Easy Negotiation Techniques

It is scary facing an adversary who appears to be dominant. This is true in self-defense situations, and it is true in negotiations. Just as I teach my hapkido and self-defense students that if attacked it will most likely be by a bigger and stronger opponent, we must often enter negotiations with a distinct disadvantage. Negotiating against someone who has a clearly dominant position is one of the greatest fears when negotiating. However, just as smaller people can learn to defend themselves against bigger and stronger attackers, we can learn to overcome a weak bargaining position to negotiate more effectively.

It is no fun entering a negotiation with a weak position. This is especially true when the opposing negotiator senses your weakness and attacks with tactics aimed at getting you to accept an unreasonable “take it or leave it” offer. Therefore, the projection of power during negotiations can increase how successful you’ll be.

Bluster, bravado, and bullying tactics are not what I mean by projecting a strong negotiation position. Replacing facts and figures with raising your voice can often be seen through as an obvious bluff. Without bravado and bullying, you should be self-confident regarding your negotiation success. If you are not confident you can succeed, you may want to reconsider negotiating in the first place. Going into a negotiation thinking and feeling that you will be slaughtered will most likely get you - slaughtered. If you think you are beaten, you will be. If you think you are not beaten, you still have a fighting chance. This is pretty much a universal principle for anything, negotiation included.

One of the most important keys to turning a weak position into a strong one when you cannot change the facts of the situation is in the projection of power. You want to project power through self-confidence and avoid Read more »

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Of course, it is important to go into your negotiation with the right mindset.

• Open your own cultural responses up to meet another culture.

But do not be so focused on the cross-cultural aspect of your negotiation so much that you forget your basic preparation.

Like all negotiations, preparation is important.

You need to know exactly:

• Where you stand in your negotiation process,
• What your aims are,
• What exactly is on the table,
• …and what is not.

Prior preparation can also be critical if there are any cross-cultural communication differences.

When you know the extent to which you can negotiate and are fully prepared, you will be able to pace yourself if there are any differences.

So, how do you prepare for your first cross-cultural negotiation?

Broad Outlines - Key Details

You need to prepare both the broad outlines and key details.

Most people remember to prepare for the key details. After all, these are important to the negotiation process. You know what details you need.

You should also ask yourself if there are other details that might be important from another cultural perspective. But don’t get too caught up in this. Blunders do not usually happen due to lack of preparation here.

They can happen if you forget to prepare…

Your broad outlines too.

This is where your own natural assumptions might lead you to miss something.

Here are a few questions to brainstorm:

• Why are you there in the first place?
  
• What is the one thing you want to get out of this negotiation?
  
• What are your limits?

Knowing your limits and the broad outlines will help you to navigate any cultural differences more effectively should you find t Read more »

Filed under: , , , , , | No Comments »

Of course, it is important to go into your negotiation with the right mindset.

• Open your own cultural responses up to meet another culture.

But do not be so focused on the cross-cultural aspect of your negotiation so much that you forget your basic preparation.

Like all negotiations, preparation is important.

You need to know exactly:

• Where you stand in your negotiation process,
• What your aims are,
• What exactly is on the table,
• …and what is not.

Prior preparation can also be critical if there are any cross-cultural communication differences.

When you know the extent to which you can negotiate and are fully prepared, you will be able to pace yourself if there are any differences.

So, how do you prepare for your first cross-cultural negotiation?

Broad Outlines - Key Details

You need to prepare both the broad outlines and key details.

Most people remember to prepare for the key details. After all, these are important to the negotiation process. You know what details you need.

You should also ask yourself if there are other details that might be important from another cultural perspective. But don’t get too caught up in this. Blunders do not usually happen due to lack of preparation here.

They can happen if you forget to prepare…

Your broad outlines too.

This is where your own natural assumptions might lead you to miss something.

Here are a few questions to brainstorm:

• Why are you there in the first place?
  
• What is the one thing you want to get out of this negotiation?
  
• What are your limits?

Knowing your limits and the broad outlines will help you to navigate any cultural differences more effectively should you find t Read more »

Filed under: , , , , , | No Comments »