negotiation In academia, there are often subtle conflicts between the executive staff who run programs and centers, and the academics connected to them. Only a talented leader can consistently weave together such groups and integrate very different views. Susan has been such a leader for many years. She provides a vision of doing all we … Read  

Bargaining in Bad Faith: Dealing with “False Negotiators”

Posted December 31st, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Dealing with Difficult People.

We tend to forget—at our peril—that not everyone at the bargaining table wants to close a deal and may be bargaining in bad faith. Consider the following negotiations:

A competitor approaches you about a potential partnership. After a series of meetings that seemed promising, however, your counterpart stops returning your calls. You are left with the nagging … Read  

How to Deal with Difficult Customers

Posted December 31st, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

To hear some salespeople and service representatives tell it, difficult behavior from customers is at an all-time high. Stories of demanding customers proliferate in the press and on social media, while customers likewise complain that their needs increasingly are not being met by companies focused on the bottom line. … Read  

For Business Negotiators, Patience Can be a Virtue

Posted December 22nd, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under BATNA.

Business negotiators know that persistence and tenacity can make all the difference between impasse and a game-changing breakthrough. Take the saga behind Microsoft’s 2013 announcement of its pending $7.2 billion acquisition of Finnish mobile phone company Nokia’s handset and services business. The two parties engaged in many months of fruitless talks before either side believed … Read  

Four Ways to Manage Conflict in the Workplace

Posted December 17th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Business Negotiations.

Samantha was livid. While making a presentation during a meeting that both attended, Brad, a newcomer in her department, had shared some slides during a presentation that were clearly based on ideas for a project she’d shared with him privately—without giving her credit. Samantha angrily confronted Brad in his office after the meeting; he became … Read  

How to Maintain Your Power While Engaging in Conflict Resolution

Posted December 14th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

By following these steps, you can keep your edge while encouraging cooperative, rather than competitive, behavior in conflict management. … Read  

Conflict Resolution in the Family

Posted December 14th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In Lessons in Domestic Diplomacy, the New York Times’ Bruce Feiler, drawing on family conflict resolution negotiation examples in his past, offers a case study of conflict management by focusing on disputes in the home, asking, “how do we break out of negative patterns of conduct and proactively approach problems encountered in our everyday lives?” … Read  

A Win Win Negotiation Case Study Using Mind Mapping Negotiation Skills

Posted December 8th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

A win win negotiation case study using mind mapping to discover your counterpart’s interests for collaborative, integrative negotiations can occur. … Read  

In Conflict Resolution, President Carter Turned Flaws Into Virtues

Posted December 3rd, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

When it comes to conflict resolution, surprisingly useful nuggets of advice come from the realm of international conflict. Take the Camp David Accords of 1978, as described minute-by-minute by Lawrence Wright in his new book, Thirteen Days in September. U.S. President Jimmy Carter made history by negotiating a peaceful end to the conflict between Israel … Read  

Overcoming Cross-Cultural Barriers to a Negotiated Agreement: Negotiation Ethics and International Negotiations

Posted December 3rd, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Cross cultural negotiation examples provide insights into how negotiation techniques change depending on the context in which negotiators find themselves. As Professor Cheryl Rivers of Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, points out in a recent negotiation research literature review, seasoned negotiators often hear stories about the unethical behaviors of people of other nationalities. … Read  

What is Alternative Dispute Resolution?

Posted December 1st, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

So, you’re stuck in a serious dispute, but you’re desperate to avoid the hassle and expense of a court case. You’ve heard about alternative dispute resolution but are not sure what it entails. … Read  

The Ladder of Inference: A Resource List

Posted December 1st, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The ladder of inference is a model of decision making behavior originally developed by Chris Argyris and Donald Schoen and elaborated upon in the context of negotiation by Program on Negotiation co-founder Bruce Patton in his book Difficult Conversations, co-authored with fellow Program on Negotiation faculty members Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen. The model describes … Read  

Conflict Management: The Challenges of Negotiating Online

Posted November 26th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Negotiation research suggests that e-mail often poses more problems than solutions when it comes to relationships, information exchange, and outcomes. Here is a case study of conflict management and negotiation about the challenges of building rapport with your counterpart when negotiating online. … Read  

Teach Your Children How to Resolve Conflicts With This Book

Posted November 26th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

We’ve all been there. One kid wants it his way; the other wants it her way and an inevitable conflict ensues. Shouting, crying, and harsh words are often part of the mix—creating stress for everyone, including the parents who just want to know how to resolve conflicts. … Read  

Why Is Sincerity Important? How to Avoid Deception in Negotiation

Posted November 19th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Why is sincerity important at the bargaining table and how do negotiators avoid deception in negotiations? Your counterpart may not realize that her behavior is unethical, and even when she does, she may justify her behavior as being ethical in this particular case. … Read  

Negotiation with Your Children: How to Resolve Family Conflicts

Posted November 17th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Few negotiation examples in real life demonstrate the benefit of effective conflict resolution skills than those disputes that arise in the home, such as those between parents and children. Getting a good night’s sleep and eating a healthy dinner might seem like obvious goals for parents to have for their young children, but kids won’t … Read  

Integrative Negotiations: Dispute Resolution Through Joint Fact-Finding

Posted November 17th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Sometimes parties to a dispute disagree on key facts and forecasts but lack the technical or scientific expertise needed to come to a consensus. Suppose, for instance, that a developer is seeking to build a high-rise condominium building in a village that is experiencing a development boom. Longtime residents fight the proposal, arguing that another … Read  

Conflict Negotiation Skills for Broken Contracts

Posted November 16th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Amid the Covid-19 pandemic, many agreements—renting a concert venue, hiring workers for a new café chain, acquiring a company—became untenable or illogical overnight. But it’s not easy to exit a signed contract without risking a costly legal dispute. By sharpening our conflict negotiation skills, we can negotiate satisfactory solutions without ending up in court. One … Read  

Police Negotiation Techniques from the NYPD Crisis Negotiations Team

Posted November 16th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Crisis Negotiations.

Few negotiators can imagine negotiation scenarios more stressful than the kinds of crisis negotiations the New York City Police Department’s Hostage Negotiation Team undertake. But police negotiation techniques employed by the New York City Police Department’s Hostage Negotiations Team (HNT) in high-stakes, high-pressure crisis negotiation situations, outlined in an article from Jeff Thompson and Hugh … Read  

Employee Grievances: Are Most Legal Disputes Resolved in Litigation or Arbitration?

Posted November 12th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

A common question asked is, “If most legal disputes are resolved in litigation, is there room for arbitration or mediation?” … Read  

Negotiation in Business: Ignore Sunk Costs

Posted November 12th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

Think about what your house, condominium, or some other valuable asset might be worth in today’s market. Did the price you paid for it affect your answer? … Read  

How to Solve Intercultural Conflict

Posted November 9th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

The question of how to solve intercultural conflict is one of the most difficult ones facing negotiators. Misunderstandings and disputes caused by cultural differences can further complicate already challenging negotiations, whether you are doing business at home, abroad, or online. The following guidelines can help us achieve better results in cross-cultural communication and negotiation. 1. Jump-Start … Read  

How to Negotiate Online

Posted November 5th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

International negotiators are often faced with the problem of how to overcome cultural barriers to communication. When you communicate in person, social norms – including body language, manners, and physical appearance – guide your behavior and ease the process. Here are some tips on how to negotiate online and building a rapport with your counterpart … Read  

New Conflict Management Skills: Understand How to Resolve “Hot Conflicts”

Posted November 5th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

Negotiating effectively with colleagues can be more challenging than dealing with outsiders. Conventional wisdom advises addressing team conflict by staying focused on tasks and avoiding relationship issues. Yet a case study of conflict management by Harvard Business School professor Amy Edmondson and Diana McLain Smith of The Monitory Group concludes that this approach to dispute … Read  

Conflict Resolution and Opportunities for Mutual Gains in Negotiation

Posted November 3rd, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Poor communication explains many of our negotiation mistakes, write Roger Fisher, William Ury, and Bruce Patton in Getting to Yes, their landmark book. Here are four negotiation skills tips adapted from Susan Hackley’s May 2005 article “Can You Break the Cycle of Bad Communication?,” first published in Negotiation. … Read  

