Educing Information: Interrogation - National Intelligence University

house, namely, that they want to settle, by June 1, on A’s sale (and B’s purchase)
of A’s house. If they share their interests about the timing of the sale, and discover
that A wants to move the furniture on September 1 and that B does not really want
to occupy the house until September 5, they can find a collaborative solution that
is better for both of them than a June 1 purchase and sale. Each has the security of
an agreement that the house will be sold (or available), and each will be happier
during the summer. Each has gained something tangible and something intangible,
whether they like or dislike each other.
On the graph below, the dotted line box includes solutions that are better than
a compromise for both A and B in a negotiation between them. These include
possible trade-offs between things that A wants and some different things that B
wants. Collaborative solutions, where there are “joint gains,” depend on A and B
wanting somewhat different things so that the negotiation need not be a zero sum
(win-lose) game. Most human interactions are not a zero sum (win-lose) game,
indeed not a “game” at all. In the realm of EI, for example, the United States
wants information. There may be tangibles or intangibles of interest to the source
that would permit a trade for information, whether we like or despise this person.
Moving Among the Positive Strategies
Negotiation theory suggests that A may interact with B in any — and often
all — of five ways in any one negotiation. Much of negotiation theory and
considerable research have focused on these five strategies, sometimes looking at
them separately (e.g., Getting to Yes or Win All You Can). However, there are very
few negotiations where one would choose — or even be able — to employ only
one strategy. Most well-planned negotiations include a mix of strategies.
Most negotiations involve elements of competition (I want to stake out my
requirements early here and I may demand a bit extra for “bargaining room”),
some collaboration (I would like to hear your interests and see if there is some
way to meet them), some avoidance (Some conflicts are not worth thinking about,
at least not right now), some accommodation (I am happy just to let you have
what you want on that point) and a good deal of compromise (At the end of the
day, let us just split the difference). Much theoretical work in negotiation centers
on managing the important tension between competition and collaboration (Do I
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