"The most difficult thing in any negotiation, almost, is making sure that you strip it of the emotion and deal with the facts. And there was a considerable challenge to that here and understandably so"

Howard Baker's quote highlights a common obstacle in negotiations-- the struggle to preserve neutrality by focusing on realities rather than getting swayed by feelings. Settlements inherently include parties with clashing interests and emotions, which can inadvertently cloud judgment and impact the decision-making process. By highlighting the requirement to "strip it of the emotion", Baker underscores the importance of approaching negotiations with a rational mindset that focuses on substantive issues over emotional responses.

Firstly, feelings can cause escalation, where increased tensions result in adversarial instead of collaborative interactions. Participants may respond defensively or take positions that serve emotional validation rather than addressing core problems. In this context, Baker recommends that understanding and managing psychological actions are essential for promoting an environment favorable to problem-solving. Accomplishing neutrality allows mediators to engage constructively, concentrating on tangible truths which can be concurred upon, rather than being distracted by psychological turbulence.

Baker's acknowledgment of the "significant difficulty" suggests that reserving emotions is typically simpler said than done. It's common for feelings to emerge from deeply held beliefs or individual issues, and therefore, demanding total detachment may not constantly be practical and even preferable. Feelings can hold legitimate and substantial weight in settlements, showing stakeholders' genuine concerns and inspirations. For that reason, rather than totally stripping away emotion, it may be more reliable to handle and integrate emotional intelligence into the process.

Lastly, Baker's phrase, "and naturally so", acknowledges that feelings are a natural and anticipated part of human interaction. He indicates that it's not uncommon for people to bring feelings into negotiations, especially when dealing with problems they are enthusiastic about. Navigating the intersection of feeling and reality needs skilled communication and compassion, guaranteeing all celebrations feel heard and verified while steering the discourse back to accurate conversations to reach a practical resolution.