Irrationality in Negotiations: How to Negotiate the Impossible

Posted October 27th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Negotiators often struggle with the task of bargaining with those who behave rashly, reason poorly, and act in ways that contradict their own self-interest. But as it turns out, behavior that negotiators often view as evidence of irrationality may in fact indicate something entirely different. … Read  

International Negotiation Role Playing: Understanding the Theory and Practice of Systemic Peacebuilding

Posted October 27th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Policymakers, practitioners, and academics have seized on the need for peacebuilding negotiation strategies in international negotiation to be as complex and adaptive as the societies within which they work. As a result, there are loud calls for “whole of government” or “whole of community” approaches that cross traditional sectoral boundaries.  The problem is that these approaches are … Read  

Negotiation Ethics: How to Navigate Ethical Dilemmas at the Bargaining Table

Posted October 26th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

After buying a new car, you’re eager to sell your old car. It looks well kept, but you had problems with the engine last winter. Now it’s late summer. Should you tell prospective buyers about the engine, which might or might not act up when the weather turns? … Read  

Women Negotiators and Barriers to the Bargaining Table

Posted October 22nd, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

The barriers women negotiators face when negotiating for jobs and career advancement are well known: Women who ask for more money or better opportunities can face a backlash for violating traditional gender norms. … Read  

What is BATNA?

Posted October 22nd, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under BATNA.

What is BATNA? Negotiations in which each counterpart has a best alternative to a negotiated agreement are scenarios in which the incentive to work together must exceed the value of alternatives away from the negotiation table. … Read  

Make the Most of Negotiation Skills Training

Posted October 12th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

Across the globe, negotiation skills training has become a common activity in managerial life. Organizations often take steps to improve their managers’ negotiation skills and their ability to manage other negotiators by enrolling them in negotiation skills training programs. … Read  

Negotiation Case Study: Sincerity’s Power in Negotiation

Posted October 8th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Most of us have had the experience of delivering an apology that fell on deaf ears. When apologies fail to achieve their aims, poor delivery is usually to blame. The importance of sincerity in such a situation cannot be overstated, because if the recipient thinks your apology is less than sincere, she is unlikely to … Read  

Conflict Negotiation Skills for Ending Partnerships Peacefully

Posted October 5th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

The process of dissolving a partnership can be wrenching, whether the split is undertaken by a couple, business partners, or an organization. But as many real-life examples of conflict resolution show, there are proven ways to calm the turmoil that often accompanies partnership dissolutions and set parties up for a hopeful future. Among conflict resolution … Read  

How Fast-Food Workers Used Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to Demand Higher Wages

Posted September 29th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Labor unions are the most obvious example of negotiating coalitions. If an individual employee made demands of its employer, the company could threaten to hire someone else. … Read  

Negotiation Skills: How to Become a Negotiation Master

Posted September 29th, 2020 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Negotiation jujitsu means breaking the vicious cycle of escalation by refusing to react. Resistance should be channeled into activities such as “exploring interests, inventing options for mutual gain, and searching for independent standards.” … Read  

Negotiation and Conflict Management Styles

Posted August 17th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In negotiation and conflict management, we bring our unique personalities and styles to the table. A reserved, cautious person is likely to bargain differently than someone who is outgoing and proactive, for example. There is much we can do to improve our negotiation performance—such as preparing thoroughly and using proven persuasion strategies. But should we … Read  

Prepare for the Semester: Negotiation Pedagogy Articles from the Negotiation Journal

Posted August 4th, 2020 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Whether you are going to be teaching negotiation next semester for the first time, or are a seasoned negotiation instructor, insightful research in negotiation pedagogy can help you approach your course in more effective and innovative ways. The Negotiation Journal, from the Program on Negotiation (PON), has a collection of articles on negotiation pedagogy that … Read  

BATNA in Negotiation: A Key Source of Power

Posted July 20th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under BATNA.

In July 2019, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) imposed a roughly $5 billion fine on Facebook for mishandling its users’ personal data. It was the biggest penalty the U.S. government has levied against a technology company, yet in Congress and beyond, praise for the settlement was muted. The agreement highlights the difficulty of negotiating … Read  

Cross-Cultural Video: Negotiation Examples, Lessons And Advice From PON Faculty

Posted July 1st, 2020 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Do you teach negotiation to students from different cultural backgrounds? Are you teaching students how to negotiate in a cross-cultural context? Do you teach a “one world” model of negotiation; or, are there cultural variables that require changes in the basic model of negotiation that you teach? The Program On Negotiation at Harvard Law School invited … Read  

Cultural Conflicts in the Covid-19 Era

Posted June 1st, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

During the Covid-19 pandemic, new types of conflict are arising. People are arguing on Facebook or Twitter about whether stay-at-home orders have gone too far. Protestors—sometimes armed—are showing up at state capitols, demanding the right to move about freely. In your own home, you may be clashing with teens who are trying to assert the … Read  

Causes of Conflict: When Taboos Create Trouble

Posted April 13th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In negotiation, some topics are difficult to even bring up. Such taboo issues can easily become causes of conflict, writes Daniel Shapiro, founder and director of the Harvard International Negotiation Program, in Negotiating the Nonnegotiable: How to Resolve Your Most Emotionally Charged Conflicts (Viking, 2016). Consider these real-life conflict scenarios:

While negotiating an acquisition that would … Read  

Operating Short-Term to Long-Term through the COVID-19 Pandemic: Negotiating a Global Renaissance with Science Diplomacy

Posted April 1st, 2020 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

In case you missed it, Paul Berkman, Professor of Practice in Science Diplomacy and Founding Director of the Science Diplomacy Center at Tufts University, recently gave a Zoom talk about science diplomacy in the age of COVID-19, hosted by the Program on Negotiation (PON). We now are in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic, when … Read  

Check Out Video Highlights from the 2019 Negotiation Pedagogy Conference

Posted February 9th, 2020 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

On November 15th, 2019, the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center (TNRC) hosted a conference on excellence and innovation in negotiation pedagogy. Negotiation and dispute resolution teachers and trainers from around the world came to Cambridge to learn about new approaches and share their experiences. Speakers at the conference spotlighted innovative instructional techniques in many diverse fields of … Read  

Mediation and Conflict Management Seminar: Attend in Person or Online!

Posted January 23rd, 2020 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

The Mediation and Conflict Management Seminar starts Monday January 27 – don’t miss your last chance to register!  The Program on Negotiation (PON) offers a semester-length seminar on mediation and conflict management designed to raise your awareness of your own approach to conflict. Led by David Seibel and Stevenson Carlebach, renowned mediators and dynamic instructors, this … Read  

How to Negotiate in Good Faith

Posted January 6th, 2020 by Katie Shonk & filed under Business Negotiations.

Have you ever negotiated with someone who seemed intent on sabotaging the negotiation or taking unfair advantage? If so, you would benefit from learning more about what it mean to negotiate in good faith. … Read  

Notable Negotiation Books for 2020

Posted December 9th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

If one of your new year’s resolutions is to strengthen your skills needed for negotiation, the following recent negotiation books—and one journal special issue—will help you do just that with their host of perspectives and strategies. These negotiation books will also entertain and educate you along the way with insights on topics such as political … Read  

2019 Negotiation Pedagogy Conference

Posted October 31st, 2019 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Join us in Cambridge on Friday, November 15th, 2019 for a conference on excellence and innovation in teaching negotiation. The Teaching Negotiation Resource Center (TNRC) at the inter-university Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is pleased to announce that the 2019 Negotiation Pedagogy Conference will take place on Friday, November 15th, 2019 at Harvard Law … Read  

Negotiation in the News: Inside the FTC’s battle to show Facebook who’s boss

Posted September 30th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

This July, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), the country’s consumer protection agency, voted to impose a roughly $5 billion fine on Facebook for mishandling its users’ personal data. It was by far the biggest penalty the U.S. government has levied against a technology company. The next- largest—$22 million imposed on Google in 2012—didn’t even … Read  

10 Top Negotiation Examples

Posted September 26th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Here’s a recap of some of the most interesting and challenging negotiation examples, featuring many of the world’s most famous negotiators. … Read  

Conflict and Negotiation Case Study: Long-Term Business Partnerships and Negotiated Agreements

