Negotiation: Dealing with Emotions (Seminar)

Taught by Daniel Shapiro.  The field of law has come to a growing understanding about the importance of negotiation in everyday practice. Negotiation theory, however, has focused predominantly on the rational dimension of human behavior. This is important, but only half the story. Negotiators often get caught up in negative emotions such as anger, fear, and suspicion. Understanding the nature of emotions and how to transform them is critical to improve the negotiation process and outcome.

This course offers a powerful framework to help lawyers deal with the emotional dimension of negotiation. Participants will learn prescriptive strategies to change perceived roles from adversaries to colleagues facing a joint problem. As a result, negotiators will be more amenable to influence and joint work. The course framework also will allow students to know some of the fundamental emotional interests of other negotiators even upon meeting them for the first time.

The course framework for dealing with emotions has been developed by Professor Shapiro and Professor Emeritus Roger Fisher and has been enriched by the growing empirical literature on emotions, identity-based conflict, and social interaction. The framework will be discussed in a number of negotiation contexts ranging from the interpersonal to the international.

The seminar will be offered in a two-hour session, one day a week. There are in-class and out-of-class exercises to experiment with course techniques. Each participant will be expected to write a paper on a topic approved by the professor.

Prerequisite: A basic negotiation course, workshop, or seminar.

Fall term
Th 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Professor Daniel L. Shapiro
2 classroom credits LAW-97810A Fall

Open to current students at Harvard Law School and across Harvard University.

For more information, click here: Negotiation: Dealing with Emotions (Seminar)