A fundamental part of conflict management and negotiation is to clarify one's goals (objectives is a synonym here) and interests

• "If you don't know where you're going, any road will get you there." (the Koran)
• "If you don't know where you're going, you might wind up somewhere else." (Yogi Berra)

Distinguish among goals (=objectives), interests, positions, strategies, and actions
Consider these examples:

• An interest is a motivator, an underlying need, desire, or concern, e.g., I want to feel financially secure or I want to impress my older brother that I am professionally successful.
• A goal is a desired outcome or result, e.g., I want to make $100,000 this year.
• A position is a stated result or proposal, usually in a negotiation or conflict, e.g., I think I deserve a 20% salary increase.
• A strategy is the method or path for achieving a goal, e.g., I will first try to negotiate an increase in my salary, then, if this does not achieve my goal, I will search for a second job on weekends.
• Tactics and actions are specific steps planned then taken, hopefully following a strategy, rather than random, e.g., contact the placement office in my professional society to identify possible weekend positions.

It is important to develop good goals, both in terms of content and:

• Defined in terms of results and outcomes, not actions
• Usually framed as positive results to be achieved rather than problems to be avoided
• Developed sufficiently to be SMART objectives (Specific, Measurable, Agreed-on and understood, Realistic, and Time- and resource-based)

In most situations, especially in conflicts, there are several types of goals, often with several operating at the same time and making the situation more complex:

• Content (or Topic)
• Relational
• Identity (self-esteem, face-saving)
• Process

Objectives may shift during a project or process, so we need to be aware of prospective, transactive, and retrospective objectives

Additional ways to improve goals (beyond those above)

• See Wilmot & Hocker (2010) p.96-97
• (optional, not required) read a more extensive module on goals on this web site