Posted September 26th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

To protect the future interests of their organization, negotiators sometimes must accept fewer benefits or absorb greater burdens in the short run to maximize the value to all relevant parties – including future employees and shareholders – over time. Suppose that the operations VPs of two subsidiaries of an energy company are preparing to negotiate the … Read  

Powerful Conflict Resolution Games to Help You Teach Negotiation

Posted September 19th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

From complicated negotiation strategies to artful subterfuge, conflict resolution games are one of the very best ways to prepare for the challenges of real-world negotiation. Games that employ a Prisoner’s Dilemma structure (where rational parties may not cooperate despite their best interests) enable participants to analyze negotiations, make strategic decisions, and anticipate their counterpart’s next … Read  

Top 10 International Business Negotiation Case Studies

Posted September 10th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Here is a list offering a broad overview of negotiation case studies from the recent past along with analysis of each bargaining scenario: … Read  

Top 10 Dispute Resolution Skills

Posted September 9th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

Too often, dispute resolution can be an acrimonious and unproductive process. The following 10 negotiation and conflict resolution strategies can help you find creative ways to reach mutually satisfactory agreements. … Read  

10 Popular Business Negotiation Articles

Posted August 29th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

Here are ten popular business negotiation articles on the Program on Negotiation website. Drawn from a variety of negotiation case studies as well as negotiation research, the following articles offer strategies for engaging in integrative negotiations aimed at creating win-win scenarios for each party at the negotiation table. 1. What is the Right of First Refusal? Rights … Read  

What is the Multi-Door Courthouse Concept

Posted August 22nd, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

As a collaboration between UST School of Law and the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, the following is the transcript of a conversation between the creator of the multi-door courthouse, Harvard Law Professor Frank E.A. Sander, and the executive director and founder of the University of St. Thomas (UST) International ADR [Alternative Dispute … Read  

When Family Business Disputes Require Conflict Resolution

Posted August 20th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Unfortunately, business disputes—and the need for conflict resolution—can be common when family members do business together. … Read  

Teach Your Students Cross-Cultural Negotiation

Posted August 9th, 2019 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

As our world grows increasingly interconnected, we are more likely to find ourselves negotiating in a cross-cultural context. The diverse makeup of many societies and global nature of business today make cross-cultural negotiation a regular part of life. Also, unfortunately, many major disputes in need of resolution cross ethnic and cultural lines. Furthermore, it is important … Read  

Negotiation Exercises to Help Your Students Avoid Cross-Cultural Pitfalls

Posted June 18th, 2019 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Avoid cross-cultural misunderstandings with these negotiation exercises It’s no secret that communication and negotiation etiquette varies widely across cultures. In France, for example, it is rude to talk money over dinner, while in Brazil the American ‘A-OK’ gesture (thumb and forefinger forming a circle) can be a major insult. The increasingly diverse and global nature of business … Read  

Workable Peace Curriculum Series

Posted June 11th, 2019 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Note: Each of the seven individual Workable Peace Series curriculum units can be purchased separately. Please click on the links below for information about purchasing individual units.  About Workable Peace The Workable Peace curriculum – a conflict resolution program for high school students and young adults – is a product of the Workable Peace Project, directed by … Read  

Conflict Resolution Examples in History: Learning from Nuclear Disarmament

Posted May 27th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

What lessons can we learn from conflict resolution examples in history? The world of nuclear nonproliferation can be a valuable place to start, as few negotiations throughout history have had higher stakes. Conducted amid international conflicts and public scrutiny, complicated by language and cultural barriers, and carried out under tight deadlines, talks aimed at ensuring … Read  

Best-In-Class Negotiation Case Studies You Can Use to Train

Posted May 16th, 2019 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

What’s one of the best ways to teach the art and science of conflict resolution? With negotiation case studies that spark lively discussion or facilitate self-reflection. Based on real-world examples, these teaching resources are designed to help students envision how to apply what they’ve learned in the classroom and beyond. … Read  

Business Negotiation Solutions: To Eat or Not to Eat?

Posted May 6th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Business Negotiations.

We’ve all shared a meal with a negotiating counterpart at one point or another, whether a business lunch, a working dinner, or sandwiches in a conference room. What are the advantages and potential pitfalls of combining food and drink with negotiation? Here, we offer business negotiation solutions for those who are trying to decide whether … Read  

Conflict Resolution Success Stories: A Surprising Tale from Congress

Posted April 29th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Conflict resolution success stories in the news can be few and far between. Too often, when a dispute arises, parties escalate the conflict through hardball tactics in negotiation (threats, lies, and the like) rather than taking steps to address and minimize it. When conflict resolution success stories do appear, we typically fail to absorb their … Read  

Conflict-Solving Strategies: The Value of Taking a Break

Posted April 8th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Business negotiators coping with deeply entrenched conflict often feel defeated and hopeless when conflict-solving strategies fail. However, research from the world of international conflict suggests that taking repeated breaks from conflict can improve the odds of reaching agreement down the road. The research and resulting negotiation strategies may offer new hope to business negotiators. … Read  

Corporate Negotiation Pitfalls: The Case of Facebook

Posted February 25th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Business Negotiations.

In corporate negotiation, negotiators often care most about getting the best price possible, assessing the other party’s ability to follow through, and closing the deal. Unfortunately, such business preoccupations can lead dealmakers to overlook potential ethical concerns, as current negotiations in the news often attest. Examining some of Facebook’s recent corporate negotiation mistakes, we describe … Read  

Conflict Resolution Scenarios: Negotiating Values

Posted February 18th, 2019 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

The most heated types of conflict in organizations and in our personal lives often concern our core values, such as our personal moral standards, our religious and political beliefs, and our family’s welfare. Such values conflicts can escalate and intervening quickly in cases of conflict is essential. The following three conflict resolution scenarios can help … Read  

Teach Coalition Management in Multiparty Negotiations

Posted December 20th, 2018 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Multiparty negotiations can be difficult to manage if you are unprepared for the formation of coalitions. Two-party and multiparty negotiations share some important similarities: the goal of discovering the zone of possible agreement, for example. However, there are some key differences that set them apart. As soon as the number of parties increases past two, … Read  

Try to Avoid the Winners Curse When Negotiating

Posted September 20th, 2018 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In a winner’s curse negotiation scenario, the winner may often find herself on the losing end of the deal. Ever win something you wanted, then realize too late you got a raw deal? Here’s how to recognize when backing away is your best bet in a negotiation. … Read  

Teach Your Students Dispute Resolution for Their Everyday Lives

Posted September 6th, 2018 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Negotiation refers to the process of working out agreements that meet each party’s needs and address their interests. People negotiate all the time in their everyday lives: in the workplace, within families, and when buying goods and services. Knowing which negotiation strategies to use in different circumstances can make a significant difference. The Teaching Negotiation … Read  

Conflict Management: A Creative Approach to Breaking Impasse

Posted July 31st, 2018 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Suppose that you and your negotiating counterpart become deadlocked after exchanging a series of offers and counteroffers. With each of you anchored on very different positions, you can’t seem to find a solution that pleases you both. … Read  

How to Write a Contract that Lasts

Posted July 23rd, 2018 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

Joint ventures, strategic alliances, purchasing agreements, and other types of partnerships between organizations often begin with a great deal of promise—and a hefty amount of risk. Serious misunderstandings and opportunistic behavior are relatively common in such relationships. Formal contracts offer a method for reducing such risk, but negotiators and their attorneys are often unsure about … Read  

Learn from the Best with the Great Negotiator

Posted May 21st, 2018 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

No one can provide perspective on conflict resolution like experts who have been involved in some of the world’s most complex negotiations. Since 2001, the Program on Negotiation (PON) has bestowed the Great Negotiator Award upon distinguished leaders whose lifelong accomplishments in the fields of negotiation and dispute resolution have had compelling and lasting results. The Great … Read  

Family Business Conflict Resolution and Negotiation

Posted May 14th, 2018 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Business transactions between family members and friends can be difficult. Close ties are generally founded on the expectation that we’ll look out for each other’s welfare and not “keep score.” In business relationships, by contrast, we expect to be compensated based on how much effort, time, and money we expend. We’re likely to experience a … Read  

