10 Guidelines For Effective Negotiation Skills

Never enter into any agreement or negotiation from a point of desperation. The moment you show how desperate you are, you disarm yourself of the bargaining power. The value of the transaction will be compromised by your appetite & apparent desire. Rather stand back, gather yourself & your thoughts & reschedule the talks. Often we place a price tag on goods based on our needs. No one desires to spend more than the real value of product or service. As african businessmen, politicians and the like we have missed the power of effective negotiation hence time, value and resources have gone to waste. Where we potentially could have reaped $millions, we have settled for a few $thousands which of course could pay a few bills and get an economy going. Question stands whether we adequately calculate and plan and prepare for negotiations, deals or agreements or we see the dotted line as the partying of the red sea, an imminent breakthrough and forget the fine print. I have watched with great interest how sudden bursts of joy at the signing of mergers between companies and political parties, even churches have turned into a series of mourning experiences as the dotted and signed document is activated. Before you can have the famous handshake to signal an agreement, consider your actions closely. Decisions you make at this point have long lasting effects on where your organization will be in the next foreseeable future. Realize that those who have entrusted you with the negotiations responsibility bank on you to make decisions in the best interest of the organization.

Here are a few negotiation guidelines

• Do some research and investigations on the other party before the meeting. Check trade references and outcomes of previous agreements the other party entered into. Use your checklist of non-negotiable to determine if you should proceed with negotiations. It may not be necessary to enter into any negotiation if the other party fails the "non-negotiable" test in advance.

10 Guidelines For Effective Negotiation Skills

• Prepare questions in advance which seek to get clarity on any clauses on documents you have previously received. Get your legal representative to look into and review contracts or agreements. Preparation entails anticipating questions and answering them before you engage. It entails presenting your best case and alternatives when called for hence it is important. There is nothing wrong in preparing for a stalemate position and how to break beyond it.

• Go into major meetings with a witness(es) or people who can help with discussion. This could be your Personal Assistant or senior Manager in your team. You may need someone who can give you hints and tips. Someone whom you can use eye contact with to determine whether you should proceed or not. Sometimes when you are alone negotiating with a panel you lose on the basis of numbers as you may have 5 active brains thinking ahead of you.

• Do not rush to make the decision - Always look at the negotiating party directly in the eye and avoid being bullied into making a decision here and now. The push must never be just to ensure the agreement is signed off without the parties taking ownership of the decisions they are making. Whenever there is a rush, it must flag within you that there could be something hidden in the agreement. Take your time. You don't have to sign instantly.

• Understand the time factor - There is always a time conducive enough for negotiations to take place. You will not negotiate effectively when you are in a hurry or when there is fatigue on either side of the negotiation table. Depending on how tense the negotiations can be, it is healthy to call for a "time out" so that you regain yourself.

• Avoid emotional bargaining - Separate your own emotions from the issue being negotiated on. When you become angry or over excited you lose your composure and negotiating power.

• Avoid attacking the person but look at the matter under negotiation - There is a tendency to address personalities at the expense of the matter under discussion or negotiation. While it is important to know the kind of person you are negotiating with, the issue on hand supersedes personalities.

• Pay attention to detail - In the event that you get documents in the meeting without prior reading, it is important to read the fine print or give a specialist within your team to scrutinize while you discuss. The fine print is usually the source of all problems in any negotiation.

• Be prepared for compromise - Before you get into a negotiation process, you should know both your best case and worst case scenarios, the benefits and demerits of each case. You should obviously start the negotiation by putting on the table your best case. As you bargain, a little bit of compromise is necessary but not to go below your worst case scenario. I have heard it said that "in a negotiation, both parties must leave feeling like they won some and lost some".

• Never make your desperation apparent to the other party - It is important to do a SWOT analysis of yourself and your team that you are going with. Once you know your strengths, you will not let someone with no deep knowledge of the current issue on the table lead the discussion. Do not expose the weaknesses you may have as the other party will ride on that making your proposal futile.

