Negotiation is often viewed as a game, a sport, a competition, an intellectual struggle, or a contest of wills. The old-school negotiator knows that at the end of every negotiation there is a “winner” and a “loser” and is determined not to lose.
Ironically, that very attitude may cause the old-school negotiator to lose everything. In a highly networked and integrated economy, success depends more and more on forging strong business relationships. Successful new-school negotiators know the power of the collaborative approach. When everyone gains, everyone wins. The new negotiator knows that they need to take into account the other party’s perspective and work jointly with them to create an agreement that truly satisfies everyone.
Here are five key components to the new-school win-win negotiating style:
Successful negotiators in the collaborative school continually strive to understand who they are working with. They do their research and work to establish a reasonable understanding of the other party, their company, their industry and their competition. They have an idea of what the other party needs, wants, and is trying to avoid. They know the pertinent facts and have access to relevant data.
Win-win negotiators focus on their own and the other party’s interests, not their positions. They work to find common ground and avoid becoming distracted by shadows, concentrating on the true needs underlying the negotiation. Knowing your own true interests and finding out about those of the other party will help ensure that everyone receives value from the agreement.
Effective new-school negotiators are prepared to walk away from any negotiation if it should become necessary. They plan in advance, working to establish a walk-away point and prepare for an alternative course of action should that point be reached. With this preparation, they do not feel like the other side is holding them hostage, and their bottom line is a firmly established limit on potential losses.
Collaborative negotiators work to increase the size of the pie, coming up with ideas to satisfy all the parties involved in the negotiation. Problem-solving alongside the other party rather than fighting against them for every scrap can result not only in a far more satisfactory outcome for everyone, but also help to build better business relationships moving forward.
Instead of trying to force a deal and get a quick-and-dirty contract drawn up and signed, new-school negotiators work jointly with their counterparts to build clear, reasonable agreements with specific parameters for fulfillment. Ambiguity or confusion in the written contract hinders implementation, and leads to future conflict and strained relationships. Collaborative negotiators ensure that all points are agreed upon, clearly stated, and that any questions or points of contention are discussed and settled before the contract is signed.
The goal of collaborative negotiations is to become more than just a supplier or a vendor or a buyer – you are working to become a business partner, a trusted advisor, a valued customer. Powerful networks and integration are key to organizational survival in the new economy.
Old-school negotiation is not the road to future success. The collaborative approach to negotiations helps to ensure not only that your interests are satisfied, but that you forge long-lasting relationships with your business partners that will carry your organization to even greater levels of success.
Baker Communications offers leading edge Negotiation Training solutions that will help you address the goals and achieve the solutions addressed in this article. For more information about how your organization can achieve immediate and lasting behavior change that leads to bigger wins during negotiations in any setting, click here.
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