Easy Negotiation Techniques

Negotiating – An Exception to the Rule

While I firmly believe that “everything in life is negotiable” there are some circumstances which make negotiating unrealistic. I have to admit that, while rare, there are situations where direct negotiations are not viable nor are they advisable as they could result in an outcome that is less than desirable. In other words it is like playing poker where, you have to “know when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em!” And, you need to recognize fairly quickly when you are in that situation so that you do not get involved in something that turns out to be to your detriment.

If you have been in the military, or know anything at all about life in the military, you most likely know exactly where I am headed with this proposition. For example, the drill instructor shouts out that everyone within hearing distance will “fall out at 0500 hours!” He really is not just saying it, he shouts it, he orders it and he demands it! That means, without exception, everyone will be awake, cleaned up, fully dressed with spit-shined shoes, bed made, and totally ready to go at 5:00 am. You do not get to negotiate whether you can make your bed at a later time, or whether you can shower and shave when you return to the barracks. It means that you will do exactly what you are told without asking why and without trying to modify the conditions in any way.

Military life and the rules that govern it are different by necessity. Picture military life where there is an opportunity for the troops to negotiate with the First Sergeant or with the Commanding Officer. Here is the scenario. The troops are on a scouting mission in enemy territory. They are in single file, spread out on both sides of the road watching out for the enemy. All of a sudden, the Commanding Officer shouts, “Get Down!”

Normal military training would ensure that each and every person on the team immediately got down and sought protective cover. If, however, there was even a remote possibility to “negotiate,” the troops might be standing around questioning things like: waiting until they could find better cover, waiting for softer or drier ground, whether it should be the right or the left side of the road, the possibility of taking a smoke break first, etc. My best guess is that everyone except the commanding officer would be dead before all of the questions had been asked. The Commanding Officer would still be alive because he would have found cover as he was shouting the command to “get down!”

As I said earlier, there are situations that are exceptions to the rule. Hopefully, when you find yourself at the negotiating table, you will not hear someone else in the room shout the words “Get Down!”

Lesson learned: Although rare, there are exceptions to my belief that “everything in life is negotiable.” The key is to understand the circumstances where the exception might exist before you get in too deeply and end up with an undesirable outcome.

Mr. Newman has roughly 40 years of industry experience – 28 years as part of the Ford Motor Company management team, and more recently, as President and COO of the Strategic Alliances Consulting Group. His business background encompasses purchasing, finance, product planning, export planning, business planning and international business development.

On behalf of Ford Motor Company and his other clients, Mr. Newman successfully negotiated a variety of joint ventures, licensing agreements acquisitions and divestitures around the world. As President and COO of Strategic Alliances, he developed a strategic and business planning process that was implemented successfully at many automotive supplier operations in North America and in Europe, at a charitable organization and at several entrepreneurial business enterprises.

To read more about Mr. Newman’s business insights on business alliances, negotiation and other must have business tips, read his Book, Beyond the Chicken Dance (http://www.beyondthechickendance.com)