Negotiating

Most of your activities as managers involve negotiating. If you're a skilled manager you're probably a skilled negotiator. Successful negotiation is where you get what you want, and the other party is happy with what he gets, where the result is, "I win, you win". This is certainly true of the variety of negotiations, that you carry on every day with your colleagues, your boss, your subordinates. Losers are not the easiest people to have to go on working with. A better deal is always possible for both parties if both approach the negotiations as a cooperative enterprise.

There are, of course, many people who would be quite glad to have you as a loser. So plan your strategy carefully.

• Decide first of all what you want to get from the negotiations.

• What is the best result you could hope for?

• What is the best result you could realistically expect?

• What is the minimum you accept?

• Of the different points at issue, which are the most important to you? Which are the most important to the other party?

• What are your strengths and weaknesses? What are theirs?

• How can you strengthen your position and weaken theirs - before the negotiations begin?

• What information do you need? Where can you get it?

There are a number of factors that affect the negotiating process. Your attitude is one. The higher your aspirations, the better your results. The more committed and determined you are, the better you will perform. The attitude of the other party is important too. It's up to you to alter his expectations, to encourage him to be satisfied with the less than he originally hoped for.

At the centre of all negotiating is the question of power - and it comes from a variety of sources.

• It comes from knowledge - the more you know about the other party. The more power you will have.

• It comes from time - the more time you have to negotiate. The more power you have to negotiate with.

• But most of all power is in the mind.

All of these factors - attitudes, personal needs, sources of power - should be considered before you sit down at the negotiating table.

When the negotiations actually begin, it's often a good tactic to start off with a firm demand. Don't bargain unless you have to. This approach needs to be taken carefully. Present it in a way that doesn't rouse hostility. There are a variety of ways of doing this.

• You can refer to the policy of your company. Your company has always done things this way.

• You can refer to regulations, to your published price lists. And allow him to save face - give him time to express his views.

Negotiation, however, usually involves making concessions. But before you start making concessions, find out what the other party wants. Don't let him know what you'll be satisfied with, until you've found out what he'll be satisfied with. Encourage him to present all his demands first, and try not to reveal your own. Then try to secure his agreement to each of your demands, starting with the most important. Don't give concessions easily. The longer you hold out, the more likely you are to get something in exchange.

Don't be afraid of reaching a deadlock. Be prepared to stop the negotiations and to start again. A deadlock can be a useful tactic, but if you decide it's up to you to get the negotiations going again, do it in a way that doesn't reduce your credibility. Say that you want to consult your boss, then come back and say that your boss has suggested a different approach. Or suggest that you both approach the problem from a different angle, and get his agreement that you both do this, so that he sees this as a joint effort to get this moving , rather than a concession on your part.

Throughout the negotiations, try to keep the relationship friendly. It's easier to get agreement you want when the other party is well-disposed towards you. Negotiation is about rational choices and logical decisions, but it helps if he likes you. Maintain your integrity. You may often hide things from the other party, and you may allow him to from wrong impressions, but it's essential that trust is maintained.

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AT THE NEGOTIATING TABLE

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