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Advance Negotiation Skills
Effective negotiating is one of the
keys to organisational and personal success in any
business. The ability to navigate through a negotiation
with the proper skills and techniques, is a powerful
attribute for those who possess the secrets. Negotiation
is, "To confer with another or others in order to
come to terms or reach an agreement."
An effective negotiator’s goal is to
co-operate, collaborate and to arrive at a win-win
situation. It is not your solution or my solution but
our solution. Negotiation is something that we all do
almost everyday with our families, friends, colleagues,
customers, bosses, employees and even in brief
with strangers. Negotiation is a life skill,
core management activity and an art that must be learned
and developed, whether we are trying to:
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stop a riot |
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obtain a contract |
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obtain funding |
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stop a war between several countries |
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reach an agreement with a child or spouse |
One of the biggest barriers to
effective negotiation is anger. Getting emotional and
losing your temper serves only to halt or confuse the
situation. Our thoughts govern our feelings, feelings
determine actions and actions determine our
destiny. Therefore, the key is to control our thoughts.
If you fail to master your thoughts you will never be a
master negotiator.
An important point to note is that
all negotiation is communication. The better you are at
communicating, the better you will become at
negotiating. Negotiation rule number 1 is, where
appropriate get it in writing. "Excellent negotiation
helps to gather support, wins the confidence of others
and improve our chances for success." Be:
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1. |
aware of the major challenges faced when
negotiating and how to overcome them. |
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prepared and plan your strategies for
effective negotiation to take place. |
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3. |
able to negotiate effectively using powerful,
proven and effective beginning, middle and
ending gambits and counter gambits. |
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4. |
able to apply proven principles and techniques to
arrive at a desired outcome. |
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aware of the importance of
time, information and power and there effect on
negotiation. |
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6. |
able to apply a disciplined process to the
negotiation. |
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7. |
aware of the wants and needs of the other party
before the start of the negotiation. |
NEGOTIATING
NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION (BODY
LANGUAGE)
1. be conscious of the messages that your body is
sending.
2. be sure to observe closely the messages being sent
via the other persons body language.
3. be wise, support what you say by how you say it.
If you are physically at ease, the
negotiation process will have the best possibility of
running smoothly and effectively. When your mouth is in
action, what impression does your face give? Are you
smiling or is your jaw too tight or relaxed? Always
check your appearance in a mirror and ask yourself,
"What impression do I give dressed this way?"
Does the movement of my body,
especially my hands, support what I am saying? Is my
posture straight, upright or am I slouched, too near,
too far, slumped, or higher or lower than the other
person? Do I mumble, complain, criticise, beat around
the bush, or do I get straight to the point, clearly,
directly and specifically? Is my tone acceptable with
the right accent and volume? Finally, am I able to look
confidently into other people’s eyes, or must I turn
away and gaze at the ceiling, floor or other objects? Be
wise, support what you say by how you say it.
EFFECTIVE LISTENING
/COMMUNICATION
1. listen with empathy and establish a relationship
before the negotiation begins.
2. ask questions and listen closely to words and
feelings.
3. be sure to communicate Accurately, Clearly
and Effectively (ACE).
GOALS AND VALUES
1. establish your objectives and put them in order
of importance.
2. find out what the other party really wants.
3. do not go against your values or expect others to go
against theirs.
OUR SOLUTION
1. create and stick to an agenda and where
appropriate get decisions in writing.
2. be fair, flexible and prepared to give up some
ground.
3. the key is not my solution or your solution but our
solution, so compromise a win-win.
TACTICS
1. beware of tactics that are used to manipulate,
side track or influence you.
2. do not rush and make rash decisions, if a deadlock
looks hopeless, buy time.
3. never use a tactic if it will affect a relationship.
There are so many good and bad
tactics to negotiation. It is your responsibility to be
fully aware of them and know how to use or counteract
them. Here are some tactics that are used all the time.
1.
The ladder approach
Discuss and resolve easier issues
first, then work your way up to the more difficult
issues last, i.e., cost or final outcomes.
2.
Silence is golden
Keeping silent is an art that many
people find extremely difficult to do. Yet it is one of
the most powerful strategies in active listening.
Silence enables you to fully understand and appreciate
others. It also causes others to view you differently.
It pays well to remember the old proverb: "even a fool
is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he
holds his tongue." Do not use your silence to plan what
you are going to say next, use it to understand what
others are saying. Learn from the old adage: "you learn
more with your mouth closed and your ears open."
"Never forget the power of silence,
that massively disconcerting pause which goes on and on
and may at last induce an opponent to babble and
backtrack nervously" Lance Morrow.
3.
Walk out
During the negotiation you may choose
a strategic point to walk out or close the meeting.
4.
Limited authority
During the negotiation you declare
that you do not have the authority to make the final
decision. The way to counter limited authority is to
seek to negotiate from the beginning with the person who
has the final say.
5.
Feel, felt, found
I understand the way you feel, I felt
the same way before but I found that this is the best
way forward.
6.
The delay
When it’s time to make a decision
tell the other person that you will think it over and
get back to him/her. While you are thinking it over, get
advice from others and sleep on it. When it’s time to
decide you will be in a better position to do so.
INTEGRITY
1. always honour your word (let your yes be yes and
your no be no).
2. be honest and faithful.
3. treat others the way you would like them to treat
you.
ASSERTIVENESS
1. state your needs, wants, feelings, opinions or
beliefs in a clear, direct and specific way.
2. do not be passive, aggressive or paralytic, be
confident.
3. be positive at all times.
THINK AND REFLECT
1. always think ahead before agreeing to anything.
2. continuously review what’s going on before, during
and after the negotiation.
3. be creative and imaginative, if there’s a stalemate,
find the underlying cause.
INTERPERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
1. the largest room in the world is the room for
improvement, (know your strengths and weaknesses).
2. you must continually develop your Attitude,
Skills and Knowledge (ASK).
3. read books, listen to tapes, watch videos, surf the
internet, attend seminars and listen to the masters.
NEUTRALISE YOUR FEELINGS
1. control the way you think, feel and act and do
not let things get personal.
2. always remain calm, self controlled, honest and
professional.
3. be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to anger.
GAME PLAN
1. do your research, homework, prepare in advance and
determine your bottom line goal.
2. consider your (B.A.T.N.A) Best Alternative
To a Negotiated Agreement.
3. be creative and come up with more than one
alternative, (remember the rule of 3, M.I.M).
Maximum, Ideal and Minimum.
Before you enter the negotiation, you
should agree with your colleagues at least three figures
or positions. The maximum, the most that you could
possibly take away from the negotiation. The ideal is
the figure that you are really after. Anything between
60 to 80 percent of the maximum is my ideal. The minimum
is your bottom line, the lowest figure or position that
you would settle for.
"You must never try to make all the
money that’s in a deal. Let the other fellow make some
money too because if you have a reputation for always
making all the money, you won't have many deals" J. Paul
Getty, American oil tycoon. |
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