NEW BOOK! Conflict Resolution for Children

Posted March 6th, 2018 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Trouble at the Watering Hole: Teach Your Children About Conflict Resolution With This New Book This fun and educational book from the Teaching Negotiation Resource Center (TNRC) builds a foundation for kids to learn ways to constructively resolve problems and to build strong skills that can be used to resolve conflict for the rest of their … Read  

Conflict Negotiation Strategies for Business Negotiators

Posted February 26th, 2018 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

When closing a deal, new business partners are typically optimistic about the path ahead. But somewhere down the line, conflict is almost inevitable. One party may miss a deadline. The two sides may interpret contract terms differently. Changing economic conditions may make it difficult for one side to uphold its end of the deal. When a … Read  

Women Negotiators Break New Ground

Posted January 18th, 2018 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In many other parts of the world, women face the daunting challenge of winning a place at the negotiating table in the first place. In particular, UN Women, an agency of the United Nations, has noted that women are vastly underrepresented in formal peace negotiations worldwide. … Read  

Negotiating Indigenous Land Rights

Posted October 2nd, 2017 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

Teach Your Students to Address Fundamental Value Differences While Negotiating Indigenous Land Rights Indigenous land rights have been a key aspect of negotiations by private companies and governments around the world. Indigenous land rights are the rights of indigenous peoples to land and natural resources, which they have occupied for hundreds, if not thousands, of years. … Read  

Manage Family Conflict When Business Negotiations Go Bad

Posted September 4th, 2017 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Conventional wisdom warns us against doing business with family members. Negotiations between people linked by close ties can result in hurt feelings, damaged relationships, or simply the nagging feeling that a better deal was within reach. Yet circumstances sometimes require us to negotiate financial matters with a relative. In other situations, someone close to you may … Read  

Real Leaders Negotiate to Meet Their Organization’s Goals

Posted August 7th, 2017 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

Imagine a typical leader, and you might think of someone who is bold, decisive, visionary, assertive, and charismatic. Now think about the kinds of actions that such a leader might regularly engage in. Delegating, making top-down decisions, and otherwise exerting one’s power might immediately come to mind. A behavior that’s not typically at the top of … Read  

Teach Your Students Spoiler Management in Negotiations

Posted August 2nd, 2017 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

What can you do to protect a negotiation from spoilers? The greatest risk to a negotiation can come from parties at the table who are intent on spoiling the agreement. Spoilers are parties in a negotiation who believe that the agreement will threaten their power and interests, and so they spoil the negotiation. Some spoilers have limited … Read  

Peace and Conflict Resolution with Difficult Partners

Posted May 22nd, 2017 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

When peace and conflict resolution are your goals, what should you do when your would-be counterpart doesn’t want to come to the negotiating table? U.S. president Donald Trump faces this question as he tries to determine the right path to take with North Korea. Tensions have ratcheted up lately as concerns mount that North Korea could … Read  

Announcing the 2017 PON Summer Fellows

Posted May 17th, 2017 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

PON offers fellowship grants to students at Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University and other Boston-area schools who are doing internships or undertaking summer research projects in negotiation and dispute resolution in partnership with public, nonprofit or academic organizations. The Summer Fellowship Program’s emphasis is on advancing the links between scholarship and practice in negotiation and … Read  

Difficult Negotiation Going Nowhere? Consider an Apology

Posted April 4th, 2017 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

If you’ve ever offended a fellow negotiator with words or actions, you know how hard it can be to make amends. … Read  

An Alternative to Traditional Dispute Resolution Instruction

Posted January 26th, 2017 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Many negotiation and mediation instructors draw from other disciplines for a range of purposes. Insights from social psychology, for instance, can help students understand, explain, or predict certain interpersonal and inter-group dynamics. Ideas from economics and game theory can shed light on various value-creation principles. … Read  

Types of Power in Negotiation: Using Negotiation Research to Eliminate Gender Difference in Bargaining Scenarios

Posted January 5th, 2017 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Here are four strategies from negotiation research on types of power in negotiation and how to minimize gender differences in bargaining scenarios and in negotiations. … Read  

In Conflict Resolution, Look for Trusted Partners

Posted December 20th, 2016 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

How can you engage in conflict management with someone who doesn’t trust you? Consider bringing in someone the other party does trust to mediate the dispute, as the FBI and the occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon did to promote a peaceful end to their standoff in February 2016. … Read  

How to Deal with a Difficult Mediator

Posted November 1st, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Francesca Gino, Program on Negotiation faculty member and author of the bestselling book, Sidetracked: Why Our Decisions Get Derailed and How We Can Stick to the Plan, tackles this question from a Negotiation Briefings reader concerning how to deal with a mediator that is abrasive, dismissive, or even rude. … Read  

Maintaining Your Power in Negotiations

Posted October 18th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Given the pitfalls of having a position of relative power, what is a powerful negotiator to do? By following these steps, you can keep your edge while encouraging cooperative, rather than competitive, behavior. … Read  

Exploring New Opportunities to Negotiate in Conflict Resolution

Posted August 8th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Many U.S. law schools are in crisis, to hear some tell it. To combat economic downturns, many law firms instituted policies of mass layoffs and pay cuts. Years after the 2008 financial recession, few have recovered. … Read  

PON Remembers Howard Raiffa

Posted July 30th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation would like to honor the memory of beloved colleague Howard Raiffa by highlighting his vast contributions to the field of decision making, negotiation, and dispute resolution. Howard Raiffa was one of the four principal co-founders of the Harvard Kennedy School and the Frank Plumpton Ramsey Professor of Managerial Economics Emeritus, a … Read  

Conflict Resolution Games: Life, Death, and Career Consequences

Posted July 29th, 2016 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

High-Stakes Conflict Resolution Games In Drug Testing in the Workplace—a popular role-play from the TNRC—a truck driver tests positive for marijuana in a random drug test. To play this conflict resolution game, participants assume the roles of truck driver, personnel director, and a representative from the Employee Assistance Program Center, and then explore the question: What is the … Read  

How Your Organization Can Benefit from Mediation Techniques

Posted July 14th, 2016 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

If you manage people, disputes will show up at your door. The marketing VP protests that the budget cap you and your new finance VP proposed is hindering a research initiative you supported. Two young sales representatives are embroiled in a turf war. Your administrative assistant is upset because the HR director won’t approve the … Read  

World in Crisis! One of the Most Immersive and Rewarding Negotiation Games Ever Created

Posted July 8th, 2016 by Lara SanPietro & filed under Uncategorized.

This negotiation simulation comprised “the most intense, challenging and educational days of my life” reported one participant. What sort of experience could possibly elicit such a comment? One of the most immersive and rewarding negotiation games ever developed: a 72-party mega-simulation called the Transition Exercise!

The Transition (Excercise Trailer) from MediaTank on Vimeo. This one-of-a-kind, intensive, multi-party … Read  

Dispute Resolution: Mandatory Arbitration Agreements Under Fire

Posted July 4th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

A shake-up is afoot regarding large companies’ use of mandatory arbitration to settle disputes with consumers. … Read  

The Right Way to Say I’m Sorry

Posted June 17th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

On April 6, former Massey Energy CEO Donald Blankenship was sentenced to a year in prison and a $250,000 fine, the maximum punishment allowed, after receiving a misdemeanor conviction for conspiring to flout mine safety rules. In 2010, 29 Massey miners were killed in the Upper Big Branch coal dust explosion in West Virginia, while … Read  

Conflict Management Training and Negotiation Research: How Nervous Energy Affects Negotiation Scenarios and Attempts at Conflict Resolution

Posted June 13th, 2016 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Negotiation is often characterized as a physiologically arousing event marked by pounding hearts, queasy stomachs, and flushed faces. We might assume that heightened physiological arousal would mar our negotiation performance, but this is only true for some, researchers Ashley D. Brown and Jared R. Curhan of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology found in a new … Read  

Negotiation Research Demonstrates the Impact of Memory on Decision Making Processes in Bargaining Scenarios

Posted June 9th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Recent negotiation research published by Psychological Science from Program on Negotiation faculty member and assistant professor at Harvard University’s Department of Psychology Joshua Greene and his colleague Elinor Amit explores the impact vivid mental imagery has on decision-making processes for negotiators. The negotiation skills insights that can be obtained from such negotiation research are many … Read  

