9.1 Ethics in Negotiation

The importance of trust and respect between dance partners cannot be underestimated. These elements ensure the partners remain in sync and avoid missteps in their dance performance. Similarly, ethics in negotiations ensure that the process is fair and respectful, building trust and potentially a long-term relationship. Adhering to ethical standards throughout our negotiations allows us to create an environment of mutual respect and trust, which can facilitate the negotiation process and is crucial to ensuring that both parties follow through on their commitments to one another.

Like in a dance, each dancer is mindful of how their movements and decisions impact their partner; we must be mindful of how our actions and decisions may have ethical implications for the negotiation. And yet, the question we often ask ourselves during negotiation is, “How far are we willing to go to get what we want?”.