"Your ability to negotiate, communicate, influence and persuade others to do things is absolutely Indispensable to everything you accomplish in life"
Brian Tracy, American self-help author

10 Guidelines For Effective Negotiation Skills
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Rabison Shumba is a young African entrepreneur who has interests in Information and Communication Technology, Agriculture and Mining. He is also a motivational speaker, trainer and author. His book, The Greatness Manual and various online articles are tools for personal and professional development. Together with 100 other Career Experts, Rabison co-authored the 101 Great Ways to Enhance your Career. Rabison has a personal vision of impacting the lives of children in marginalized communities by creating platforms for career counsel and guidance, information empowerment and capacity building through the Greatness Factory Trust, where he currently holds the position of Chairman of the Board of Trustees and Acting Executive Director. He is actively involved in the organization of career enhancement and guidance colloquiums to propel and inspire both young and mature professionals to greatness. His areas of expertise include strategy, leadership, personal and professional development. Rabison is married to Jackie, and they have two daughters. They reside in Harare, Zimbabwe. http://www.greatnessmanual.com or http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/rshumba

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Negotiation - Planning For A Successful Outcome

In any kind of negotiation the planning stage is probably the most important. Too often we go in badly prepared and end up giving concessions that reduce the overall profitability of the final deal. The importance of planning is in having a very clear idea before entering into the negotiation i.e.

o What are my objectives?

o What does the other side wish to achieve?

Negotiation - Planning For A Successful Outcome

o What information will influence the final outcome of the negotiation?

o What concessions can I make?

o How am I going to achieve my objectives?

o What part will other people play in the negotiation?

Generally, the more time that is spent in planning and preparing for the negotiation,
the more beneficial will be the final outcome.

Objectives:

Before entering into the negotiation, you need to have a clear idea of your objectives
and try to work out those of the other side. Ask yourself the following questions:

o What exactly do I wish to achieve from this negotiation?

o Which of my objectives:

- Must I achieve?

- Do I intend to achieve?

- Would I like to achieve?

o What options or alternatives would be acceptable to me?

o What are the other sides. objectives?

o How does the other side see the negotiation?

Information:

It has often been said that information is power. In any negotiation, there will be four types of information that is important to the final outcome.

o What information do I have that the other side has also?

o What information do I have that the other side does not have?

o What information do I need to have before negotiating with the other side?

o What information does the other side need before it can negotiate with me?

This can be particularly important when negotiating with people who concentrate
on price issues.

o What other things are important to this person?

o What pressures does he have on him to conclude the deal?

o How well is his company doing at the moment?

o How important is it that he deals with my company? etc.

The early phases of negotiation consist of both sides finding out more information
before talking about a specific deal or set of alternatives. For example, if you find out
the other side has a time deadline that only your company can meet, it may give you
the chance to negotiate on more favourable price. If you know that the other side
has recently expanded their production capacity, you may be able to negotiate more
favourable terms in return for a commitment to buy certain volumes over an agreed
time period.

By spending time as part of your preparation in listing what you already know and
what you need to know, you will give yourself a better chance to negotiate well on
your company's behalf.

Concessions :

Negotiation is a process of bargaining by which agreement is reached between two
or more parties. It is rare in negotiation for agreement to be reached immediately or
for each side to have identical objectives. More often than not, agreements have to
be worked out where concessions are given and received and this is the area where
the profitability of the final outcome will be decided.

When preparing for negotiation, it is advisable to write down a realistic assessment
of how you perceive the final outcome. Find out the limits of your authority within
the negotiation and decide what you are willing and able to concede in order to
arrive at an agreement, which satisfies all parties.

Concessions have two elements; cost and value. It is possible during negotiations to
concede issues that have little cost to you but have great value to the other side. This
is the best type of concession to make. Avoid, however, conceding on issues that
have a high cost to you irrespective of their value to the other side.

When preparing for negotiations, ask yourself the following questions:

o What is the best deal I could realistically achieve in this negotiation?

o What is the likely outcome of the negotiation?

o What is the limit of my authority?

o At which point should I walk away?

o What concessions are available to me?

o What is the cost of each concession and what value does each have to either side?

Strategy:

Planning your strategy is important in negotiation. Once you know your objectives,
you need to work out how you are going to achieve them. It is also useful to try and
see the negotiation from the other side and try and work out what their strategy will
be.