Make the Most of Mediation in Negotiations and Dispute Resolution

Posted June 6th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

What at first seemed like a minor misunderstanding has spiraled out of control. A Chicago-based printing company hired your Chicago-based IT consulting firm to train its staff to use its new computer system. … Read  

Negotiation in the News: In Oregon standoff, allies of occupiers broker a resolution

Posted May 13th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

How can you end a conflict with someone who doesn’t trust you? Consider bringing in someone the other party does trust to mediate the dispute, as the FBI and the occupiers of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon did to promote a peaceful end to their standoff this past February. Strategic patience On January 2, an … Read  

Announcing the 2016 PON Summer Fellows

Posted May 4th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

PON offers fellowship grants to students at Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University and other Boston-area schools who are doing internships or undertaking summer research projects in negotiation and dispute resolution in partnership with public, non-profit or academic organizations. The Summer Fellowship Program’s emphasis is on advancing the links between scholarship and practice in negotiation and … Read  

In Acrimonious Disputes, Conflict Management is Key

Posted April 14th, 2016 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Parties to a business dispute often become so focused on beating the other party that they lose sight of their most important goals. Conflict management efforts can be even more intense and seeming insurmountable between estranged romantic partners with a history of acrimony and distrust. Consider rock star Madonna’s ongoing legal dispute with her ex-husband, film … Read  

For Kesha, Support of Peers Could Bring Settlement Leverage

Posted March 15th, 2016 by Katie Shonk & filed under Uncategorized.

Business negotiators are typically advised to keep their dealmaking and dispute resolution efforts private. Complaining about an adversary’s negotiation and conflict resolution strategies to the press or on social media can escalate disputes and increase the likelihood of impasse. Yet when a negotiation becomes so contentious that it requires formal dispute resolution, such as a lawsuit, … Read  

Negotiation in the News: Arm’s Length Peacemaking

Posted March 15th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

For 70 years, the governments of Japan and South Korea disagreed over what Japan might owe the Korean women its soldiers abused during World War II. The story of how they finally came to agreement reminds us of the importance of including all interested parties in conflict-resolution efforts. An unresolved issue During the war, tens of thousands … Read  

With Patient Approach, FBI Steered Oregon Occupiers Toward Their BATNA

Posted March 10th, 2016 by Katie Shonk & filed under BATNA.

The 41-day armed takeover of the Malheur National Wildlife Refuge in Oregon ended on February 11 when the last occupiers surrendered. Federal authorities in six states also arrested seven others accused of being involved in the occupation, according to the Associated Press. The standoff had begun when Ammon Bundy and his followers took over the … Read  

The Fiscal Cliff and the Debt Ceiling: Program on Negotiation Chair Robert Mnookin Discusses Recent and Future Negotiations Between Congressional Republicans and the White House

Posted January 8th, 2016 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

What methodology was driving the posturing and statements behind congressional Republicans and the Obama administration’s negotiations regarding the debt ceiling and how both sides came together to avoid going off of the “fiscal cliff.” … Read  

Identity, Culture and Conflict Resolution

Posted September 8th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is pleased to host the New England Association for Conflict Resolution 2015 Fall Program: Identity, Culture and Conflict Resolution   Wednesday, October 21, 2015 UPDATED Schedule Registration –  6:30 – 7:15 pm NE-ACR Fall Program – 7:15 pm to 9:20 pm Location:   Austin Hall North, Harvard Law School Free and open to the public.

Pre-registration encouraged, … Read  

Negotiating Skills and Negotiation Tactics: Damage Control in Conflict Resolution

Posted July 20th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Framing in negotiation, and the negotiating skills and negotiation tactics that go behind effective bargaining, can help not only achieve a negotiator’s goals at the bargaining table, but also can anticipate the fallout or kickback received from parties away from the negotiation table. President Obama’s tax-cut negotiations with Senate Republicans in late 2010 offer cautionary … Read  

Announcing the 2015 PON Summer Fellows

Posted May 21st, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

About the PON Summer Fellowship Program: PON offers fellowship grants to students at Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University and other Boston-area schools who are doing internships or undertaking summer research projects in negotiation and dispute resolution in partnership with public, non-profit or academic organizations. The Summer Fellowship Program’s emphasis is on advancing the links between scholarship … Read  

Announcing the 2015-2016 PON Graduate Research Fellows

Posted May 5th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation Graduate Research Fellowships are designed to encourage young scholars from the social sciences and professional disciplines to pursue theoretical, empirical, and/or applied research in negotiation and dispute resolution. Consistent with the PON goal of fostering the development of the next generation of scholars, this program provides support for one year of … Read  

Negotiation Ethics and Lies at the Negotiation Table

Posted April 20th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

Negotiation ethics can be linked to context and environment – as well as to jealousy experienced by negotiating counterparts. The negotiation research of Maurice E. Schweitzer and Simone Moran is discussed. … Read  

Conflict Resolution When Dealing with Difficult People: Shutting Down the Government and Negotiation Strategies

Posted April 15th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Program on Negotiation faculty discuss the negotiation strategies used by US President Barack Obama and Congressional Republicans negotiating the end of the shutdown of the United States government. … Read  

New Perspectives on Large-Scale Systems Change

Posted April 8th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is pleased to present New Perspectives on Large-Scale Systems Change with 

Joel Cutcher-Gershenfeld Professor, School of Labor and Employment Relations (LER) at the University of Illinois Thursday, April 23 12:15 – 1:30 pm Wasserstein Hall Room B010 (Basement level) Harvard Law School   About the talk: Broad societal challenges, such as global climate change, industrial revitalization, and personalized medicine … Read  

What Does Conflict Management Mean in Business Negotiations with Competitors?

Posted March 30th, 2015 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

They say it pays to keep your friends close and your enemies closer, but in business negotiation, keeping your enemies—or competitors—close could end you up in court, as Apple’s recent encounter with the U.S. Department of Justice suggests. The story begins back in 2007 when, unhappy with Amazon’s low, flat price of $9.99 for e-books, five … Read  

“Making Conflict Work”: A Book Talk with Dr. Peter Coleman

Posted March 30th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is pleased to present: Making Conflict Work: Harnessing the Power of Disagreement with Dr. Peter Coleman  

Thursday, April 9 12:00 – 1:15 PM Hauser 102 Harvard Law School Campus Free and open to the public.   About the book: Work conflict is risky. It can go bad and poison employee health, work relationships and organizational climates, or … Read  

Israeli-Palestinian Process After the Israeli Election: Recalculating the Route

Posted March 20th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiationat Harvard Law School is pleased to present Israeli-Palestinian Process After the Israeli Election: Recalculating the Route with Attorney Gilead Sher Head of the Center for Applied Negotiations (CAN) Senior Research Fellow, Institute for National Security Studies at Tel Aviv University

Moderated by Professor Robert H. Mnookin Samuel Williston Professor of Law Chair, Program on Negotiation Harvard Law School   Monday, March 30 4:00 pm Austin West 111 Harvard Law … Read  

Reflections of a Mediator: Preventive Diplomacy in an Age of Conflict

Posted March 10th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is pleased to present: Reflections of a Mediator: Preventive Diplomacy in an Age of Conflict with

Dr. Johnston Barkat Assistant Secretary-General United Nations Ombudsman and Mediation Services  

Tuesday, April 7, 2015 12:15 – 1:30PM Pound Hall 100 Harvard Law School campus Free and open to the public.  A non-pizza lunch will be provided.   About the Speaker: Dr. Johnston Barkat is the Assistant Secretary-General heading … Read  

Student Opportunity: Harvard International Negotiation Crisis Simulation

Posted March 10th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, the Gleitsman Program for Leadership on Social Change at the Center for Public Leadership, the Harvard Kennedy School Negotiation Project, and the Belfer Center’s Future of Diplomacy Project are pleased to announce: Registration Is Now Open for the 1st Annual Harvard International Negotiation Crisis Simulation

  Application: Undergraduates, graduates, and PhD students from … Read  

50th Anniversary of A Behavioral Theory of Labor Negotiations

Posted March 3rd, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School invites you to join us for A 50th Anniversary Celebration of A Behavioral Theory of Labor Negotiations with Robert B. McKersie and Richard E. Walton  A live webcast of this event will be available for viewing at  http://media.fas.harvard.edu/core/live/hls-live.html

