Negotiation Skills

NCLVI Policy Seminar February 4, 2006 Washington, DC

Overview of Seminar Content

Defining Negotiation Skills Promoting Creative Responses Negotiation Questionnaire (How much do you know?) Mapping Conflicts and Developing Options Negotiation versus Mediation Broadening Perspectives

Creative Responses

There are two people in a kitchen. There is only one orange left and both of them want it. What would you expect as the solution? Compromise is one option. They might cut it in half and each gets half.

Creative Responses

Lets assume thats what they do. One person now goes to the juicer and starts squeezing a rather too small glass of orange juice. The other, with some difficulty, begins to grate the rind of the orange to flavor a cake.

A win/win approach involves:

Going back to underlying needs Recognizing individual differences Adapting positions in light of shared information and attitudes Attacking the problem, not the people

Creative Responses

Problems or Challenges? Perfection versus Discovery? The perfection hat says: Is this good enough? (Usually not!) Does this meet my impeccably high standards? The discovery hat says: How fascinating! What are the possibilities here?

Negotiation Defined:

Take a few minutes of discussion/dialogue to arrive at a common understanding of the term negotiation

Negotiation involves two or more parties with competing or conflicting interests or needs, working towards an agreement on how they will cooperate.

(Tillett, 1991)

Negotiation Questionnaire

Answer True or False to the following 1. Negotiating is concerned with winning more points than the other side. 2. If the other party is a hard, aggressive negotiator, then we must use the same tactics in self-defense. 3. If our organization is large, we should be prepared to use our power to influence the outcome.

Negotiation Questionnaire (2)

4. Negotiation is about concluding a contract. 5. It is a sign of weakness to be slow and cautious in reaching agreement. 6. People who are demanding and uncompromising make the best negotiators. 7. There is nothing wrong with giving misleading information if it is going to help you get what you want from negotiations.

Negotiations Questionnaire (3)

8. It is dangerous to allow the other party to know what you really want in a negotiation. 9. We have failed in a negotiation if we do not get exactly what we want. 10. There can only be one winner in any negotiation.

What does the questionnaire mean to you in your role?

There are many styles of negotiation; one is the hard or aggressive approach that states: more for you means less for me. If you answered true for six or more of the statements, your adopted style is probably the hard bargainer. The openly aggressive negotiator reveals tough behavior & doesnt hide intentions. Others are quietly aggressive and secure their objective surreptitiously.

12 Conflict Resolution Skills

1. Think Win/Win 2. Creative responses that transform problems into creative opportunities 3. Build empathy by using active listening to clarify understanding 4. Apply assertiveness strategies to attack the problem and not the person 5. Eliminate power over to build power with others

12 Conflict Resolution Skills

6. Manage emotions by expressing fear, anger, hurt, and frustration wisely to effect change 7. Name personal issues that cloud the picture 8. Map the conflict by defining issues of common needs and concerns 9. Design creative solutions together

12 Conflict Resolution Skills

10. Plan and apply effective negotiation strategies to reach agreement 11. Help conflicting parties move towards solution through mediation 12. Broaden perspectives to evaluate problems in a broader context
The Conflict Resolution Network Chatswood, New South Wales, Australia

Dealing with Tricky Negotiators How do you respond to:

Exaggerated Bluff You cant be serious!!! The Invisible Competition Your competitor quoted lower. No-way Jose Its against our agency policy. Salami (a thin slice at a time) Deadline Dilemma (using delays and deadlines)

Dealing with Tricky Negotiators How do you respond to:

Blowing Hot and Cold (Initial enthusiasm, sudden cooling off) Columbo Just one last thing. Family Discounts Look how much Ive done for you? (presenting concessions as a personal favor) Its none of my business but (complaints about your agencys service or attitude)

Dealing with Tricky Negotiators How do you respond to:

I dont have the authority. (need to refer to the decision maker) All Change (new faces, predecessor had no authority) Raising the Roof (each concession followed by a raised demand) My Way or the Highway And thats my final offer! Over My Dead Body -refusal/preconditions

Brahams Negotiation Tips

1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.

Know Thyself Do Your Homework Practice Double and Triple Think Build Trust Develop External Listening Move Beyond Positions Own Your Power

Brahams Negotiation Tips

8. Know Your BATNA

(Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement)

9. Know What a Win Is 10. Enjoy the Process

Barbara Braham (2004). Skills and strategies for effective

negotiation.

Think of recent negotiations in which you have been involved:

Buying a car, house, or appliance Negotiating a new salary Arranging a fair division of household chores Negotiating different roles and responsibilities at work Making divorce settlements or custody arrangements

Ask yourself the following:

Why do we negotiate in these settings? How is our style of negotiating different dependent on the situation? What do you think a win/win approach to negotiation would involve? What is the BATNA? What is the WATNA? How does a clear idea about BATNAs and WATNAs help negotiations?

Mediation Strategies

1. Clarify (the facts, the players, the positions, the issues) 2. Explore Options (developed by all the players as they unfold the whole picture) 3. Move to the Positive (ask questions like: What would it take to solve this problem? What is it that you want? What would make it better? What would make you willing?

Mediation Strategies

4. Go Back to Legitimate Needs and Concerns (ask: What do you need? Why is it important to you? Tell me why that seems the best option to you? Are there alternatives that would also satisfy you?) 5. Design options using clarifying tools, negotiating tools, and generating tools.

Broadening Perspectives

Selection

Is it built on a win/win approach? Does it meet many needs of all parties? Is it feasible? Is it fair? Does it solve the problem? Can we settle on one option or do we need to trial several?

Broadening Perspectives

Implementation

Are there a number of steps involved? What are they? Who is responsible for each step? Is the responsibility shared fairly? What is the time frame? What is the review and evaluation process?

Broadening Perspectives

Agreements

Are there any other relevant issues that need to be addressed? Do we need agreement displayed (e.g., by handshake, show of hands, or in writing)?

We must all learn to live together as brothers or we will perish together as fools. We are tied together in the single garment of destiny, caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. And whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly.

For some strategic reason, I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be.
--Martin Luther King, Jr.