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2. Safety and security needs;

3. Love and belonging needs;

4. Esteem needs (desire for self-respect, and respect and
recognition from others);

5. Self-actualization needs (inner motivation; to become what one

is capable of becoming);

6. Need to know and to understand; and,

7. Esthetic needs (order, balance, beauty) (the highest level of
needs).

If you can sensitively respond to the most important needs of the other
party, you significantly increase the chance of reaching agreement. And, if
agreement is reached, the other side is more likely to keep it.

Knowledge of the interests, perceptions, and values of others does not
come easily, different cultures or not, and we can never know them
completely. But we will more quickly and effectively build the kind of
understanding that will improve a relationship if we attempt to understand
the interests of others and the perceptions and values that affect them. We
can and should take steps to do so, whether or not they reciprocate.
191

Therefore, to successfully interact with any individual in any situation, all
you have to do is determine his or her needs, then work to fulfill them. Of
course, this is easier said than done. However, if the opportunity permits,
a rough draft can be prepared listing each party's needs, with a request for
corrections. A review of the draft should demonstrate how much you

understand the other party. This improves your credibility and defuses
any misapprehension they might have.

When the focus is on interests rather than positions, the possibilities for
exploring alternative solutions improve immensely. It is difficult to budge

from a particular position, but people are less hesitant to look for a variety
of ways to satisfy their interests. Furthermore, a close examination of the

191 Roger Fisher and Scott Brown. Getting Together: Building a Relationship that Gets to Yes. Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Co., 1998, p. 73.

David Kolzow 176