Thursday, March 5, 2015 12:00 p.m. Registration opens 1:00  – 5:30 p.m. Program 5:30-6:30 p.m. Reception Wasserstein … Read  

Conflict Resolution: To Avoid Destructive Competition, Take the Pledge

Posted February 26th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Cooperative negotiators know that more value can be had at the bargaining table if they take an integrative bargaining approach to negotiations. Read here to find out how much value negotiators can create by cooperating with counterparts. … Read  

Conflict Management in Negotiation: Training with the Enemy

Posted February 13th, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Negotiation skills tips to help create value during your next session at the bargaining table. Read how collaboration and competition can lead to value creation in business negotiations. … Read  

In “Chinatown” Conflict Resolution, the Dust Clears

Posted February 10th, 2015 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Using conflict resolution techniques, the city of Los Angeles recently achieved an impressive victory by ending a 100-year battle with California’s Owens Valley over water rights and air pollution. The dispute dates back to the early 1900s, when agents working for the city of Los Angeles, posing as farmers and ranchers, bought up most of the … Read  

For Conflict Resolution in Asia, A Simple Handshake Could Go Far

Posted February 7th, 2015 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

When disputes arise between international negotiators, sometimes a simple gesture of reciprocity can turn a boiling conflict into an amicable resolution. In this article the Program on Negotiation explores how a “simple handshake” between the leaders of Japan and the People’s Republic of China helped ease long-held tensions between the two countries. … Read  

Responding to the Conflict in Syria: An Insider’s Perspective

Posted January 21st, 2015 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and the Herbert C. Kelman Seminar on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution are pleased to co-present: Responding to the Conflict in Syria: An Insider’s Perspective

with Dr. Amro Taleb

Wednesday, January 28 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Wasserstein Hall Room B10 (Basement Level) Harvard Law School campus About the Speaker: Dr. Amro Taleb is a Syrian and Canadian citizen … Read  

At the Office, Conflict Management is Key

Posted July 30th, 2014 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

In the workplace, misunderstandings, power struggles, and stress can cause conflict to fester and take a toll on productivity. The best organizations put in place conflict management processes and systems to confront conflict directly. Unfortunately, too many organizations fail to do so—and suffer the consequences of sweeping conflict under the rug. Take the case of Paradigm … Read  

In Conflict Resolution, Fairness Concerns Loom Large

Posted July 16th, 2014 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

On June 30, compensation expert Kenneth R. Feinberg unveiled a plan to give restitution to victims of accidents related to the fatal ignition flaw in 2.6 million General Motors vehicles. The plan—designed to be as generous as other compensation plans Feinberg has overseen, including payouts to victims of the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings—is part of … Read  

When Conflict Doesn’t Require Conflict Resolution

Posted May 28th, 2014 by Katie Shonk & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Most of us dread conflict and the need to engage in conflict resolution. Yet we may be reaping benefits from certain forms of conflict on the job, according to a new study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology. Researchers Gergana Todorova (the University of Miami), Julia B. Bear (Stony Brook University), and Laurie R. Weingart … Read  

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School: Three Decades of Scholarship and Practice

Posted July 24th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Founded in 1983, the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is a pioneer in the fields of negotiation, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution. In commemoration of the program’s 30th anniversary this year, the Program on Negotiation is proud to present a video describing many of PON’s various educational and research activities. According to Chair Robert Mnookin, … Read  

PON Podcast: My Neighbourhood with Julia Bacha, Just Vision

Posted March 8th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School held a panel discussion following a screening of My Neighborhood, a Just Vision documentary. The podcast is now available. … Read  

The Program on Negotiation to screen Roger Fisher’s The Advocates

Posted February 14th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The Program on Negotiation will present an episode of The Advocates, an award winning television show created in 1969 by the late Roger Fisher. … Read  

Israeli Settlement Withdrawal: Negotiation lessons from the past, and planning for the future

Posted February 8th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

This presentation by Karen Lee Bar-Sinai and Prof. Robert Mnookin is the fourth seminar exploring the role of urban planning in negotiation, co-sponsored by the Middle East Negotiation Initiative (MENI) at the Program on Negotiation and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. … Read  

PON Film Series Event: My Neighbourhood Screening with Julia Bacha, Just Vision

Posted January 18th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School and the Middle East Initiative at the Harvard Kennedy School are pleased to present a screening of “My Neighborhood,” a new Just Vision documentary. A panel discussion will be held after the screening with Julia Bacha, director/producer of My Neighbourhood. … Read  

PON co-sponsors negotiation skills training for Israeli and Palestinian students

Posted January 9th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Thanks to leadership from the Middle East Negotiation Initiative (MENI) of the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School, a series of negotiation skills trainings was recently provided to eleventh grade students from Jewish and Arab schools in Israel.  These two-day workshops, co-sponsored by the Program on Negotiation and the Amal Network and funded by … Read  

The Role of Designers in Negotiating Israeli-Palestinian Borders

Posted January 9th, 2013 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

This presentation by Karen Lee Bar-Sinai and Prof. Robert Mnookin is the third of four seminars exploring the role of urban planning in negotiation, co-sponsored by the Middle East Negotiation Initiative (MENI) at the Program on Negotiation and the Harvard Graduate School of Design. … Read  

Unilateral Initiatives in the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict

Posted November 15th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Yaakov Katz, a correspondent for The Jerusalem Post and Jane’s Defence Weekly, and Prof. Robert Mnookin, the Samuel Williston Professor of Law at Harvard Law School, will discuss Unilateral Initiatives in the Israeli/Palestinian Conflict. … Read  

The Role of Urban Planners in Negotiations: Case Study of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations

Posted November 13th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

Can urban planning tools help negotiators develop creative solutions to complex disputes?  Karen Lee Bar-Sinai, Loeb Fellow at Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD), recently explored this topic in a talk entitled “The Role of Urban Planners in Negotiations: Case Study of Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations.” The first in a series of seminars co-sponsored by the Middle … Read  

Thirteen Days in the Age of Nuclear Threat: Negotiation Lessons for Peaceful Coexistence

Posted October 19th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In recognition of the 50th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, PON is pleased to present Thirteen Days in the Age of Nuclear Threat: Negotiation Lessons for Peaceful Coexistence with Bruce Allyn Author and Practitioner in the field of Conflict Resolution and Alain Lempereur Professor of Coexistence and Conflict Resolution at Brandeis University Thursday, October 25, 2012 5:30 pm Langdell North, Room 225 Harvard Law School campus About … Read  

Robert Mnookin Honored by International Academy of Mediators with Lifetime Achievement Award

Posted October 17th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Program on Negotiation Chair Robert Mnookin was honored by the International Academy of Mediators with a lifetime achievement award during the organization’s fall 2012 conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts. … Read  

The Program on Negotiation Mourns the Loss of Co-Founder Roger Fisher

Posted October 12th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

Roger Fisher, co-founder of the Program on Negotiation and the Harvard Negotiation Project, died on August 25 at age 90. A true pioneer and leader, he helped launch a new way of thinking about negotiation, and he worked tirelessly to help people deal productively with conflict. “Through his writing and teaching, Roger Fisher’s seminal contributions literally … Read  

A Common Ground Approach to Societal Conflict Resolution

Posted October 3rd, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The Program on Negotiation is pleased to present:

A Common Ground Approach to Societal Conflict Resolution with

John Marks President and Founder of Search for Common Ground and

Susan Collin Marks Senior Vice President of Search for Common Ground Monday, October 15th, 2012 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. Wasserstein 2004 Harvard Law School Campus Please bring your own lunch; soft drinks and cookies will be served About … Read  

2012 Program on Negotiation Fall Open House

Posted October 1st, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Interested in negotiation and conflict resolution? Come to the Program on Negotiation Open House!   The open house will begin at 6:30pm on Wednesday, October 3rd in Milstein East B in the new Wasserstein building, on the Harvard Law School campus. Meet students and faculty interested in Alternative Dispute Resolution and learn how to get involved. Students from the … Read  

A Peacekeeper Abandons Negotiations in Syria

Posted September 4th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

On August 2, Kofi Annan announced he was resigning as the special peace envoy of the United Nations and the Arab League. reports Rick Gladstone in the New York Times. Since February, the former Nobel Peace Prize winner and former U.N. Secretary General has attempted to negotiate a resolution of the Syrian conflict. The peaceful … Read  

The Five Percent: Finding Solutions to Seemingly Impossible Conflicts

Posted April 11th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

“The Five Percent: Finding Solutions to Seemingly Impossible Conflicts” with Dr. Peter T. Coleman Director of the International Center for Cooperation and Conflict Resolution and Professor of Psychology and Education at Columbia University   When: Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Time: 12 – 1 p.m.