During the negotiation there will be opportunities to use various tactics and you
need to decide which of these you feel comfortable with and at the same time recognise the tactics being used by the other side. Ask yourself the following questions:

o How am I going to achieve my objectives in this negotiation?

o What is the strategy of the other side likely to be?

o What tactics should I use within the negotiation?

o What tactics are the other side likely to use?

And Finally - Tasks :

If you go into negotiation with a colleague or colleagues, you need to decide during
the preparation phase:

o What role will each team member take in the negotiation?

o How can we work together in the most effective way?

Some teams of negotiators appoint team leaders, note takers, observers and
specialists, each with their own clearly defined authority and roles to perform.
Having a clear understanding of roles within the negotiation will make the team
approach much more effective.

Copyright © 2007 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved

Negotiation - Planning For A Successful Outcome
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Negotiation - Preparation

Negotiations of all types have taken on an entirely new meaning with increased competition and the economics of the buyer/vendor relationship. When negotiations do not achieve the desired outcome, it is often for lack of preparation. Have your goals, objectives, and focus clearly defined before proceeding. Have the facts, figures, proposals, and records of past performance, as well as any other pertinent data readily available.

To prepare for a negotiating session, you must first stop viewing the person across the bargaining table as an opponent and see that person as a potential partner. You must believe sincerely that this person or institution needs what you are offering as much as you want what they have. Maintain a high level of confidence in the value of what you are presenting. Once you feel at ease about the goal and the person you are to negotiate with (notice with not against), you may be better able to objectively assess the situation.

Here are several questions to ask yourself as you prepare to negotiate a new buyer/vendor relationship:

Negotiation - Preparation

• What is it I want?

• Why do I need it?

• What am I prepared to give in return?

Now, take a few moments to see yourself from the other person's perspective. Are you prepared to offer a fair deal? Are both parties benefiting? If there are obvious inequities, ask yourself where and why, and modify your approach.

Then determine the limitations of scope of your negotiating partners. What are they empowered to do on their own? How quickly and cooperatively have they acted in the past? Have they always had to "go up the ladder" before making any decision? If the answer to any of these questions is a negative, be prepared for a minor negotiating challenge.

Decide what your course of action should be. Realizing that you are facing someone who may be required to follow certain particular guidelines, find out what those limitations are. See if they are workable in your plan, and if they are, negotiate within them. If they are beyond your plan, explore what you can offer to gain leverage in obtaining some flexibility within those guidelines. Remember, the people with whom you are negotiating want to do business with you. Otherwise, they would not be there.

Personalities can play a big role in negotiating situations. If you are well acquainted with your negotiating partner, it is best to separate the person from the institution. Rely on your past performance with the institution to gain credibility in negotiating, not on a personal relationship. In vendor negotiations, there is nothing wrong with keeping things casual; often negotiation can take place over the phone rather than imposing another meeting on each other's time. Just be aware when a more formal environment is appropriate, perhaps with the participation of additional players to lend credibility and finality to the process.

Negotiation - Preparation
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President
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Three Negotiation Techniques

Add the following three negotiation techniques your arsenal.

Win-Win Solutions

When negotiating, always look for win-win solutions, and present them as such. When I was selling real estate, it was common for sellers to think that buyers wanted the lowest price they could get. The sellers often wanted the highest price, but buyers usually wanted an easy transaction, lower costs and lower payments. A seller that gives these things can get a higher price and both sides will win.

Three Negotiation Techniques

If you need to get the garage cleaned, and your son wants a new watch, you have the makings of a win-win negotiation. You might tell him, "Look, you want that watch, and I want a clean garage. Let's both get what we want okay? Clean it up today and we'll get your watch. How's that sound?"

The key to good win-win solutions in your negotiations is to find non-conflicting needs or wants. Notice how some conservation groups negotiate to stop private land development. They want the land left wild, and the owners want to get some value out of the land and still be able to use the house, ranch, etc. So the groups buy a "conservation easement," preventing development, but leaving the title with the current owners. Both sides win.

Exclude Competition

If you could exclude competition in any negotiation, you'll have a better chance of getting what you want, right? How do you do that? Start by never mentioning competition to the other side. It's possible they don't know all their options, and it's not your job to enlighten them.
At the negotiating table, be ready to confront the competition head-on, when the other side brings it up.

