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Successful Negotiation Techniques

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"Information that puts you ahead of your competition."

Successful Negotiation Techniques

FUNDAMENTAL RULE

Never accept a "NO" from anyone who

hasn't the authority to give you a

"YES".(Source unknown: Author)

There are many aspects of negotiation and the methods and means do vary around the world. Nevertheless, research of successful negotiators has revealed that there are some common characteristics of those who have a proven history of successful negotiation. Summaries of proven successful modes of behaviour used by negotiators are listed below. I have found them to be extremely helpful and practical.

Irritating Behaviour of Negotiators

Successful negotiators tend not to make claims about offers or arguments. For example, descriptive terms such as "generous offer", "fair", "reasonable", etc. are not used when making an offer. Use of such terms or phrases implies the opposition's offer is "unreasonable" or "not fair". By not using such terms, you present a positive aspect to the negotiations.

Author's note: It is also very important that you do not allow any personality clash to get in the way of the negotiations. Always keep your mind on the outcome you are aiming for and do not be side tracked and do not make personal attacks no matter how much you want to.

Making Counter Proposals

Many negotiators tend to make a counter proposal immediately a proposal is presented by the opposition; whereas successful negotiators do not. By presenting a counter proposal immediately:-

You tend to confuse and complicate the proposal immediately presented to you.
You are perceived as presenting an argument against the other party proposal and not presenting a proposal.
You do not have a receptive opposition as they are currently thinking about their proposal.

Consequently, it is best to give full consideration to any proposal. This gives time to ask questions on clarification, conditions, etc and also allow time to assemble your arguments against or modification of the proposal. Questions you ask may also help reveal their motives, boundaries and open opportunities for you.

Defence and Attack

Once the negotiation starts to become emotional and heated, there is an increasing defending and attacking stances taken by both sides leading to irrational arguments and self destruction of the negotiations. Skilled negotiators will attack, but they will give not warning and they will attack hard when they do. They then move on.

Summary: "Be nice, be provocable, be forgiving."

Source of this expression is unknown: Author.

In other words, if provoked, respond in a balance manner, then forget it, do not hold grudges and move on. For example, if the opposition does not deliver something on time, let them know you are upset, respond in a similar manner by delaying your supply of data. Once delivery has been made, meet your requirements and move on.

Arguing your Position

The old adage, the more reasons the better the argument is not followed by skilled negotiators. They tend to use few reasons (the average is less than two) when presenting their arguments. The advantage being it provides less opportunity to undermine your position. The opposition will pick on the weakest point and hammer away at that, so the fewer reasons, the fewer opportunities to find a weak point to attack. A skilled negotiator only adds more reasons if the existing ones are being shot down.

Warning about Behaviour

Skilled negotiators will be polite and civil and give warning about forthcoming changes in their behaviour, ie. moving from a listening mode to a questioning mode. For example, they may say. "Do you mind if I ask a question?" and then they ask their question. This tactic has a number of advantages for you:-

By warning about a change in your behaviour, you force a response.
It slows the negotiation and gives you time to collect your thoughts while they respond to you.
It introduces a formality to the negotiation helping to keep it on a rational level.
Importantly, it reduces any ambiguity.

Disagreeing with your opposition.

Unlike the general mode of disagreeing where you disagree and then present arguments to justify the stance taken, a skilled negotiator reverses the process. Firstly, the arguments are presented to the opposition. This allows the reasons against to be considered in a neutral environment. It also has a further advantage of allowing the opposition to consider the argument and accept it without a loss of face.

Author's note: This would appear to be a very useful tactic especially in those societies where a loss of face would likely condemn the negotiation process to failure.

Understanding and Summarising

In order to minimise ambiguity and misunderstanding a skilled negotiator will test the understanding of what has been agreed to or proposed. For example, asking "So, I understand you are saying…". Thus by asking the opposition to restate their position, it helps to clarify the issues. Furthermore, by also summarising the current level of agreement or understanding, it further reduces opportunities for ambiguities and misunderstandings.

Author's note: It is quite important that you maintain good notes on the progress of the negotiations. Both to keep an accurate record of the opposition's arguments, proposals, etc but also to keep a separate record of what has been agreed to. It is also helpful to copy a list of what has been agreed to the opposition at the end of each session. This is a great help in overcoming future misunderstandings.

Implementation

Whereas an average negotiator will tend to move on once agreement has been achieved on a point, a skilled negotiator will also clarify how the implementation will be achieved before moving on, something which poor negotiators neglect as they try to rush to a conclusion. Sorting out implementation issues overcomes the potential for the matter and associated issues to later disrupt the conclusion of the negotiations or cause problems much later possibly resulting in re-negotiations.

Author's note: This is particularly important when you are dealing with cultures or people that are quite risk adverse. Resolving implementation, helps reveal areas of risk and makes you determine how you will manage them and will often raise your status in the eyes of the opposition.

Information Seeking.

Compared to an average negotiator, skilled negotiators sought more than twice the amount of information during discussions than an average negotiator. It was considered that this had a number of advantages:-

There was potentially more information that could be used in the bargaining process.
By asking questions, you attain greater control over the negotiations.
Questions were more acceptable than direct disagreement.
Answering questions does occupy the time of the opposition that would otherwise be spent on answering your arguments and thinking about their arguments.
Whilst answering your questions, it can provide you with a break to assemble your thoughts and arguments.

Reveal what you Feel.

Contrary to what many people would think, research has shown that skilled negotiators revealed their feelings more often than average negotiators. Whether the feelings expressed are true or not, research has shown that expressing your feeling, eg. "I would like to believe what you have told me, but I am uneasy with it. Can you help be resolve this dilemma?" gave some feeling of security and made the interaction more explicit.

Businesstravelogue.com hopes these recommendations will make your next negotiation more productive and successful. We welcome any comments and feedback on our reports.

admin@businesstravelogue.com

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