THE OIL NEGOTIATION

Okey,  new lesson, new post.

Last Friday was so different, there were not explanations or slides. That day was the day in where we have another simulation. But before, we had to agree in which aspects should be evaluated, assessment criteria for the negotiation. I must say that at the beginning it was quite…weird. There were not ideas, and honestly, I was really, really, but really tyred to think about it. However, after a while some ideas came up and the group started discuss about them and giving their opinions. So finally we get it! As a conclusion of this discussion we can assess that is not that easy think about what we should evaluate, because it is also how do we evaluate them? And some issues were pretty similar….where is the line that differences them?

Once we had our criteria, was the real moment for the negotiation. I was really nervous, I felt I should have prepared me better, like thinking about many different scenarios and strategies, but I only had thought in things like: “if (s)he says no, in this point, I can try to convince him/her saying that…like if the other part was saying no just because, without thinking s(he) also has reasons….  That morning I was looking information for work culture in Egypt, just in case Mia could ask us something about it..ahaha But the talk with the group who represented the government, as me, make me feel more confortable… and now I realised I shouldn’t be that worry.

I was negotiating with Sunni, and I was really lucky. I think the negotiation was really friendly, so I was comfortable and relax, knowing that she was not trying to fool me to take more advantage. We both were in a win-win negotiation. Of course, we wanted different things, but we could work together to find something where we 2 were happy. We were listening each other at all the moment, understanding each other’s ‘point of view and giving logical arguments. Both of us made concession, and that is, in my opinion, what a good negotiation is.

I can just say it was a pleasure being with her, but after listening some of my other classmates, I just wanted to know what would I have done If Sunny wasn’t that nice…. What would have happened if she was just saying no to all my arguments and ideas… would I have been nice, trying to convince her? Or on the contrary would have I lose my patient and start being more and more aggressive? Im so curious now, but at the same time, I don’t want to go througt that situation….