BusinessDictionary.com defies
negotiation as “bargaining (give and take) process between two or more parties
(each with its own aims, needs, and viewpoints) seeking to discover a common
ground and reach an agreement to settle a matter of mutual concern or resolve a
conflict.” Effective negotiation techniques together with important business
skills can be a rewarding combination that can help you attain desired outcome.
1. Timing:
Time is critically important to negotiation process, and negotiators can reach
a mutually agreed conclusion before the deadline. Time can be used to create
pressure on negotiators to reach an agreement and set the tempo of events. Some
timing strategies include patience, surprise, and deadline. a) Patience -
Prolonging the negotiation. It is one of the top negotiation tips or tricks employed by negotiating parties to
discover more information about the other so as to have a better deal. b)
Deadline – The idea is not to reach quick settlements, because there is a risk
of one party getting an upper hand over the other in hasty deals. However, by
setting a deadline or timeline for the negotiation will force both sides to reach
a conclusion, fearing the possibility of loss. c) Surprise – prepare yourself
for the negotiations by gathering important information about the other party
and surprise them by showing your readiness for negotiation.
2.
Disclosure: Adopt a
cooperative mind-set and show the other party that your goal is to reach a
mutually agreed solution. In doing so, you should be willing to provide
information to increase your credibility and trustworthiness in the eyes of the
other side. This may also help in building rapport with them. You may choose to
show your willingness to answer questions, allow controlled access to
information, and/or provide complete freedom to review books. If you disclose
information, it will amount to triggering a need for the other side to be
honest as well.
3.
Commitment:
No negotiation can reach a successful conclusion until you stay committed to
your argument. Without commitment, your position is weakened. Phrase the
commitment in a way that it sounds firm while leaving room for retreat. If you
cannot reach an agreement on an issue, the best approach may be to break it
down and then deal with its components. However, when there is no point of
return and you have to stay committed to your decision, the negotiation enters
a deadlock, which is a good tool to show conviction. This is one of the best negotiation tips.
4.
No disclaimers: You do not
want your counterpart to use the negotiating table as a show of power and
behave more aggressively. So you should never try to use soft disclaimers or
anything that exposes your weaker side while making the other side look more
powerful. You would walk away with a deal you had not dreamed of. Convey power,
dominance, and confidence and receive better deals.
5.
Agenda:
Prepare an agenda to ensure issues are dealt with and the negotiation process
flows smoothly. An opponent's agenda gives you an idea of their values and
expectations. Focus on a range of issues when preparing an agenda.
6.
Concession &
compromise: Concession is
a tactic to determine what the other side wants and can’t do without. You will
also be able to find what they are willing o let go off and what they cannot
bargain. Set goals higher than what you expect in order to get a favorable
outcome.
7.
Mediator:
Using a mediator is a tactical move employed by some negotiators to get
responses to questions refused or ignored during the negotiation process.
However, caution is urged when sharing confidential information with a
mediator.
8.
Redirecting
topic: It may become crucial to introduce a new important topic
if things go out of hand and talks seem to have reached a deadlock. Doing so
will build momentum and trust, which are crucial to resolve other pressing
issues at the negotiating table.
9.
Changing teams: Sometimes conflict of personalities could
result in an impasse. In such situations, it may be beneficial to change the
players in order for the dialogue to keep moving successfully. The change can
give a new direction to the talks and end the impasse.
10.
Leaving negotiations: When your team has exhausted all
reasonable avenues, with no favorable outcome, you may choose to leave the
negotiations. However, leaving a negotiation is a drastic extreme step and may
be used rarely. Before taking such an extreme step, make sure you understand
the culture & traditions of the other side, as this move signals an end to
talks in many cultures.
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