Unit 4: Negotiation: A Faithful Conversation please

Directions: Please check your Canvas email on Monday (will be sent to you before 5:00 pm) for your CONFIDENTIAL role information and further detailed instructions. Remember, do not share your goals/objectives during the negotiation but rather strive to achieve them. You will have until Saturday night to complete the negotiation and upload the Negotiation Settlement State of Agreement and Negotiation Discussion Questions. The Negotiation Settlement State of Agreement is available on the syllabus and in the course resources. The Negotiation Discussion Questions are at the end of this assignment.

1. Negotiation: A Faithful Conversation

Conflict Resolution Negotiation: A Faithful Conversation

Objective: The objective of this role-playing negotiation exercise is to allow students to explore and practice addressing morally wrong behavior within an interpersonal context based on Christian principles.

Directions: Please check your Canvas email on Monday (will be sent to you before 5:00 pm) for your CONFIDENTIAL role information and further detailed instructions. Remember, do not share your goals/objectives during the negotiation but rather strive to achieve them. You will have until Sunday night to complete the negotiation and complete the analysis questions that will be included in these instructions.

Description of the Negotiation:

Conflict within relationships is often difficult because it involves emotions and feelings that can create an uncomfortable situation between individuals. By nature, people tend to avoid such situations and are often unsure how to initiate or conduct a conversation when issues arise that need to be addressed. When left ignored, problematic behavior can spiral out of control creating havoc and harming personal relationships.

However, addressing issues, particularly those that are spiritually based is expected as Christians. God wants us to have peace in our lives which can involve having to have difficult conversations. The Bible encourages us to address behavior between brothers and sisters of the Christian faith community as we see in Matthew 18:15 (NIV): If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. The problem people face is they do not know how to positively initiate or manage this type of conversation.

The purpose of this negotiation is to provide an opportunity to practice engaging in a compassionate and constructive conversation within an interpersonal relationship context by addressing the workaholic behavior of a married father of three.

The Situation:

David is known for his dedication to his work. He is a highly respected director of sales at a prestigious international technology firm. While his career has brought him success and financial rewards, it has also turned him into a workaholic. David is a married father of three children: Emily (9 months), Steven, (4 years old), and Alex (6 years old). His job often requires him to travel for a week at a time. multiple times a month throughout the year. When he is home, he spends the majority of his time in his office working on the computer or on conference calls and requests that the family not interrupt him. To relax, he spends hours alone outside tending to his garden.

His wife, Claire, is a stay-at-home mother who takes care of the home and children full-time. She is a dedicated and loving wife who loves her family but often feels overwhelmed with three small very active children and personally neglected without the emotional support and physical presence and attention of her husband. When her husband is home, she is constantly managing the children so that they are not too loud or disrupt their father while he works. This frequently proves difficult as he often takes business calls at various places in the home, as well as the car, keeping Claire constantly alert and anxious as she tries to quiet the children to support and please her husband.

Ron, a close friend of the family, has noticed that Claire appears to be struggling. She no longer cares about her appearance, loses patience with the children, and lacks the sense of humor and positivity that she has always been known for. She is a very supportive wife who looks to her husband as the spiritual and financial leader, and she strives to maintain a safe and peaceful home environment.

However, Davids workaholic and neglectful behavior is creating noticeable negative changes in the family dynamics that are not serving the spiritual or emotional well-being of the family, and Claires steadfast view of maintaining a calm and peaceful relationship within the family creates a personal barrier for her, raising issues that could create conflict tension with her husband. Ron has decided it is time to have a faithful conversation with his friend.

Conflict Resolution Negotiation-A Faithful Conversation

Discussion Questions:

Please answer the following questions. Work with your teammate(s) to answer the questions. Each person must submit their individual assignment for grading.

1. What was the specific issue or behavior that prompted the conflict conversation?
2. Who were the parties involved in the conversation, and what were their roles and perspectives regarding the issue?
3. What were the key points and arguments made by each party during the conversation?
4. Did the conversation follow a structured approach, such as using “I” statements or addressing specific behaviors?
5. Were there moments of active listening, love, compassion, and empathy displayed by both parties during the conversation with a focus on improvement rather than judgment?
6. What strategies or techniques were employed to encourage behavior change and resolve the conflict?
7. How did the conversation address the emotions and feelings of the parties involved?
8. Did the parties reference any external resources, like books, articles, or professional guidance, to support their arguments?
9. Were there any compromises or agreements reached during the conversation that would facilitate changes in behavior?
10. Did the conversation end with a clear action plan for implementing the desired behavior changes?
11. How did the parties manage resistance or defensiveness, if present, and foster a sense of cooperation?
12. What was the overall tone of the conversation? Was it respectful, understanding, and geared toward positive change?
13. Were there any particular moments in the conversation that stand out as particularly effective or ineffective?
14. Did the parties demonstrate a commitment to reconciliation and improvement?
15. What lessons can be learned from this analysis that could be applied to future conflict conversations addressing changes in behavior?
16. Any team participation issues?

CONFLICT RESOLUTION NEGOTIATION: A FAITHFUL CONVERSATION

Confidential Role Information for Workaholic (David)

Davids Perspective

David believes that his actions and behaviors are justified and required to maintain his position at work. He holds a high-level position as sales director within his company that requires additional work time and is proud of his status. He is dedicated to his career and enjoys the financial rewards he receives. He loves his family but expresses that he needs alone time to release the stress he feels from the work pressure. Additionally, he believes he must be on call all the time to provide the best service to his customers and if that means he takes business calls home or in the car, he expects the family to be understanding and adjust to his needs. He relies on his wife to manage the children and household and has requested that she not contact him during his work hours or travel time as he finds it distracting from his work. He is the sole financial provider for the family and as so, must have the freedom and flexibility to manage his work responsibilities.

Throughout this role-play conversation, the reaction by David will be defensive and will justify the actions and behaviors. You will explain your dedication to career and financial responsibilities as justification for workaholic tendencies. Listen actively to the issues of the concerned friend and be open to hearing the concerns and arguments without interruption. Acknowledge the concerns raised and express understanding of their perspective. Last, decide whether to resist the advice and continue with the workaholic behavior or be open to reconsidering the current behavior and actions. If you choose to accept the advice, express your willingness to work on changing your behavior and identify specific behavioral changes you will make. Recardo I serve the role as David.