Negotiations
Training
Getting
Around the Brick Wall:
When Negotiations
Stall Out
Stalled out
negotiations are more common that you might think. Even those individuals
with the best intentions occasionally find themselves dealing with
a deadlocked
negotiation. Think about some of the news headlines you might
have seen recently...
"Air France
Negotiations at a Standstill as Strike Enters Second Week"
"Illinois
Officials Still Deadlocked in Budget Negotiations"
"Australia
to Restart Stalled Tuna Talks
with Japan"
"As Labor
Talks Stall, New York Tenants Face Prospect of Hauling Trash"
"Brazil,
US Deadlocked on Eve of FTAA Deadline"
Do some of those
sound familiar? To hundreds of thousands of people, they do. While
many of the negotiations we are involved in may not take place in
the limelight and may occur on a smaller scale, stalled
negotiations occur in all types of situations. We've seen companies
struggle with
their vendors over minor contractual details that threatened
to derail a sale that otherwise was considered by both sides as
a done deal. At the same time, we've heard clients of ours talk
about the difficulties encountered during labor
negotiations where one party was unwilling to budge on any of
their demands. These are common situations. When faced
with a negotiation that is starting to stall, here are some
simple steps to follow:
1. Call for
A Break - A break may last an hour or a week, depending on your
situation. Let the other party know that you solely want time to
regroup and take a look
at the existing situation. Ultimately, the goal is not to strategize
on how to topple the other party. Rather, you should be focusing
on ways to resolve a deadlock and move forward.
2. Examine
the Situation - To resolve the deadlock, you have to go through
an examination process. What is causing negotiations to stall? What
does each side want? Are there any particular "hot
buttons" that may have put you in this situation? This
is essentially an analysis of the situation at hand.
3. Evaluate
Your Position - It helps to get a better feel for what you are
expecting out of a negotiation. At times, during the most protracted
of negotiations, parties lose
sight of their goals and get caught up trying to deal
with difficult items. These situations can get so intense that
discussions on minor items slowly unravel prior agreements. What
is your position? Is it realistic? Is it consistent with your overall
expectation
of the negotiation?
4. Reaffirm
Your Commitment to Win-Win Negotiating - You came to the table
looking for an outcome that would be of benefit to both sides. Are
you still following that principle? Have you continued focusing
on ways to come up with a mutually
beneficial agreement? Take a good look at your actions during
the negotiations to determine if you are still negotiating in
good faith. Remember - you want to be focus on win-win negotiations,
not dominate-cower negotiations.
5. Communicate
with the Other Party - Open
communication and two-way dialogue is critical. Communicate
to the other party that you are focused on resolving the deadlock
and moving forward. Find out a bit more about why they are taking
such a firm stand. Talk it out. You may be able to hash out the
situation and move forward towards a happy ending for both of you.
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