Where: Wasserstein Hall, Room B10, Harvard Law School Campus Please bring your lunch. Drinks and desserts provided. One … Read  

2012 Great Negotiator Award event will honor former Secretary of State James A. Baker, III on March 29th

Posted March 29th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

The Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School and the Future of Diplomacy Project at Harvard Kennedy School (HKS) will jointly honor former U.S. Secretary of State James A. Baker, III with the 2012 Great Negotiator Award on Thursday, March 29, 2012, at the Ames Courtroom, Austin Hall, Harvard Law School. The Great Negotiator Award … Read  

The Secret Talks That Led to the Fall of Apartheid

Posted February 23rd, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

“The Secret Talks That Led to the Fall of Apartheid”

with Michael Young

Date: Tuesday, March 6, 2012 Time: 7:30 – 9 PM

Where: Langdell North, Harvard Law School

Event is free and open to the public; Refreshments will be served Co-sponsored by: Harvard Negotiation & Mediation Clinical Program, Program on Negotiation, Harvard Mediation Program, Harvard Negotiation Law Review, and Harvard … Read  

PON faculty member leads Water Diplomacy Workshop

Posted February 15th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

This summer, senior Arab and Israeli water negotiators and policymakers will convene in Cambridge, Massachusetts, along with individuals from more than 15 other countries to participate in the Water Diplomacy Workshop (www.waterdiplomacy.org) — a highly interactive, train-the-trainer program designed to help senior water managers improve their capacity to resolve complex water disputes.  The initiative is … Read  

Video: Professor Robert Mnookin leads negotiation skills training for Jewish and Arab students in Israel

Posted January 30th, 2012 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In this video, Professor Robert H. Mnookin, Chair of the Program on Negotiation, reflects on his experience leading a negotiation workshop for high school students in Israel. The key negotiation skills emphasized in the workshop were active listening and the ability to understand the perspective of the other side. As Professor Mnookin states … Read  

Video: Moving beyond barriers with Eileen Babbitt

Posted December 21st, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

In this video, Eileen Babbitt, Director of the International Negotiation and Conflict Resolution Program at Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, outlines three types of obstacles that generate barriers in negotiations, and how to move beyond them. This video includes excerpts from a session taught by Dr. Babbitt at the Program on Negotiation for Senior … Read  

Beyond diplomacy: Embedding peace and conflict transformation processes in Nepal and Lebanon

Posted November 2nd, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

“Beyond diplomacy:  Embedding peace and conflict transformation processes in Nepal and Lebanon”

 with Jeff Seul Chairman, Peace Appeal Foundation and

Martin Wahlisch International Lawyer and Researcher, Common Space Initiative (Beirut)    Date: November 8, 2011 Time: 4:00-6:00 PM Where: Weatherhead Center for International Affairs 1737 Cambridge Street, Room K-354, Cambridge MA Contact Chair: Donna Hicks (). Speaker Bios Jeff Seul, Chairman of the Peace Appeal Foundation, is a partner in … Read  

Dealing with emotions during tough economic times

Posted October 27th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

A major measure of the economy is the prevailing mood. A bleak job market and less-than-rosy economic outlook influence how we feel in an organization. Tighter budgets and increased layoffs are causes for concern, and many of us respond with “fight or flight” behavior.  We defend our turf or avoid tense conversations in the hopes … Read  

2011 Program on Negotiation Fall Open House

Posted September 16th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Interested in negotiation and conflict resolution? Come to the Program on Negotiation Open House!   The open house will begin at 6:30pm on Monday, October 3rd in the PON Library, Pound 513, Harvard Law School. Meet students and faculty interested in Alternative Dispute Resolution and learn how to get involved. Students from the Boston area and beyond are welcome … Read  

Announcing the 2011 PON Summer Fellows

Posted June 14th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

About the PON Summer Fellowship Program: PON offers fellowship grants to students at Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University and other Boston-area schools who are doing internships or undertaking summer research projects in negotiation and dispute resolution in partnership with public, non-profit or academic organizations. The Summer Fellowship Program’s emphasis is on advancing the links between … Read  

Video: PON-sponsored negotiation workshop engages Jewish and Arab students in Tel Aviv

Posted June 6th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

In March 2011, Professor James Sebenius, Professor of Business Administration at the Harvard Business School, led a negotiation workshop for Jewish and Arab high school students in Tel Aviv, as part of a pilot program co-sponsored by the Program on Negotiation, with support from the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. This innovative program offered three … Read  

Video: Arab and Jewish high school students learn negotiation skills with PON

Posted May 25th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Dr. Shula Gilad, Senior Fellow at the Program on Negotiation, recently helped launch an innovative new program for high school students in Israel.  With support from the Office of Public Affairs of the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, the Program on Negotiation co-sponsored three two-day workshops, which brought together a total of 180 Arab and … Read  

Announcing the 2011-2012 PON Graduate Research Fellows

Posted May 20th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation Graduate Research Fellowships are designed to encourage young scholars from the social sciences and professional disciplines to pursue theoretical, empirical, and/or applied research in negotiation and dispute resolution. Consistent with the PON goal of fostering the development of the next generation of scholars, this program provides support for one year of … Read  

Exhaust the Limits: The Life and Times of a Global Peacemaker

Posted May 16th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Exhaust the Limits: The Life and Times of a Global Peacemaker

with Charles F. “Chic” Dambach President & CEO, Alliance for Peacebuilding

Date: May 16, 2011

Time: 12:00PM to 1:30PM Where: Hauser Hall, Room 102, Harvard Law School Campus Chic Dambach will discuss his new memoir, Exhaust the Limits: The Life and Times of a Global … Read  

Budrus

Posted March 29th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Ayed Morrar, an unlikely community organizer, unites Palestinians from all political factions and Israelis to save his village from destruction by Israel’s Separation Barrier. Victory seems improbable until his 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, launches a women’s contingent that quickly moves to the front lines. Struggling side by side, father and daughter unleash an inspiring, yet little-known movement … Read  

Knocking

Posted February 28th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

At first glance, Knocking is about Jehovah’s Witnesses, the door-to-door proselytizers we like to hide from. But there’s a bigger story as the film asks whether they are a necessary annoyance in a free society. What if you wanted to speak, publish, worship or live as you choose but belonged to the marginalized group of … Read  

Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood – Obstacles to Peace in the Middle East or Opportunities?

Posted February 12th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

“Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood- Obstacles to Peace in the Middle East or Opportunities?” with

Robert Pastor Date: February 15, 2011

Time: 12:00PM to 1:30PM Where: Pound Hall, Room 202, Harvard Law School Campus The foreign policy of the United States and its allies have been based on the premise that all three organizations are immutable threats to … Read  

Save the Dates: Announcing the PON Spring 2011 Events Calendar

Posted January 24th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation Spring 2011 Events Calendar: February 1: Herbert C. Kelman Seminar on International Conflict Analysis and Resolution, Negotiation, Conflict and the News Media: Cambodia, Kevin Doyle and Steve Marks, 4:00pm-6:00pm

February 15: Brown Bag Lunch Series: Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Muslim Brotherhood – Obstacles to Peace in the … Read  

Prof Mandell Featured on Kennedy School Website

Posted January 14th, 2011 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

PON affiliated professor Brian Mandell was interviewed for an article on the Harvard Kennedy School homepage today discussing his intersession course, Advanced Workshop in Multiparty Negotiation and Conflict Resolution. Click here to read the full article. “The class — of which the objective is to develop the next generation of master negotiators — is structured so … Read  

Robert Bordone and HNMCP featured in the HLS Bulletin

Posted November 30th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Uncategorized.