In the carpet cleaning business for example, an owner could politely dismiss the competition when it is brought up. He could say something like, "They're okay, if price is all that's important to you. Of course, they can't clean as deep with their machines. If you want the deepest cleaning and at a temperature that kills dust mites and other things in the carpet, you have to have a machine like ours, and fully trained technicians."

Extreme Initial Positions

Everyone knows this technique, but most are afraid to use it. A real estate investor I was talking to the other day told me,"If you aren't embarrassed by your offer, it isn't low enough." He's made millions in real estate, so I think he's worth listening to.

Many years ago I sold a car. A nice guy, after crawling under and inside the car, offered me half of what I was asking. I said no, and he left his phone number, in case I changed my mind. As he drove away, I wondered what was wrong with the car, and I was suddenly hoping I could get just a bit more than that half-price offer. My expectations had been altered quickly. Fortunately another person gave me the full asking price before I decided to pick up that phone.

There are dozens of good negotiation techniques that you can profitably use. Why not start by practicing these three?

Three Negotiation Techniques
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Copyright Steve Gillman. For more Negotiation Techniques, and other useful insider information, visit: http://www.99reports.com/negotiation-skills.html

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Just Because A Man-Woman Says They Need Space Doesn't Always Mean The Relationship Is Over

One day you meet this really fantastic person. There is strong chemistry there and so you think this is it. You immediately put yourself out there and instantly go "overboard" doing too many things to show the object of your interest and attention that you are very much in love. And when you thought it couldn't get any better, he/she says those dreaded words, "I need some space." You lose control of your thoughts and emotionally collapse and lash out. This eventually leads to an ending that is deeply disappointing.

Many men and women miss out on relationships with great potential simply because they assume "I need some space" always means the relationship is over.

"I need some space" is especially very confusing for men and women who grew up in an environment which was unstable. They easily get bothered by sudden changes and the "not knowing" what's going to happen next overwhelms, frustrates and depresses them.

Just Because A Man-Woman Says They Need Space Doesn't Always Mean The Relationship Is Over

The real tragedy here is that when you overwhelm a man or woman with your desperation, neediness and anger, you force him/her to actually think about ending the relationship. Your strong drive and determination to get attention and love is likely to get you into difficult situations because you want things going faster -- your pace, your call. What you get is men and women literally running for their lives, "It's best if we had no contact", or "Just leave me alone," or "You are too much for me".

This is why it's crucial that you understand that "I need some space" doesn't always mean I am no longer attracted to you or the relationship is over. Sometimes when a person says "I need some space" all they are saying to you is that, at this time, the value of what you are offering does not justify me taking a risk or investing more than I already have. Many men and women hesitate because they fear that they might be making the wrong decision and will regret it later.

If he/she asks for his/her "own space" don't automatically assume this is a pre-breakup situation.

1. Give him/her the "space" he he/she needs. This is his/her opportunity to come face to face with his/her feelings for you, don't get in his/her way. This may even be a chance for both of you to reassess what you have and work on what you might have in the future.

2. Ask him/her what possible compromises he/she is willing to make (may be meet once a week, weekends only, every other week? etc.) then give him/her the space he/she needs. If he/she refuses to compromise, then you know for certain that they're looking for ways to end the relationship. A person's body language will tell you more about their particular state of mind.

3. If he/she is willing to make some compromises don't force him or her to pay more attention to you than he/she is willing to. Repeated attempts to get back a man or woman who is "scared" for his/her life is completely useless. Only a significant space of time and a new type of approach will have any effect on someone whose guard is already up and whose sensitivity is razor-sharp.

4. It is important that you understand that giving him/her space does not mean you don't have anything to do with him/her. On the contrary, maintain your contact with him/her, but make the "contact moments" work to your advantage.

The most effective way to do this is employ a little playful resistance or what we commonly know as playing hard-to-get. Keep in mind that not all playing hard-to-get rules and actions are designed to make someone fall in love with you. Many of the popularly promoted playing hard-to-get "techniques" out there actually drive someone away instead of make them want you more.

