Salon.com: Does the word "influence" make you clench a little? Does the concept of "negotiation" give you anxiety? It shouldn't. As author and assistant professor at Yale Zoe Chance explains it, we've been influencing and negotiating all our lives. Negotiation in everyday life isn't like a tense Hollywood drama, with clocks running down and people pounding their fists on desks. It's just... communication. And better communication makes life better for everybody, whether we're trying to change the world or just change our jobs.
6 comments:
I understand the reasons shown in this article and I understand why they make people nervous in circumstances where they must negotiate for the betterment of their lives, their jobs, or their families or livelihoods. However, I believe that the root cause of all this uncomfortability is in the power dynamics displayed between negotiators especially in the workplace or a place of learning. There are tangible consequences for the person in less power like grades, expulsion, firing, or demotion. I for one feel this nervousness when I must disagree with a teacher or advocate for myself in front of them. They hold such absolute power over me, especially since I’m learning from industry professionals that I don’t really have a choice of whether or not to step lightly around them. Thus I hope the inclusion of this article in the newsquiz line up is a sign that you all recognize it.
I really liked the point made that more women than men hate negotiating. As soon as I read the article title my first thought was, “well yeah I can’t negotiate with a man as a woman it just won’t work” which made me hesitant to read this article. This data shows how many women fear being called bitchy, bossy, annoying simply because they are asking for better pay, more sick leave, etc. Negotiation has been something that has heavily been on my mind because of having to go back and forth with financial aid offices to try and get more money so I can pay this school to write comments like this. This article certainly has some good points. Making myself realize that some of my negotiations have gone well and I’m more scared of it than it is of me. I would love to be able to practice negotiation so that I can get better at it. It is becoming quickly apparent that negotiation is a skill that is crucial in this industry.
Unfortunately, in theatre, I think negotiating is a big part of the industry and the work you will have to do. Every artist works in the best interest of their job. However, there are restraints that will make this not possible for everyone. Things like time, budget, and people will make some design or production concepts impossible to execute, without negotiating ways to compromise on a solution. I think it is very interesting that women dislike negotiating more than men. I would attribute this to how women have been trained to view themselves and their roles as people in society by society. Women are taught to be submissive and quiet, to give up their lives and things for the better of others. Women who stand up for themselves are often labeled as bossy or annoying. When negotiating, it is important for women to understand these preconceived notations, and understand that they are not real. Women should stand up for themselves in these conversations, as it is in the best interest of themselves as artists and the production's quality.
21. I think from the lens of a designer this article is very important. You can not be afraid to negotiate. Negotiations happen at so many levels in the theatre. Negotiations happen between designers and designers, designers and directors, etc. Being able to negotiate is part of being a designer. The trick is figuring out what is taken and given to meet a middle ground that is practical, best for the whole of the production, and still communicates your vision. Of course the aspect of gender included in this article and the fact that men fear negotiation more than men, is very prevalent in our industry. It is unfair that women are questioned or feel more likely to be questioned and feel as though they will lose more in a negotiation that the person above them in power. In theatre, of course there are power dynamics, but at the end of the day it is more of a collaboration, and I really hope that I never feel uncomfortable negotiating because it truly is part of the artistic process in theatre to get all of the moving parts together.
I found this article to be interesting because it highlights something that we experience either knowingly or subconsciously in our day to day lives. As mentioned by Zoe Chance, we negotiate often, yet when asked about formal negotiations, we admit it is nerve wracking or not enjoyable. She then breaks what a negotiation is down which is what really struck me because I often tend to approach situations like that as well. What stood out to me the most was the fact that a negotiation is simply the fact that “there is a lot of space between yes and no". This mindset applies to our society today because we often go into a situation assuming how the other person will respond when, there is no reason to get worked up over something that you don’t know in the first place. Another concept this article allowed me to realize is that we often forget to ask the question we want to ask. In some cases, tip toeing around the question before asking it is a sign of patience and respect, but in others, the person wants you to get to the point. This also plays into the societal tendency to assume other people can read one’s mind.
This article was extremely helpful in contextualizing negotiations in terms of everyday conversations and activities. I, like many others, experience a great deal of anxiety at the idea of having to negotiate with someone else who I might think won't go for my idea or request, but realizing that this process is something we do constantly, even in low-stakes environments really helps to calm that worry. However, I can also see that not all negotiations are as simple as Chance describes here, especially when you're dealing with power dynamics or individuals who aren't approaching those negotiations with the same open-mindedness that she is promoting. This is especially true when it comes to her idea behind being able to say no. Quite frankly, some people just won't accept no, even with proper reasoning. This goes double for people who leverage their position to create a power dynamic over you, and in especially toxic work environments, even the slightest perceived slight towards such a person can doom your position and status there. Knowing that, I would say my biggest takeaway from this isn't necessarily how to approach every negotiation, but instead on the environment I would want to create in the workplace when I'm in the position to establish that relationship.
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