“Uncommon Loss: Common Bond,” published in the Harvard Law School Bulletin discusses Project Common Bond, which was started by two former Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program students working with Professor Robert Bordone and clinic associate, Toby Berkman. “For teens… from around the globe with family members killed or seriously injured in acts of violence, … Read  

The Big Question

Posted November 7th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

A troubled man bursts into your child’s schoolhouse. Without warning, he chases out all the boys and lines the girls up. Then he begins to shoot them one by one. For decades your people’s backs have been broken by the oppressive yoke of Apartheid. Suddenly, the tables are turned and you and your friends are … Read  

“Can Ethnic Divisions be Healed for the Good of all Kenyans?”

Posted October 11th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

“Can Ethnic Divisions be Healed for the Good of all Kenyans?”

with Robert Rotberg and Gwen Thompkins

Date: October 19, 2010

Time: 4-6 PM Where: CGIS Building, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, 1737 Cambridge Street, Room N-262, Cambridge MA Contact Chair: Donna Hicks (). Speaker Bios

Robert Rotberg is Director, Program on Intrastate Conflict and Conflict Resolution, Belfer Center for Science and … Read  

Program on Negotiation Summer Fellows Lunch

Posted October 11th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

PON Summer Fellows Lunch Join the Program on Negotiation for a discussion with our 2010 Summer Fellows about their work over the summer. This is an excellent opportunity to learn about ongoing work in the negotiation and conflict resolution fields both domestically and abroad. Information about our Summer Fellowship program will … Read  

PON Founders Video

Posted October 10th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The founders of the Program on Negotiation describe the early days of the field of negotiation and conflict resolution, when scholars in law, business, psychology, anthropology, economics, and public policy came together to share insights on how to help people deal with conflict, solve problems, make deals, and preserve relationships.

To see more PON videos, click … Read  

Former President Martti Ahtisaari honored with Great Negotiator Award!

Posted September 23rd, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School Will Honor Former President of Finland Martti Ahtisaari with the 2010 Great Negotiator Award Co-sponsored with the Future of Diplomacy Project at the Harvard Kennedy School, the Great Negotiator Event Offers Real-World Negotiation Discussion to All Students For Immediate Release CAMBRIDGE, MA (September 21,  2010) The Program on Negotiation … Read  

Multiparty Negotiation wins IACM Outstanding Book Award

Posted June 29th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution, Daily.

Multiparty Negotiation by Lawrence Susskind and Larry Crump (2008) won the International Association for Conflict Management’s 2008-2009 Outstanding Book Award at the 23rd annual IACM Conference last week. The IACM committee stated that: – This book is one of the most ambitious set of readings in recent memory, along side the Druckman and Diehl volumes on Conflict … Read  

Reconciling differences for a joint venture

Posted June 11th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations.

The PON Clearinghouse offers hundreds of role simulations, from two-party, single-issue negotiations to complex multi-party exercises.The following role simulation is a two-party, four-issue negotiation between representatives of two companies with different national and corporate cultures regarding a possible joint venture. Scenario: MedDevice, a U.S.-based Fortune 500 company that manufactures high technology medical equipment, and Lee Medical … Read  

Occupational safety

Posted June 10th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The PON Clearinghouse offers hundreds of role simulations, from two-party, single-issue negotiations to complex multi-party exercises. The following role simulation is a six-person integrative negotiation among representatives of a manufacturing company, an occupational safety agency, a union, a local fire department, and a local technical expert to settle claims of safety violations … Read  

The beginning of organized labor

Posted June 9th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Clearinghouse at PON offers hundreds of role simulations, from two-party, single-issue negotiations to complex multi-party exercises. The Pullman Strike Role Play is a simulation from the Workable Peace Curriculum Series unit on the rise of organized labor in the United States. This role play is set in the town of Pullman, Illinois, outside of Chicago, … Read  

Announcing the 2010 PON Summer Fellows

Posted June 7th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

About the PON Summer Fellowship Program: PON offers fellowship grants to students at Harvard University, MIT, Tufts University and other Boston-area schools who are doing internships or undertaking summer research projects in negotiation and dispute resolution in partnership with public, non-profit or academic organizations. The Summer Fellowship Program’s emphasis is on advancing the links between … Read  

Announcing the 2010-2011 PON Graduate Research Fellows

Posted May 28th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The Program on Negotiation Graduate Research Fellowships are designed to encourage young scholars from the social sciences and professional disciplines to pursue theoretical, empirical, and/or applied research in negotiation and dispute resolution. Consistent with the PON goal of fostering the development of the next generation of scholars, this program provides support for one year of … Read  

What should journalists and conflict management professionals learn from each other?

Posted May 12th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

“In the Global Village, Can War Survive?” by Program on Negotiation managing director Susan G. Hackley looks at the work of journalists and conflict management professionals, two groups who operate in the demanding world of conflict, and suggests ways they could – and should – learn from each other. “Conflict management professionals should tell their … Read  

Negotiate! Radio

Posted March 11th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Robert H. Mnookin, author of Bargaining with the Devil:  When to Negotiate, When to Fight, will be interviewed on March 17th, 2010 on Negotiate! Radio.  Negotiate! Radio is a nonprofit community service initiative. Its objectives are to collect and diffuse information on negotiation, mediation, and alternative dispute resolution (ADR), both in theory and by analyzing … Read  

Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Federal Government: What’s up at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and elsewhere?

Posted February 24th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

The PON Dispute Resolution Forum and the Harvard Negotiation and Mediation Clinical Program Present: Alternative Dispute Resolution in the Federal Government: What’s up at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and elsewhere? with Deborah Osborne, Group Manager, Dispute Resolution Service, Federal Energy Regulatory Commission

Thursday, March 4, 2010 8:00AM Breakfast 8:30AM Talk Pound Hall, Room 335, Harvard Law School Campus How are ADR principles applied … Read  

Peacebuilders in Action – Search for Common Ground

Posted February 16th, 2010 by PON Staff & filed under Business Negotiations, Daily.

The PON Brown Bag Lunch Series Presents:

Peacebuilders in Action – Search for Common Ground

photo courtesy of www.sfcg.org with Susan Collin Marks Senior Vice President, Search for Common Ground Wednesday, February 24, 2010 12:00-1:00 PM Hauser Hall, Room102, Harvard Law School Campus Bring your lunch. Drinks and dessert will be served.

Speaker Bio Susan Collin Marks is senior vice president of … Read  

The Role of Track I actors in Reconciliation: The UN in Iraq

Posted November 20th, 2009 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution, Daily.

“The Role of Track I actors in Reconciliation: The UN in Iraq”

with Eileen Babbitt

Date: December 8, 2009 Time: 4-6 PM Where: CGIS Building, Weatherhead Center for International Affairs, 1737 Cambridge Street, Second Floor, N-262 (Bowie Vernon Room), Cambridge MA Contact Chair: Donna Hicks (). Speaker Bio Eileen F. Babbitt is Professor of International Conflict Management Practice and Director of the International Negotiation … Read  

Boston Globe highlights mediation trainings for Iraqis

Posted November 9th, 2009 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

“The Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School is a renowned source of expertise in the field,” reported the Boston Globe today in its story, “Iraq latest crucible for Harvard mediation.” Reporting on the work done by conflict resolution professionals at Conflict Management Group in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the report notes that “The blood not spilled … Read  

2009 Program on Negotiation Fall Open House

Posted September 15th, 2009 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Interested in negotiation and conflict resolution? Come to the Program on Negotiation Open House!

The open house will begin at 6:30pm on Tuesday, September 29th in the PON Library, Pound 513, Harvard Law School. Meet students and faculty interested in Alternative Dispute Resolution and learn how to get involved. Students from the Boston area and beyond are welcome … Read  

Mediation Pedagogy Conference

Posted May 7th, 2009 by PON Staff & filed under Daily.

Registration is now closed for the NP@PON Mediation Pedagogy Conference. Professors Lawrence Susskind (MIT) and Michael Wheeler (Harvard Business School) are pleased to announce a Mediation Pedagogy Conference to be held by Negotiation Pedagogy at the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School (NP@PON). This two-day Conference will be held Friday, May 15 and Saturday, May … Read  

The Post-Election Message to the World: What’s the New Agenda?

Posted November 18th, 2008 by PON Staff & filed under Conflict Resolution.

A discussion with: Ambassador Nicholas Burns: Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy and International Politics at Harvard’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. He served in the United States Foreign Service for twenty seven years until his retirement in April 2008. He was Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs from 2005-2008, the nation’s highest ranking … Read