Negotiating Ethics

Some people believe that it is essential to behave ethically when negotiating; I am apart of this belief. I believe that negotiating ethically will make things easier. It will make the process a win – win for both parties. If both parties are being ethical and honest when negotiating the buyer will be satisfied and the seller will as well. The truth of the matter is no one really expects their opponent to be honest .That being said, no one really goes in a negotiating situating expecting to be ethical. Everyone goes in to this situation with guards up and tactics ready. Although I believe that ethics should be essential when negotiating, I also go in expectant of the opposite. I would love to negotiate with ethics and be honest and fair, but the majority of people are not willing to take this approach so I do not either in most cases.It is hard to be ethical and honest when it comes to negotiating. Not everyone shares the same opinion and views about this issue. Some people fe el as though there is no such thing as ethics in negotiating. These type of people go by the motto â€Å"let the best man win†. With the knowledge that not everyone feels the same, no one really negotiates ethically. The person who decides to be ethical will lose against the person who is not being ethical. If they negotiated against each other, the non ethical person will be sly and slick and do whatever possible to persuade a win. The ethical person will try negotiating with honesty and integrity but if he does not get on the same level as the other party, he will come out unsatisfied. When negotiating, it is important for both parties to be on the same page. Before you go into a situation of bargaining it would be smart to know who you are negotiating against. Knowing the tactics and style of your opponent will give you a leg up. Investigating the style of negotiating your opponent exudes will let you know what tactics to use. If your opponent is interested in ethical negotiating, you should be also. On the other hand, if your opponent is unethical then you should switch up your methods and play their game. Everybody wants to win and come out happy when negotiating. This is not impossible to achieve by any means. If everyone negotiated with ethics then it would be easy but as long as the negotiators are on the same page, a great conclusion should be met.I think that many things have changed with the times. I can imagine that back in the day things were a lot different. I can envision businessmen negotiating ethically. I can imagine businessmen negotiating a conclu sion that both parties would be happy with. I imagine those shaking hands and making a great deal and win – win situation. The times of using ethics and honesty are far and few between so to speak. With new tactics and new expressions, people are in it to win it. In these times, instead of looking out for your neighbor, you look out for yourself. With that being said, when negotiating now days, it is definitely a game of winner takes all, or may the best man win. Even though I believe that negotiating with ethics is the best way to go, there may be some situations that warrant the opposite of my beliefs. There is always an exception to the rule. Aside from being on the same page of your opponent, there may be situations that call for an aggressive manner in negotiating. If a professional is negotiating a law or against a law or the state, when a position of disparity or other unfair circumstances are prevalent, I think that negotiating ethically should be out the window. When it is a situation where there is an unfair position or an unfair advantage on an opposing side than the under dog should negotiate using no holds barred. The negotiating arty in this type of situation should go all in and try their hardest to win as much as possible. These type of extreme situations are the only ones I think that being ethical is not relevant. The fact of the matter is, different people have different views when it comes to negotiating. Some do believe in being ethical and they hold to that standard when practicing the art of negotiating. Others are on the opposite side of the scope, and they believe that the best negotiator should take it home. When negotiating, whether ethically or not, you should always play to your opponent’s standard. I think that in it self is being ethical. If your opponent is someone who is doing things honestly and ethically, then you should return the courtesy and do the same. On the other hand, if you are dealing with someone who is in it to win it, you should play their game and try to be in it to win it as well.