Expressing Needs Instead of Wants During Collaborative Divorce in Atlanta

The most experienced negotiators in the world understand the importance of expressing needs rather than wants. To a casual observer, these words might seem interchangeable. However, there is a major difference between something you need and something you want. Learn to express your needs during collaborative divorce in Atlanta, and you may find it easier to achieve positive outcomes.

Collaborative Divorce Involves Serious Negotiations

Collaborative divorce is a form of alternative dispute resolution (ADR). It allows spouses to avoid the stress of a courtroom setting by negotiating the outcome of their divorce in private. This process is also more affordable than the average litigated divorce. While spouses should attempt to work together during this process, the word “collaborative” can be misleading in this context.

These negotiations involve two spouses trying to exit their marriage with as many advantages as possible. While the goal of collaborative divorce is not to “win” in the traditional sense, spouses should still strive to walk away with as much as possible. This might include not only financial assets, but also parenting time. These negotiations can be incredibly high-stakes, and it makes sense to employ effective strategies.

Why Expressing Your Needs Is an Effective Negotiation Strategy 

Why is it so important to express your needs rather than your wants during negotiations? Needs are more flexible, while wants are much more specific. You might say that you want to take the family vehicle in a divorce, but what you really need is a vehicle that gets you to work on time. You might want the family home, but what you need is a roof over your head at night. These differences may be subtle, but they make a major difference during negotiations.

When you express needs rather than wants, you leave the door open for more flexible outcomes. Your spouse is also more likely to sympathize with you when you express yourself in this manner. While they might push back against your effort to take the family vehicle, your spouse will probably understand your need for a reliable vehicle. The same logic is true for the family home, and even the most stubborn exes realize that both parties need somewhere to live after the divorce.

Collaborative divorce is an ideal way to achieve flexible compromises and creative deals. For example, your ex might agree to provide you with enough money from the family savings to purchase a new car. Your ex might also provide you with enough to put a down payment on a new home. Another potential solution might be to give you a second home in the family estate (perhaps after evicting a tenant). These are just a few examples of flexible solutions that might occur after you express needs rather than wants.

Can a Collaborative Divorce Lawyer in Atlanta Help Me Get What I Want?

Collaborative divorce in Atlanta involves working together to achieve mutual best interests. However, it’s also important to get what you want during this process. With established negotiation techniques, you may be able to walk away from your marriage with what you need and what you want. To discuss negotiation strategies in more detail, consider speaking with an Atlanta divorce lawyer at Buckhead Family Law today.

Sources 

changingminds.org/disciplines/negotiation/articles/needs_wants_likes.htm

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC2793751/