Negotiations
Training
Negotiating
Fairly:
Practicing Principled
Negotiations
It's a sad fact
that there are many negotiators our there who are all too eager
to take advantage
of customers, suppliers - even their own co-workers - to get
them most they can for themselves while sticking it to the other
party. A lot of these people were reared in the "old school"
of negotiations. They've come up through the ranks bullying and
pushing around others, getting some great deals along the way while
effectively ruining
relationships. Without naming names, these tactics
can be found more often than not in certain positions as well as
in particular industries.
We believe this
is the wrong approach
to negotiating. Why? Simply put, it is a damaging approach and is
very short-sighted. No company or professional can truly grown and
thrive using this approach. Once someone makes enough people angry
and steps on enough toes to fill a shoe store, no one will be willing
to negotiate with them.
When we negotiate
with others, we are dealing
with individuals who are in many ways just like us. While personalities,
likes and dislikes may differ, we are people with feelings, beliefs,
values and a desire to succeed. No one like to be taken advantage
of. To practice principled
negotiations, you have to first decide to work with the other
person to get to the heart of any negotiation. Is there a problem
you are trying to resolve? Are there differences between the two
organizations on an agreement or contract? Ultimately, the wise
approach is to actively include the other party to pursue a
negotiation as a problem-solving session, not a battle for spoils.
Next, it helps
to work with the other party to understand each side's interests.
Often, conflict
in a negotiation arises from the deep-seated interests held
by each party. Interests do not necessarily have to be conflicting
but at times they are. One individual may want to get the highest
price possible to make quota while another may be focused on the
deepest discount to stay within a tight budget. Focus on understanding
each others' interests and finding a way to cooperate in order to
establish common ground.
One other key
component of
principled negotiations is the ability to think creatively and
be flexible throughout the entire process. Creativity can lead to
ideas, solutions and "fixes" that may resolve deadlocks
or difficult situations. We believe the best approach is to walk
into a negotiation with an open mind. While some standards must
be set and certain items may be non-negotiable, allowing yourself
to be open to ideas and working towards a common
goal is preferable. The results are often of benefit to both
parties.
Lastly, it helps
to utilize objective criteria or standards to determine what is
fair and what is not fair. Unlike the common practice of attorneys
to roll out their own "legal expert" to try to rationalize
their case, focus on using criteria upon which all parties can agree.
These may be industry standards, published reports, studies, market
conditions or other criteria. Focus on being
fair and not overwhelming the other party just to get the upper
edge.
Those who practice
principled negotiations find that their discussions go more
smoothly and often lead to stronger outcomes. Rather than slugging
it out, they see discussions as opportunities to build relationships
and help both parties. These people end up enjoying
negotiating because they see the positive results.
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