Mrs.

Doubtfire
By Jared Tracy
Negotiations that took place
- Daniel and Miranda had to determine who got custody of the children
- Daniel wanted to have the job as the nanny so he could spend time with
the children
- Daniel and Miranda had to figure out if they wanted a divorce or not.
- Other characters had negotiations of their own rather than just the main
characters. (i.e. Kids, Stuart, Judge, etc…)
How Strategies were developed
● Daniel cannot spend more than one day a week after the divorce with his children. After a
nanny position opens up in his prior household, Daniels “target point” is to fill that position so
he can have more time with the children. However, he is not deemed fit for the job and instead
becomes Mrs. Doubtfire the perfect nanny
● Daniel modifies the other party’s perceptions by explaining to Stuart reasons that were false as
to why he did not want Miranda and that his reason for having his target and resistance points
were false.
● By becoming Mrs. Doubtfire, Miranda is almost forced to create an interdependent
relationship with Daniel by choosing to have a relationship with Mrs. Doubtfire.
Conflict within and between negotiator teams
Conflict between: Team 2: Miranda
● Team 1: Daniel

- Wants to see his kids more - Kids want Daniel to - Thinks the judges

be the caretaker decision is fair until

often
- Stuart wants to be Daniel gets his life in
- Doesn't want to see his ex-wife
with Miranda order
with another man
- Judge thinks Daniel - Is fond of Stuart
- Thinks the reasons for the
is unfit father - Feels like Daniel is unfit
divorce are unfair
as a partner
The results
● Becoming Mrs.Doubtfire allows Daniel to make an Indirect Assessment of
his situation by assessing his target points (ideally winning his family
back) and resistance points (not letting his ex wife marry Stuart).
● Miranda and the judge eventually find out that Daniel was Mrs. Doubtfire
all along and Miranda is awarded full custody of the children.
● Despite these results, the two negotiating parties came to a positive
alternative situation where although Daniel didn’t get to stay married to
his wife, he got to see his kids more frequently which benefited both
parties.
What they could've done differently
● What Daniel could’ve done differently:
- Daniel could’ve had a better understanding of Miranda’s emotions and goals throughout the
term of the relationship so that she didn't develop or feel the need to use hard ball tactics to get
what she wanted
- Daniel could’ve also realized that their history amounted to the current situation they were in at
the present moment. This would give him a better understanding of how to deal with the
● negotiations
What Miranda and conflicts.
could’ve done differently:
- Instead of using hardball tactics, Miranda could’ve used mutual adjustment. She knew that Daniel was
going to react negatively to her comments but decided to act anyways. Through Mutual adjustment, at
least they would know how “high” or “low” they are willing to go and they could progress forewords.
Usefulness of other students watching the same movie

- Pay special attention to Daniel and Miranda's target points, settlement

points, bargaining mixes and their most desirable outcomes for both their
situations.
- Look for certain hints of a past history of conflict and how it might affect
their relationship negotiations in the present
- Negotiation v.s. Arguments and what they could've done to save the
relationship in the first place.
Credits
● Directed by Chris Columbus
● Produced by Robin Williams, Mark Radcliffe and Marsha Garces Williams
● Written by Leslie Dixon and Randi Mayem Singer
● Starring Robin Williams & Sally Field
● Release date November 22, 1993