Job descriptions often list negotiation skills as a desirable asset for job candidates, but the ability to negotiate requires a collection of interpersonal and communication skills used together to bring a desired result. The circumstances of negotiation occur when two parties or groups of individuals disagree on the solution for a problem or the goal for a project or contract. A successful negotiation requires the two parties to come together and hammer out an agreement that is acceptable to both.
Problem Analysis
Effective negotiators must have the skills to analyze a problem to determine the interests of each party in the negotiation. A detailed problem analysis identifies the issue, the interested parties and the outcome goals. For example, in an employer and employee contract negotiation, the problem or area where the parties disagree may be in salary or benefits. Identifying the issues for both sides can help to find a compromise for all parties.
Preparation
Before entering a bargaining meeting, the skilled negotiator prepares for the meeting. Preparation includes determining goals, areas for trade and alternatives to the stated goals. In addition, negotiators study the history of the relationship between the two parties and past negotiations to find areas of agreement and common goals. Past precedents and outcomes can set the tone for current negotiations.
Active Listening
Negotiators have the skills to listen actively to the other party during the debate. Active listening involves the ability to read body language as well as verbal communication. It is important to listen to the other party to find areas for compromise during the meeting. Instead of spending the bulk of the time in negotiation expounding the virtues of his viewpoint, the skilled negotiator will spend more time listening to the other party.
Emotional Control
It is vital that a negotiator have the ability to keep his emotions in check during the negotiation. While a negotiation on contentious issues can be frustrating, allowing emotions to take control during the meeting can lead to unfavorable results. For example, a manager frustrated with the lack of progress during a salary negotiation may concede more than is acceptable to the organization in an attempt to end the frustration. On the other hand, employees negotiating a pay raise may become too emotionally involved to accept a compromise with management and take an all or nothing approach, which breaks down the communication between the two parties.
Verbal Communication
Negotiators must have the ability to communicate clearly and effectively to the other side during the negotiation. Misunderstandings can occur if the negotiator does not state his case clearly. During a bargaining meeting, an effective negotiator must have the skills to state his desired outcome as well as his reasoning.
Collaboration and Teamwork
Negotiation is not necessarily a one side against another arrangement. Effective negotiators must have the skills to work together as a team and foster a collaborative atmosphere during negotiations. Those involved in a negotiation on both sides of the issue must work together to reach an agreeable solution.
Problem Solving
Individuals with negotiation skills have the ability to seek a variety of solutions to problems. Instead of focusing on his ultimate goal for the negotiation, the individual with skills can focus on solving the problem, which may be a breakdown in communication, to benefit both sides of the issue.
Decision Making Ability
Leaders with negotiation skills have the ability to act decisively during a negotiation. It may be necessary during a bargaining arrangement to agree to a compromise quickly to end a stalemate.
Interpersonal Skills
Effective negotiators have the interpersonal skills to maintain a good working relationship with those involved in the negotiation. Negotiators with patience and the ability to persuade others without using manipulation can maintain a positive atmosphere during a difficult negotiation.
Ethics and Reliability
Ethical standards and reliability in an effective negotiator promote a trusting environment for negotiations. Both sides in a negotiation must trust that the other party will follow through on promises and agreements. A negotiator must have the skills to execute on his promises after bargaining ends.
And finally, yet MOST importantly, I must STRESS:
There is NO such thing as a Win/Win!
The very idea is proposterous. What your actually saying is They Win BECAUSE I Win too! and that simply isn’t a win win, in fact I’d go as far as to suggest if you have a WIN /WIN attitude, when your trying to negotiate, your far more likely to actually orchestrate your own LOOSE / LOOSE.
You see, if you GENUINELY have the needs of the customer first. If you HONESTLY care about them and want them to “Have a nice day” then you’ll do whats right for them, and not just because it works in your favour also! I’ve witnessed first hand how a company actively invited their competition to join them whenever approached by a new prospective client. They would actively seek two other providers and invite them to join them when the prospective client arrived!
The idea being: We KNOW the prospect is looking for a solution to their current problem. We MAY not be the exact right fit for them, or them for us. However, if this is the case, both they and we have ‘wasted’ time. Therefore, would it not be better to invite two other prospective solution providers to the meeting, that collectively we can ensure the prospect DOES get the RIGHT solution, therefore no time actually wasted. We GENUINELY want the prospect to be happy and have found the right solution, if this is us then great, if not then at least we know they got the right solution, and that in turn is the right solution for us also. This is known as a genuine WIN WIN, or as I’ve come to refer to as a WIN WIN WIN!