Strategic Use of Negotiation Jujitsu

What if your intentions for a principled negotiation are not matched by the other party? While a win-win outcome may be your goal, this has to be achieved in a strategic fashion. You may focus on attacking the problem while the other party may concentrate on attacking you. In a frustrating negotiation, where the other party seems reluctant to reach an agreement that is mutually beneficial, you must play “negotiation jujitsu.”

Last summer I unknowingly used negotiation jujitsu. Although I did not follow every recommended step outlined in Getting to Yes, the few steps I used transformed my situation. I believe that these impactful tactics utilized during my negotiation with the Baylor Housing Office allowed me to turn my situation from unfavorable to favorable. Through negotiation jujitsu I was able to fulfill my own interests and those of the Baylor Housing Office. If I had not used negotiation jujitsu, Baylor Housing Office would have disregarded my request and the outcome would have been unsatisfactory.

Case Objectives

• Further the interests of Hal Mo and maintain a positive relationship with the Baylor Housing Office

• Utilize negotiation jujitsu tactics to create a mutually beneficial solution

Background of the case:

The interests of Hal Mo: I have always known I wanted to study abroad. As a child, I grew up listening to my grandmother’s “if I hadn’t studied in Denmark my junior year I would be stuck in that small Pennsylvania town and married to that boring man” tales. As a teenager, I based my college decisions upon the merit of the university’s study abroad programs. My study abroad form for Spain was submitted to my academic advisor months before I even declared my Business Major. Although studying for a semester in Spain was an easy decision, selecting an academic major was anxiety-provoking. However, Baylor does not require students to declare their majors until the end of their sophomore year.

I took full advantage of this grace period by dabbling in a different fields of study. This academic indecision continued until my email inbox was flooded with notifications that the deadline to declare my major had come. I knew that a major within the Business School would provide me with a broad range of career options. I wrote down “Marketing Major” on the dotted line and walked out of my advisor’s office with a weight lifted off of my shoulders. Finally I had a plan.

A few weeks later my stomach dropped after reading an email from my academic advisor about my not-so-foolproof plan. My late major declaration caused me to be further behind on my required classes than my fellow Marketing classmates. If I wanted to graduate on time I was to either give up on my dream of studying