Negotiation Tool for Mutual Gains – A Handbook

Forhandlingsværktøj, Klimaprojekter, Forhandling, Samarbejde

Climate projects are filled with negotiations about how an area should look, when something should happen, or who should have a seat at the table. These negotiations often involve a wide range of disciplines, perspectives, and representatives who must agree on a shared path forward. This handbook presents a tool for “mutual gains negotiations”—that is, negotiations aimed at finding value-creating solutions that accommodate different perspectives, interests, and needs.

The tool is based on interest-based negotiation approaches, where the goal is to serve the collective by delving deeper into the various interests at play. To do this effectively, I argue that it is necessary to clarify what is at stake for oneself and for the others at the negotiation table. Without such clarification, misunderstandings may arise about what is actually being discussed and what common path can be taken.

The tool consists of seven “clarification points” that can be used as guiding markers in a collaborative process.

It should not be seen as a recipe book, but rather as something that must always be tailored to the context in which it is used. Some points may only be partially relevant in your context, other key topics may need clarification, or some points may require longer conversations than others. Overall, however, the tool can be used in four phases of a collaboration: the preparation, learning, negotiation, or communication phases.

This means you can prepare for a negotiation by reviewing the points and considering where you and others stand in the situation. Through conversations, you can then refine and nuance your understanding of others’ positions by learning more about their perspectives. This can lead to a negotiation phase where you agree on a shared path forward, and the points can be used to navigate and guide the negotiation. Finally, the tool can also be used to communicate about your process, project, or collaboration to ensure transparency and avoid misunderstandings about the project's content and purpose.

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Fisher, R., Ury, W. L., & Patton, B. (2011). Getting to yes: Negotiating agreement without giving in. Penguin.

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Jensen, M. (2023). Negotiating time and temporalities in a disturbed river landscape: Reorienting deliberative planning towards temporal mismatches and conflicting temporalities. Aalborg Universitetsforlag. https://doi.org/10.54337/aau741618090

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Susskind, L., & Field, P. (1996). Dealing with an angry public: The mutual gains approach to resolving disputes. Free Press.

Quitzau, M.-B., Hoffmann, B., Olsen, A. V., Jensen, M., & Rietti, A. (2022). Aktørkortlægning og værdiskabende klimatilpasning: nye metoder til strategisk planlægning. Institut for Planlægning, Aalborg Universitet.

Yderligere ressourcer til inspiration

Burgess, G. & Burgess, H. (2022). Moving Beyond Intractability. Se side: https://www.beyondintractability.org/

Center for Konflikthåndtering (2023). Videnscenter om konflikter. Se: https://konfliktloesning.dk/videnscenter/

Helde, M. L. (2012). Dialoghåndbogen – kunsten at føre dialog og facilitere dialogworkshops. Hovedland, DUF – Dansk Ungdoms Fællesråd og CFK – Center for Konfliktløsning. Kan findes her gratis: https://duf.dk/fileadmin/user_upload/Editor/documents/International/Publikationer/DialogHaandbog_DK_new.pdf

Jensen, M. (2022). Workshops om fortidens, nutidens og fremtidens Gudenå-landskab: fra Silkeborg til Tangeværket. Se link til rapport her: https://www.c2ccc.eu/siteassets/c2ccc/produkter/jensen-miriam_opsamling-pa-workshops_silkeborg-til-tangevarket_2022.pdf