The best kind of playing hard-to-get is one that creates more love than resistance. Using a little bit of playful resistance, you can create a "FRIENDLY SPACE" for fair negotiation, easily eliminate a man or woman's reservations about the relationship and concerns about making a long-term commitment and motivate him/her to take the action of risk and to want to invest more in you and the relationship.

When you understand this very engaging and bonding game, you can turn the "I need some space" into a "Let's try it again" or even "This is what I want!" Simply saying it to them is not enough, they need to SEE by your actions that you really understand what they want in a relationship.

Just Because A Man-Woman Says They Need Space Doesn't Always Mean The Relationship Is Over
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Christine Akiteng is an internationally renowned Sexual Confidence/Dating Coach and author of e-Books: The Art Of Seducing Out Of Fullness, Breaking A Bad Relationships Pattern, and Playing Hard-To-Get The Love Way.

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Styles Of Negotiation

Our style of negotiation will be influenced by the style of the other party. If both
sides are adversarial; there will be little trust between the two parties, however, if
one side decides to be co-operative, there is a danger the other side will use this
apparent sign of weakness to their advantage.

Co-operative bargaining has the advantage of being a more efficient style of
negotiation, however certain rules have to be followed by both parties for it to
work. Let us look at the two styles of bargaining and their features:

Features Of Adversarial Bargaining:

Styles Of Negotiation

o Each side takes up a position and defends it.

o Opening bids are set at unrealistic levels; too high or too low, in order to give

room for manoeuvre.

o Movement is small or non-existent until later on in the negotiation.

o Tactics are used to gain short term advantage.

o Too much emphasis is placed on trust. .This really is my best price!

o Information is withheld, or misrepresented.

o The outcome is often "win-lose", or "lose-lose".

o The more aggressive negotiator usually does best.

o This style does not encourage long term, mutually beneficial relationships.

o Neither side asks enough questions, or explores alternatives in sufficient depth.

Features Of Co-Operative Bargaining:

o Each side recognizes that the other has needs and feelings and accepts implicit rules.

o Objective measures are taken of what is fair and reasonable.

o Trust is not an issue as either side is willing to share information.

o This style is friendly, but not soft. There is a willingness to trade concessions.

o There is a clear, communicable strategy.

o Bad behavior is punished.

o This style involves creative problem solving.

o It encourages long term, mutually profitable relationships.

o Each side asks more questions and explores alternatives, rather than taking up fixed positions.

o The usual outcome is "win-win".

Copyright © 2007 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved

Styles Of Negotiation
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Jonathan Farrington is the Managing Partner of The jfa Group. To find out more about the author, subscribe to his newsletter for dedicated business professionals or to read his weekly blog, visit: http://www.jonathanfarrington.com

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Cultural Differences Between East and West in the Cross-Cultural Business Negotiations

Culture mainly includes four aspects which greatly influence the cross-cultural business negotiation, they are: language and non-language behaviors, customs, way of thinking and values.

First of all is the difference in language and non-language behaviors. Chinese people are particular about etiquette since the ancient times. Take Chinese and Americans for example, when hearing about others' praise, Chinese people usually use self-depreciatory expression to show their modest. Chinese people are sure to use appellations in conversations. Americans stress equality. The younger generation can call the elder or boss directly by his or her name. To others' praise, Americans will be grateful and accept it. There is also a big difference in non-language behaviors. For example, the behavior of gazing at someone, Chinese people use it to show curiosity or surprise while Americans think it is impolite.

Second is the difference in the customs. Customs mainly include some social activities. Chinese people care much of their face in daily life and work, they care much about their images in other people' eyes and are afraid of being laughed at, discussed and misunderstood. Americans are much more practical, they don't care much about what others think about them, they don't ask about others' age, earnings, marriage which they think is invading others' privacy when they are associating with others. Americans like to express their idea directly while Chinese people choose a more tactful way and so on.

Cultural Differences Between East and West in the Cross-Cultural Business Negotiations

The third difference is in the way of thinking. The difference was embodied in the opposite of the overall thinking and individual thinking. Chinese culture lays particular emphasis on overall thinking which is to observe and think about things on the earth in an overall view, to analyze problems from the whole part, to attach importance on the overall function, complicated relationship and operating process of things, not the internal structure of things. Americans lay particular emphasis on individual thinking which split a complex thing into simple essential factors, then study one by one.

