Here is a win win negotiation case study using mind mapping, a negotiation skills you should consider adding to your negotiation and conflict management strategies.

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In a meeting with the brothers, O’Dell created a mind map with the family business located at its center. Working together, the three men added branches to the map (working on a computer with a large monitor) that included the business’ interests, assets, and liabilities. A branch about commercial real-estate holdings, for example, extended smaller branches that listed property taxes, valuation, and other figures.

“The brothers entered the negotiation with a competitive attitude, believing they had to fight for what they deserved,” writes Anchors. “But the process of creating the mind map required participation and collaboration, rather than confrontation.” As the screen filled, it became apparent that their interests overlapped.

The brothers reached an negotiated agreement that satisfied them both. O’Dell now uses mind mapping with all of his clients. Negotiators who would like to give this novel application a try can find free mind-mapping tools on the Internet.

Mind-mapping is not the only data-based decision-making approach for negotiators to employ as part of an an effective negotiation strategy. Decision trees and scoring systems are two other negotiation skills that you can use for conflict resolution. Working together on such analyses helps parties abandon their combative mindsets and adopt a collaborative, integrative negotiations approach to dispute resolution at the negotiation table.

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