Wednesday, July 18, 2007

World Scene Provides Archetypes of Negotiators

The current cast of negotiators involved in the Middle East conflict provides archetypes that can be instructive when considering the appropriate players to send to a mediation of an employment dispute. For example, should you send someone to the table like President Bush who is known for his resolute, confident, almost theological certainty of positions on issues? Or someone like Former Prime Minister Tony Blair, a subject matter expert and an artful conversationalist, whose appointment as Special Envoy signals the significance of the Western powers’ desire for peace in the region. Then there is Palestinian President Abbas who desires peace but seems to lack authority from his constituents. One might also consider the model of Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, a staunch Zionist who sees claims to land rooted in a biblical Jewish heritage, but nevertheless recognizes that to resolve conflict, “What we have to decide about is not history but the future.” The New York Times Magazine (7/8/07 at 70). Thus, when choosing who will represent your side at the bargaining table, examine closely his or her familiarity with the nature of the dispute, the scope and nature of his or her authority, the spokesperson’s ability to see all sides of an issue, and whether he or she can leave behind the past for the sake of a more certain future.