Forth, they work differently in values. The differences in values between east and west lie in the opposite of collectivism and individualism. The core of Chinese people' value is collectivism which thinks that harmonious relationship between people is the foundation of the society. So, Chinese people constantly hold the view of peacefulness is prized and pay special attention to some specially designated group's interests or value. The core of western culture values is individualism, which is the philosophy of individual is most important. The main content of individualism is to believe in the value of individuals, pay much importance to self-freedom and emphasize individual self-control and self-development.

Cultural Differences Between East and West in the Cross-Cultural Business Negotiations
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Doing Business in China: Business Lunch, Gift Giving and Negotiation Etiquette

Business lunches and negotiations are obligatory events and nobody denies or calls it in question. What is always necessary to know? What are the basic requirements? At business lunches, seating follows a strict business protocol. That is to say, you cannot just come and take any seat you want. The rule is the following here: the most honorable guest or the head of the negotiations is likely to be seated facing the door. Furthermore, at a business lunch you should never get down to business right away.

That means that you should start with common questions and find common ground with the negotiations participants and then everyone will automatically pass into business talks after a while. During a business lunch, a toast is proposed, first of all by the host and only after that you propose your toast. It is very important to remember. Another rule is "the rule of both hands": always accept and take everything with both hands. That is important, polite and delicate. Now we will be talking about business cards where "the rule of both hands" will be also mentioned. That is what I briefly wanted to say about business lunches.

Gift giving

Doing Business in China: Business Lunch, Gift Giving and Negotiation Etiquette

Small gifts are always appreciated everywhere but in China there are certain rules which specify what kind of gifts may be given and what ones you should not give. These rules are described in a separate range of issues. One thing you always need to keep in mind is that you should not give a clock or a watch as a gift to the Chinese as it would signify the cutting of relationship. Moreover, do not expect your business partner to open your gift immediately for the Chinese never do it in anybody's presence. They are not in European habit of showing what is given them as a gift. Why is it so? Firstly, because a Chinese does not want to be an offense to your feelings and give you any reason to think that your gift is cheap. And secondly, a Chinese does not want to show his emotions as they are hidden. This is what I briefly wanted to say about gift giving.

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Critical Negotiation Skills For Dealing With Complex Negotiations

Do you find yourself in a position where it is difficult for you to make sense of all the issues & interests of the many parties that are involved in a negotiation?

This is a common challenge. Much has been written about how to deal with complex negotiation situations - unfortunately most of it is generically focused and does not address the needs of business negotiators.

The field of business-to-business negotiation can be very complex indeed, and without a navigational tool to assist you in managing this complexity, you could miss opportunities and cost yourself and your organisation dearly.

Critical Negotiation Skills For Dealing With Complex Negotiations

The key to unlocking optimal value from your complex negotiation situations is for you to identify and understand the interests of all the parties impacted by or participating in the negotiation. In some cases, it can be easy for you to understand both the positions & interests of stakeholders in the negotiation. In most cases, however, it is not only difficult for you to identify the interests of stakeholders; it is also difficult for you to identify all the stakeholders.

What then are the most critical strategies and skills you need to successfully deal with complex, multi-party negotiations?

1. Identify all the stakeholders in the negotiation.

This may be stating the obvious but in practice, it can be difficult for you to spot and track all the stakeholders in a negotiation. In a business environment, you should at minimum try to identify the following stakeholders:

a. The financial stakeholders

These are the individuals or groups that will finance, underwrite or lend authorisation to conclude an agreement based on the financial terms proposed. It is key that you identify all potential individuals that may have an interest in the financial aspects of the negotiation.

b. The user/consumer stakeholders

These are the individuals or groups that will implement and support the outcome of the agreement that is reached. Typically these are the stakeholders that will live and work with the outcome of the negotiations on a day to day basis.

c. The technical & legal stakeholders

These are the individuals or groups that will sign off and approve the technical and contractual dimensions of the negotiations.

d. Guides/Gurus & other Influences

These are the individuals or groups that hold significant influence over the decision makers involved in the negotiation.

