Compromise and Negotiation

6. Civic Knowledge and Skills

by Heidi Burgess*

April 19, 2025

Negotiation is a process in which two or more parties communicate in order to reach an agreement on issues where their interests, goals, or values may differ. It is used in a wide range of contexts—from resolving interpersonal conflicts, labor disputes, and legal matters to making business deals and forging international treaties. The purpose of negotiation is to find a mutually acceptable solution that satisfies the needs of the parties involved, whether that means dividing resources, solving a problem, setting rules, or improving relationships.

There are two main types of negotiation: distributive (or positional) and interest-based (or principled) negotiation. Distributive negotiation treats the situation as a zero-sum game—each party takes a position and tries to claim as much value as possible, often at the expense of the other. It is common in situations where the resources are limited and parties are mainly concerned with maximizing their own gains, such as haggling over a price. In contrast, interest-based negotiation focuses on the underlying needs, interests, and values of each party rather than rigid positions. Popularized by the book Getting to Yes, by Fisher,Ury, and Patton (though developed by others earlier), this approach seeks win-win solutions by identifying shared goals, generating creative options, and using objective standards to resolve differences. It tends to foster more sustainable, cooperative outcomes and preserve relationships over time.

Negotiation often depends on compromise – the willingness of both (or all) parties to give up some of what they want in an effort to reach a mutually acceptable agreement. Even distributive or positional bargaining requires compromise, because one side will seldom get 100% of what they want, while the other side settles for much less or even nothing. Compromise involves finding a middle ground between differing positions or interests— both parties make concessions to achieve a solution that is fair and workable, even if it may not fully satisfy everyone’s original desires.

Compromise is especially useful when time is limited, the issues are of moderate importance, or maintaining the relationship between the parties is more valuable than achieving a perfect outcome. It can also be helpful when parties have relatively equal power and are willing to be flexible. However, compromise may not be ideal in situations involving core values or rights, where giving ground might violate deeply held principles. In such cases, interest-based negotiation or collaborative problem-solving—can sometimes allow for the development of agreements that uphold all sides' deeply-held principles, without compromise, while still coming to an agreement that works for all.