When
is Negotiating Not Negotiating? – 4 tips to improve success in
all negotiations
by Bob Selden
©2006
The National Learning Institute
Used
with permission of the author:
Author: Bob Selden
Managing Director
The National Learning Institute
http://www.nationallearning.com.au/
10 April 2006
When
you left home for work this morning, did you feel ready to face
the day knowing that you were going to have a number of successful
negotiations? Chances
are, the word "negotiation" never entered your head. Perhaps
it should have!
We
often think of negotiation as a formal process conducted behind
closed doors by high powered executives, politicians or world
leaders. Yet everyday
all of us negotiate. You may have to agree with colleagues on the
content of a report or presentation; with a customer over a
disputed invoice; with a supplier on the terms for goods or
services; or with your partner on what to have for dinner tonight!
All of these things are negotiations.
Our
problem is that we don't recognise them as negotiations, nor
ourselves as negotiators. As
a result, we enter these discussions less prepared than we could
be. The result?
Sometimes a less-than-successful outcome!
To
help make all our daily negotiations more successful (for both you
and the other party), you need to:
§
State
your case clearly and appropriately
§
Organise
your facts
§
Control
the timing and pace of your discussion
§
Properly
assess both yours and the other parties needs
How do you carry out these four points
successfully? First,
you need an understanding of some of the key principles of
successful negotiation. Try
this quiz to test your knowledge of negotiating by answering
"True/False" to each question.
- Should
you ask for twice the amount you need?
- Is
your aim to prevent the other party from saying "No"
- Will
a small concession relieve the pressure?
- A
"Win/Win" result is always possible.
- Is
admitting to an error or omission a sign of weakness?
The
following answers will provide some useful tips for your
negotiating situations.
1. Should
you ask for twice the amount you need?
False. You
will have to back down and will lose an important opportunity to
influence the other party. Research
clearly indicates that negotiators who make large concessions end
up worse off. The
secret of successful negotiating is to first identify your needs,
then work out a range of options that will satisfy those needs.
Start the negotiation by asking for the options that best
meet your needs.
2.
Is your aim to prevent the other party from saying
"No"? False.
In fact getting a "No" from the other party can
be very useful because it gives you the opportunity to ask "Can
you give me your reasons?".
This leads to uncovering the other party's real needs and
some options that will satisfy them – options which you can
probably supply.
3.
Will a small concession relieve the pressure?
False: If you
make a small concession, chances are you are negotiating over
options rather than needs. Additionally,
the other party may think you are weakening and put more pressure
on. Far better to
state or restate your needs and then explore as many options as
possible to satisfy them. As
part of this discussion, you may come back to the offer that was
just rejected, or you may find some even better options.
Either way you have gained a lot more information and not
weakened your position.
4.
A "Win/Win" result is always possible.
False: It's
desirable, but not always possible.
Sometimes, even the best of negotiators have to "agree
to disagree". The
way to improve your ratio of "Win/Wins" is to focus very
clearly on your own real needs (not positions) and the needs of
the other party. Searching
for many different options to satisfy both party's needs generates
more "Win/Win" situations.
5.
Is admitting to an error or omission a sign of weakness?
False: Research
shows that disclosing such information demonstrates honesty.
In psychological terms, it breeds what is called
"reciprocity" - if you do something for me, then I'll do
something for you. People
are far more likely to be honest with you when you are honest with
them. Pulling the
wool over someone's eyes may give you a short term result at the
expense of a long term relationship.
Four
tips to help you negotiate successfully
- If
you want a better deal, ask for one.
You'll never know unless you ask!
Remember, make
sure it will satisfy your needs – do not get locked into
bargaining over positions.
- Argue
to learn, not to win.
To meet your own needs you need to learn as much as
possible about the other party and their needs. The more you
learn, the better chance you have of getting a good deal.
- Make
proposals regularly during the negotiation
- proposals move the negotiation forward.
Use proposals such as "If
you will provide . . . . then I might consider . . . ."
The other party's response to these proposals will give
you a lot of information to work with.
- Ask
for, and give as much information as possible.
For example, questions such as "Can
you explain your reasons for . . . . ?', "What are your
priorities? and "What
else is there that you think I should know?" are
excellent ways of gathering the information you need.
Successful negotiating!
Resource
box
Bob
Selden is the Managing Director of
the National Learning Institute and the author of the Negotiating
Advantage™, a blended learning process, which is a different
and exciting way to improve your negotiating skills.
You can get more free tips from Bob on influencing and
negotiating and see the Negotiating Advantage™ (including a
demo) at
http://www.nationallearning.com.au/index_files/NegotiatingAdvantageProfile.htm
Short
Description
We
all encounter many negotiation situations daily.
Our problem is that we don't always recognise them as
negotiations, nor ourselves as negotiators.
As a result, we enter these discussions less prepared than
we could be. The
result? Sometimes a
less-than-successful outcome!
This article shows how to understand some of the key
principles of negotiating and four steps to implementing these
successfully in all your negotiating situations.
Key
Words
Negotiating,
influencing, negotiation management, negotiation training,
negotiation needs
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