2. Identify the interests of each stakeholder in the negotiation

There are basically two ways for you to identify an individual or group's interest in a negotiation. The first way is to put yourself in that individual or group's position and to try and see things from his/her/their perspective. What supporting data would you require? What precedents would apply? What assumptions can you make, and test?

The second way is to ask the individual or group a series of questions to help you (and them) to accurately identify their key interests. The best question to ask is "Why?" "Why is this negotiation important to you? Why are you assuming this position? Why is this option being explored?"

3. Create a frame that is appropriate for each stakeholder.

Once you have identified the interests of each stakeholder, you should now create the appropriate frame. Different people take decisions for different reasons. It is not appropriate to highlight the same points to support decision making to all stakeholders. You should focus on communicating the most appropriate frame to each stakeholder or potential stakeholder.

A decision, or part of a decision, can be significantly impacted by the frame that you create for the stakeholder.

4. Create an effective management structure for the negotiation

It is of critical importance to think about how you will manage the various stakeholders in the negotiation. In complex transactions, you will need various resources to support the negotiations. It is critical that you identify a clear role for each participant and that you create an environment within which you present your counterparts with a consistent message.

If your counterparties experiences you and your team to be rational, the odds are greatly enhanced that they will also respond to you in a rational fashion.

You can only present a unified and rational 'front' if you have considered the roles & responsibilities within your negotiation team.

Split the focus in the team between those that will manage the relationship aspects, and those that will manage or be involved in the task related activities. Remember to create an agenda that addresses the interests of all potential stakeholders.

A successful way for you to simplify complex negotiations is to add structure.

You need to focus on the process elements to ensure that you make progress at every level of the negotiation. You will find that complexity can be more easily managed with the use of an appropriate supporting structure.

Critical Negotiation Skills For Dealing With Complex Negotiations
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Jan Potgieter is the Founder & Managing Director of Business Negotiation Solutions Limited. To sign up for a free 5 day negotiation skills training e-course go to http://www.negotiationeurope.com

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Negotiation - Understanding Your Sources Of Power

One of the main differences between negotiators is how confident they feel when
negotiating. Typically, the more confident we feel, and the better we are prepared,
the more successful will be the outcome of our negotiations.

Personal power comes from many sources. To build up and increase our confidence
as negotiators we need to step back and analyse the sources of our personal power
and compare them with those of the people with whom we are negotiating.

Power is not absolute. In most negotiating relationships the power balance moves
with time as the negotiation progresses.

Negotiation - Understanding Your Sources Of Power

Here are just a few examples of sources of power:

Information Power:

Information power comes from having knowledge that will influence the outcome of
the negotiation. Planning and research can increase our information power, as can
asking the right questions before we reach the bargaining phase of the negotiation.

Reward Power:

Reward power comes from having the ability to reward the other party in the
negotiation. It could be the power a buyer has to place an order for goods and
services or the power a salesperson has to give good service and solve problems

Coercive Power:

Coercive power is the power to punish. This is seen most commonly in the buyer-
seller relationship, but can be a feature of other types of negotiation.

Situation Power:

Situation power is the power that comes from being in the right place at the right
time. A customer is desperate to place an order and you are the only source of
supply in the short term. Having an effective network and keeping in touch with
what is happening can increase your situation power.

Expertise Power:

Expertise power comes from having a particular skill which you can apply and which
can influence the outcome of the negotiation. Improving negotiation skills helps you
win better deals. Other areas of expertise could also help the outcome of the
negotiation.

And Finally - Referent Power:

Referent power comes from being consistent over time. If people see you as having a clear, consistent strategy as a negotiator, you will increase your referent power.
Having standards that you stick to and being consistent will help to increase your
referent power. In the eighties, Margaret Thatcher wasn't universally popular, but
was respected by many for being consistent in her views and behaviour. In the end
she failed because her approach was too rigid and she was unable to adapt to
changing circumstances.

Copyright © 2007 Jonathan Farrington. All rights reserved

Negotiation - Understanding Your Sources Of Power
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Jonathan Farrington is the Managing Partner of The jfa Group. To find out more about the author, subscribe to his newsletter for dedicated business professionals or to read his weekly blog, visit: http://www.jonathanfarrington.com

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