Effective Negotiation Strategies and Techniques

Barriers to Negotiation

Negotiating is not easy. In addition, there are a number of factors that directly influence the negotiation, preventing it from being successful. The main barriers are:

• Lack of practice: In this case, initial preparation and, above all, listening play an important role. When not used to negotiating, important aspects that will decide the course of the negotiation are often neglected.
• Lack of analysis of all possible alternatives.
• Fast concessions: It is better to listen and take time to assess.
• Lack of strategy, and the other party taking advantage.
• Missing definition of the field of negotiation: It must be determined what you want to achieve and where you are willing to concede.
• Insecurity: If you notice, the other party may use it in their favor.
• Lack of recognition of limitations: Everyone should be aware of their strengths and weaknesses.

Proceedings Before a Deadlock

• Defer the issue and move to another problem.
• Request the intervention of a moderator with prestige.
• Bring together those responsible at a higher level.
• Initiate informal conversations in a different, more relaxed mood.
• Introduce changes in the negotiating team.

Negotiation Strategy

The analysis allows us to predict the actions that will provide security in the negotiation process and the rules to respond to a given situation.

Negotiation Stances

• I win - You lose: Where a party takes a position of submission, causing great dissatisfaction by the ceding party, and often results in future conflicts.
• I lose - You win: This is based on a small loss in the short term for profit in the future.
• I lose - You lose: This is the result where neither of the two sides has been heard or both have shown completely rigid positions.
• I win - You win: Where agreement is sought based on dialogue and the pursuit of common interests.

Phases of the Negotiation Process

Planning

This is preliminary to the commencement of actual negotiations, where the parties must begin preparations for them:

• Knowing the opponent.
• Discover the strengths and weaknesses of both your own and the opposing party.
• Choose the most suitable strategy.
• Define the concessions we are willing to make.
• Find all possible alternatives.
• Test our negotiating position.

Thick Negotiation

At the beginning of the negotiation, we must not forget that the first moments must be tentative and for information searching:

• Knowing the positions of the other party.
• Identify problems.
• Make a forecast.
• Find possible solutions to problems.

Fine Negotiation

This is the phase of the little details that determine whether or not an agreement is reached between the parties involved, and it is not effective if the following is not done:

• Analyze all the details so that the objectives of the parties may agree.
• Review by lawyers of both parties, if necessary.
• Negotiate the most difficult points.
• Do not pressure.
• Agree preliminarily.

How to Take Advantage

• Make initial requests beneficial.
• Dose concessions.
• It is important to increase the value of our concessions.
• When a refusal is expected, keep firm to maintain credibility.
• Be generous at the end.

Closing

The negotiation enters its final stretch when the exchange of concessions begins:

• Protective clauses.
• Procedures for resolving conflicts.
• Specification.
• Make the agreement public.