Preparing ourselves to Negotiate

In the following lines where I'll try to do just an overview of important aspects to consider in the process of negotiation, I want to emphasize the importance of communication and the capacity of understanding the others and oneself. These points are fundamental to discover common interests between us and others.

Some Highlights

As a conceptual framework of the negotiation, we preliminarily focus on identifying and working with the following aspects:

• Arguments or hard positions. When the parties can not think in common interests because they want to satisfy only what they think that need.
• Exploration of Alternatives. These are the variants we have that also satisfy needs, but in other negotiating "boards".
• Discovery and mapping of Interest. The points that really motivate the parties to move the process forward.
• Construction of options. Is the set of variants that satisfy interests in a negotiation board.
• Legitimacy or sense of equity of the process and results.
• The Relationship between the parties.
• The Agreement. It is the implementation of the selected option.

On the other hand, we must consider the following elements that harm and generate roughness in the negotiations:

• The "demonization". The negatives points of view , when the other becomes a devil in the negotiation. There is a barrier that unable us to see the other part in an objective way.
• Discuss about Arguments and closed positions.
• Tiredness or saturation. End up giving in and threaten the long-term healthy relationship.
• Think that in a negotiation one party wins and the other loses. Put the focus on mapping the interests and build and evaluate options together. Try to achieve the mutual "Best Negotiable Agreement".

Tools

What tools can we use in a Negociation?

• As we said at the beginning, the Communication.
• Preliminary preparation and knowledge of self interests, as well as self limitations.
• Deep knowledge of the interests of the parties with whom we’ll negotiate.
• Think of negotiation as a natural process and manage effectively the emotional impulses.
• Make good use of auxiliary tools such as: active listening, empathy, and other skills.
• Focus on relationships and their sustainability in the long-term.

Everything I mentioned above implies a great challenge. Having covered all these aspects, and with an efficient gymnastic of negotiation, it does not mean that we have guaranteed success and that we can get the best deals. Please note that sometimes the best possible result for a negotiation is to interrupt the process, get up and leave the board. Anyway, you will still have greater chances to achieve better results and build better relationships.

Finally, I want to invite you to fully engage in this topic. Only take this as an adaptation to a blog format. I want to thank Francisco Ingouville, whom I had the opportunity to meet in a workshop on Creative Negotiating provided during the time I worked at Kimberly Clark Argentina. Francisco helped me to see more clearly how to approach and face the negotiation process, as well to give practical use in life.

Thank you very much!

Source: www.ingouvillenelson.com.ar