The purpose of this activity is to give you an opportunity to construct a field analysis on your relationship with a specific other negotiator. This tool should be helpful when negotiators have to consider multiple parties—on their own side and on the other side—who can affect a negotiation outcome, and whose needs and interests must be considered.

The metaphor for this planning tool is a soccer field (see diagram below). On the field would be members of your team and members of the other team (A, B). On the sidelines are backup players, coaches, trainers and other team personnel (C). In the stands are “fans” who are watching the negotiation, members of the media, and other direct observers (D). Finally, the elements outside the stadium--the location of the stadium, the weather, and other “context factors” which can shape how the game evolves and is played (E)

BA

C

C

D

DE

EE

E

YOU/YOUR TEAM OTHER/OTHER’S TEAM1. Who is on my team on the

field? (A)

Myself, the hired negotiatorSheriff’s office staff

2. Who is on their team on the field? (B)

Municipal county Mayor’s officeCity council

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3. Who is on my sidelines who can affect the play of the game? (C)

Backup players ( the insurance company, captains, majors, retired sheriffs staff, community organizations, court agents and possibly the National Sheriff’s Association)

4. Who is on their sidelines who can affect the play of the game? (C)

Backup players (business owners, City Council, union, and current employees)

5. Who is in my stands that are involved and interested, either directly or indirectly? (D)

The spectators in the stands would be the same for both my team and the opposing team. They would include: the media, business owners, residents, and current employees.

6. Who is in their stands that are involved and interested, either directly or indirectly? (D)

The spectators in the stands would be the same for both my team and the opposing team. They would include: the media, business owners, residents, and current employees.

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7. What elements outside the stadium have an interest in the game, or can affect our game in positive or negative ways (E):

- Affect the rules?

- Change the "Climate"

- Other Competitors?

- Industry shifts and changes?

Elements that would affect the game in positive or negative ways would be whether the sheriff was appointed or if he was elected by the constituents of his county. Either way he could be voted out if he made a wrong move regarding the salary and benefits of his department. This would depend upon what acts or laws were created to protect his current position. In my tenure in the HR world I would say that salary and benefits are what could make or break your organization. The salary of an individual employee is important to them especially if they are putting their lives on the lines as law enforcement officials do daily. This situation would have to be handled with finesse and very strategically on the Sheriff’s Office side because you don’t want to begin to lose employees because of heated discussions that are being debated with the Mayor’s office. At the end of the day you have to put the cards on the table to see what is most important at this point. However I do feel that this

8. What elements outside the stadium have an interest in the game, or can affect their game in positive or negative ways (E):

- Affect the rules?

- Change the "Climate"

- Other Competitors?

- Industry shifts and changes?

The salary of an individual employee is important to them especially if they are putting their lives on the lines as law enforcement officials do daily. We are merely speaking of all staff that contributes to the operation of the Sheriff’s department daily and not just the road crew. Just to reiterate there are a lot of backup players on the opposing team that could make or break the decisions or opposition that the Mayor is bringing to the table. The Mayor’s office is putting the Sheriff’s office in a compromising position. Why do I say this? When employees don’t get what they want what do they do? Go on strike. Is the sheriff’s office ready for this? Are the residents of this county ready for this? A lot of factors come into play when you’re speaking of benefits and compensation. If the officers go on strike is their a reserve unit that could take the slack until this is all resolved.

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