We all engage in heated negotiations in our lives, from the time that we’re little kids (and we want just one more cookie from our parents) to the time that we’re senior citizens.
One of the most painful types of negotiation involves child custody. You’re not fighting for a lower price on a new car or attempting to sweet talk a traffic warden into ripping up a parking ticket — you’re battling over the future of the most important people on Earth: your kids.
Child custody negotiations can be legally complicated. Even during amicable divorces, tensions can run high. Even normally rational people – who have best interests of their kids in mind – can do ridiculous, sometimes terrible things to try to get their way.
In a five-part series, we’ll be examining a successful methodology that many professionals use to handle delicate negotiations, such as child custody battles. This methodology is known as “Getting to YES” — it’s based on a bestselling book of the same name (published in 1981) by authors Roger Fisher and William Ury.
The authors outline four key principles for negotiating effectively – without compromising on principles. This methodology has been used successfully in a range of negotiations, including high-stakes political discussions and impassioned talks between management and unions.
In our next blog post, we’ll explore the Getting to YES concepts in greater detail – and we’ll show how to apply them to your child custody situation. In the meantime, if you need help with your legal situation, connect with the Dinnebier & Demmerle team today for a free consultation.