"We cannot negotiate with people who say what's mine is mine and what's yours is negotiable." – John F. Kennedy
Trust is one of the essential tools of negotiation that facilitates its process and builds relations between the involved parties. Bad negotiation isn't just the result of dragged timelines but also other factors like lack of clarity, non-practical expectations, no collaborative communication, immense competition, and trust issues. Ideally, most of these issues creep up when the goal is undefined and expectations irrational. Negotiation is a life skill that needs practice with a dollop of emotional intelligence for situations. The article below will reveal how these factors affect the soul of negotiation and what we can do about it.
Bad Negotiations- The Signs
Team negotiations that target bigger problems of corporates usually take longer to be implemented as the stakes are high and the parties' involvement is intense. Each party goes to and forth with the decisions, the alternatives, and the expectant outcome. It is obvious to take time. But if the teams get confused and wonder whose court the ball is in, that's a sign. And such signs must not be ignored. Negotiation could be complex in organizations, and it is crucial to understand every detail of the negotiation, even if it lingers for a while. In this time of technological advancement and super paced-up work standards, if a committed team is willing to master the art of negotiation, even time won't be a hindrance; rather, it would be a boon.
Bad negotiation spurs out from lack of communication between teams, not just chit-chat but also relevant points specific to the negotiation. The key is to ask the right questions, analyze the opponent's behavior, and understand their expectations. Clarify every negotiation condition with the team and check their views for feedback. Better the communication process, the better is the clarity between involved parties.
Most parties do not come with an open heart to the negotiation table. They strive to bring forth their points and expect the opponent to consider all of them while not paying heed to the opponent's conditions. That results in a bad negotiation. A win-win strategy where both teams accommodate the conditions of each other to an agreeable format leads to a successful negotiation. It also develops the morals of the individual team members and builds trust among all.
Negotiation requires the parties to do a complete research of the problems, expected outcomes, best alternative, worst agreeable outcome, opponent's intention, etc. If one is not prepared well during negotiations, it could lead to bad negotiation.
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No Documentation of Facts
Negotiation is a business process and mandates documentation of the deals and facts. When teams take negotiation lightly or do not document their discussions, it could question the authenticity of those decisions, and that ultimately is bad negotiation. Hence documentation of facts is extremely important in negotiations.
How Can We Make A Change?
To make effective negotiations, we need to follow these tips and turn the situation for the mutual benefit of the parties:
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Do Not Let Emotions Rule You
Emotions have a firm grip on negotiations, and hence it is vital to control that before the negotiation starts. If you feel stressed or anxious through the process, you cannot have crisp communication and will not be interested in expanding the network. Be a confident negotiator by channeling your feelings and using them to your benefit and get rid of bad negotiations.
Preparation is the key to efficient negotiations. Negotiation is another word for persuasion. If you haven't prepared well enough, you might be persuaded to get the outcome of the opponent team. So, to get rid of bad negotiations, think more before submitting your position and prepare well to not negotiate against yourself.
It is crucial to assess who you are and what you want in any business process. Your values become the backbone of your decisions. Understanding yourself and your stance can make you stand up for yourself when things go haywire in the process.
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Always Sort Your Best Alternative
Even if you take steps to get rid of bad negotiation habits, the negotiation may not succeed. Be ready with your best alternative or counter agreement in such a case. If you fail to sort your BATNA, you can agree to terms and conditions that may work against your favor in the future.
While dragging the process for a very long time could lead to bad negotiation, giving it no time can be equally dangerous. Exercise patience when negotiating in tough situations or if the other party is in haste with their decisions. Analyze the knits and grits of the issues for which you have considered negotiation and wait for the right time to get the best outcome.
Interaction with the opponent takes you closer to them and helps find a solution that mutually benefits both. The best way to talk to clients is to use a collaborative approach to gain the opponent's trust and assess their perspective. Effective communication happens with the right choice of words, and when you do that, you pave the way for successful negotiation.
Employ The Right Tools
The right tools for negotiation are not easy to collect as it is an intensive and complex process. Every situation demands a different set of actions. However, following the above tips could help you reduce the scope of bad negotiation. Practice and perseverance is the key to efficient negotiation. SO, how confident are you to get the desired outcome?
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