Having successfully negotiated many hundreds of contracts over
more than the last three decades, I have often observed numerous
negotiating techniques and philosophies. Perhaps the poorest model has
always been the negotiator who overly exaggerates what he will deliver,
and makes often outlandish demands of his adversary. While there are
many reasons that behavior occurs, including lack of integrity, lack of
expertise, character flaw, etc., the result is almost invariably an
unsuccessful and unsatisfying negotiation. Successful professional
negotiators understand and realize that negotiating using deceit may
create initial positive results, but, over the course of the agreement,
generally backfires. True negotiations professionals emphasize the
development of a mutually beneficial relationship, based on trust,
integrity, and solid business sense.
1. Since I have also spent the same period of time training and consulting to well over a thousand leaders, I have observed how little attention most organizations spend to the negotiating process. The reality is that negotiations are the second most neglected detail omitted by most in leadership, but perhaps nothing so essentially impacts an organization as the skill and results of their negotiations. Organizations and corporations must realize that effective negotiating is an acquired skill, and that many individuals can never become good negotiators. It takes a certain mindset, which includes a commitment to doing lots of homework, and truly understanding both needs, and what to ask for, as well as what the other side needs. A professional negotiator always approaches the art of negotiations as a relationship skill, which only strives optimally when approached on a win- win perspective.
2. Why is mutual trust and respect so essential for negotiating successfully? Firstly, when both sides communicate honestly and above board, it saves an enormous amount of time, and lets the negotiations concentrate on the main or core issues, and priorities. No one will win if both sides cannot walk away from the process feeling they got a fair and reasonable deal. Unprofessional negotiators, who make absurd demands, either end up sabotaging the talks, or eventually, the side that feels it was deceived and treated unfairly, finds some way to settle the score. In addition, professional negotiators today already are armed with a large majority of the facts and data, because of the shared nature of negotiations, especially in certain industries, in today's technological world. For example, when one negotiates with a hotel, it is important to realize that hotels share information in terms of the historical data that actually occurred. When a negotiator, then, makes claims that are unsupportable by the facts as the data points out, his credibility is suspect, and the ability to get meaningful concessions and agreements is often destroyed.
Most organizations, unless they employ a truly professional negotiator in- house (which in most cases, only the largest organizations, even if they do, have), are better served by utilizing the skilled services of a professional. However, they should beware, that like in most things, all negotiators are not created equal!
1. Since I have also spent the same period of time training and consulting to well over a thousand leaders, I have observed how little attention most organizations spend to the negotiating process. The reality is that negotiations are the second most neglected detail omitted by most in leadership, but perhaps nothing so essentially impacts an organization as the skill and results of their negotiations. Organizations and corporations must realize that effective negotiating is an acquired skill, and that many individuals can never become good negotiators. It takes a certain mindset, which includes a commitment to doing lots of homework, and truly understanding both needs, and what to ask for, as well as what the other side needs. A professional negotiator always approaches the art of negotiations as a relationship skill, which only strives optimally when approached on a win- win perspective.
2. Why is mutual trust and respect so essential for negotiating successfully? Firstly, when both sides communicate honestly and above board, it saves an enormous amount of time, and lets the negotiations concentrate on the main or core issues, and priorities. No one will win if both sides cannot walk away from the process feeling they got a fair and reasonable deal. Unprofessional negotiators, who make absurd demands, either end up sabotaging the talks, or eventually, the side that feels it was deceived and treated unfairly, finds some way to settle the score. In addition, professional negotiators today already are armed with a large majority of the facts and data, because of the shared nature of negotiations, especially in certain industries, in today's technological world. For example, when one negotiates with a hotel, it is important to realize that hotels share information in terms of the historical data that actually occurred. When a negotiator, then, makes claims that are unsupportable by the facts as the data points out, his credibility is suspect, and the ability to get meaningful concessions and agreements is often destroyed.
Most organizations, unless they employ a truly professional negotiator in- house (which in most cases, only the largest organizations, even if they do, have), are better served by utilizing the skilled services of a professional. However, they should beware, that like in most things, all negotiators are not created equal!
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