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Skills for building positive relationships

24 February, 2015 - 17:30

Two key skills that promote positive relationships are negotiation and facilitation. Negotiation skills can assist with problem solving and conflict resolution with partner organizations. Facilitation skills deal with the understanding of group processes and feedback.

Negotiation skills are necessary for managers to ensure they understand the goals and tactics of others. Negotiation involves understanding goals and the impacts of the range of possible outcomes on an organization. Adept negotiators must be able to identify compromises such that both partners are supportive of the resulting agreements.

Facilitation involves listening to the views of all parties and ensuring that critical issues are heard, regardless of their origin. Active facilitation brings objectivity to group processes and results in shared understandings of potential opportunities and the costs of pursuing those opportunities. Technology can aid managers in facilitating group discussions and recording group interactions. In some situations, professional facilitation may be appropriate if either side has reached a point where reaching a mutual understanding is difficult.