A
Alan Cotterell
The following article appeared in the Herald Sun (Melbourne, Australia) on Saturday, February 19, 2000. I suggest it epitomises the manifest hypocrisy of most middle managers. I cannot believe the stupidity and arrogance it reveals. :
BOSSES TAUGHT TO DEAL DIRTY
Senior public service managers are being told to make false demands, appear irrational and act ignorant when hammering out workplace agreements with their employees.
The advice, in a negotiating manual published by the Department of Employment Workplace Relations and Small Business has outraged the federal Opposition.
Opposition public administration spokesman John Faulkner has called for the manual’s immediate withdrawal, labelling it disgraceful.
The manual outlines a series of negotiating tactics, including “making false demands”. “When you have a demand, introduce a few false issues” it advises. “This disguises your serious interests and allows you to make concessions, thus giving the other party a sense of gain.”
Other tactics include “bluffing” and “Brer Rabbit” (getting the other party to do something by pretending you do not want it done).
Pleading ignorance to delay proceedings is recommended. “Either deliberately misinterpret the other party and behave as though the misinterpretation was fact, or pretend you don’t understand”, it says. “At the appropriate moment, discover your misunderstanding.”
Minister David Kemp was unavailable but his department head, Peter Shergold, defended the manual by claiming the advice could be found in any book on negotiating tactics. “I have to tell you everything you have read out there (regarding the tactics) is quite unexceptional.” “Not only are these tactics that people may think they can employ in negotiations, but equally this is a guide to the tactics that can be employed against them”
Other headings include “make negative comments”, “give a biased example” and “feign anger”.
Under “discredit associations” the manual advises parties to “associate the other parties case with some unsavory connection”.
The manual explains that the tactics have been used effectively in negotiations but are not necessarily ethical. “The listing is not an exhaustive one, nor is it meant to be an endorsement of all the tactics included,” it said. “Some may be regarded as ethically dubious.
“However it is important to recognise a particular tactic (ethical or otherwise) when it is being used, to counter successfully.”
Senator Faulkner said instructions contained in the manual were outrageous and completely contrary to the values and codes of conduct in the new Public Services Act.
BOSSES TAUGHT TO DEAL DIRTY
Senior public service managers are being told to make false demands, appear irrational and act ignorant when hammering out workplace agreements with their employees.
The advice, in a negotiating manual published by the Department of Employment Workplace Relations and Small Business has outraged the federal Opposition.
Opposition public administration spokesman John Faulkner has called for the manual’s immediate withdrawal, labelling it disgraceful.
The manual outlines a series of negotiating tactics, including “making false demands”. “When you have a demand, introduce a few false issues” it advises. “This disguises your serious interests and allows you to make concessions, thus giving the other party a sense of gain.”
Other tactics include “bluffing” and “Brer Rabbit” (getting the other party to do something by pretending you do not want it done).
Pleading ignorance to delay proceedings is recommended. “Either deliberately misinterpret the other party and behave as though the misinterpretation was fact, or pretend you don’t understand”, it says. “At the appropriate moment, discover your misunderstanding.”
Minister David Kemp was unavailable but his department head, Peter Shergold, defended the manual by claiming the advice could be found in any book on negotiating tactics. “I have to tell you everything you have read out there (regarding the tactics) is quite unexceptional.” “Not only are these tactics that people may think they can employ in negotiations, but equally this is a guide to the tactics that can be employed against them”
Other headings include “make negative comments”, “give a biased example” and “feign anger”.
Under “discredit associations” the manual advises parties to “associate the other parties case with some unsavory connection”.
The manual explains that the tactics have been used effectively in negotiations but are not necessarily ethical. “The listing is not an exhaustive one, nor is it meant to be an endorsement of all the tactics included,” it said. “Some may be regarded as ethically dubious.
“However it is important to recognise a particular tactic (ethical or otherwise) when it is being used, to counter successfully.”
Senator Faulkner said instructions contained in the manual were outrageous and completely contrary to the values and codes of conduct in the new Public Services Act.
