In the modern world, the ability is becoming increasingly valid and correctly conducting business negotiations. This skill is particularly important for those who build their own business, for managers of companies, managers and top managers. However, business negotiations imply under them not only high-level meetings, where strategic decisions are made on the interaction and development of the business. Technically, this sphere includes any communication of any representatives of the company during working hours and on the work.
Peculiarities
Under business negotiations, they usually imply a special form of business communication aimed at ensuring that during joint communication, the exchange of views and suggestions to come to a certain agreement. Ideally, the ultimate goal is to achieve mutual or one-sided benefit. There may be many reasons, but they all are reduced to four main types.
Negotiations can be carried out on anything, with any circumstances, to be treated for achieving a certain goal or to be limited to a solution to several topical issues. Obviously, What is the global reason, the greater the costs will be required for successful implementation.
There are several basic classifications of business negotiations.
- By the nature of the case They are divided into official - passing in a strict environment and to be documented according to the protocol, or unofficial, passing in an informal, semi-grade atmosphere.
- In the circle of involved persons There are internal and external subspecies. The internal is underway within one team, and it can be discussed both organizational and interpersonal issues, distinction of functions and planning and general development strategies. External negotiations are conducted with customers, customers or business partners.
- Type of negotiations Determined by the social status of the parties. Equally called negotiations between partners and colleagues occupying about the same position. Communication of the chief with subordinates or people of different levels is unequal.
Methodology
Negotiating is a complex and multistage process that requires considerable knowledge and costs. One of the most difficult stages, often determining the outcome of the negotiations long before they started, is preparation. It is at this stage that it is necessary to determine the objectives and choose a strategy, place and time. Also, this is a wonderful chance to collect and process information, and at the same time we melt.
For clarity and better systematization, the plan is recommended to visualize on paper or electronic media.
Starting with a clear and unequivocal setting of the goal of negotiations. Further, the goal is better to split consecutive tasks and determine the strategy, tactics and methods of their achievement. When analyzing, not only all the well-known information about the opponent, its estimated goals and ways of their achievement, but also their own resources should be taken into account. Thinking over the argument, it is better to try to predict and the possible partner's reaction, Think on how to convince it which to provide facts and guarantees.
If the confrontational style of negotiations is not used, targeting the target achievement at any cost, will be reasonable to force the points of possible compromises in advance. As a rule, mutual concessions play a big role in the partner negotiations, at least minor steps towards each other. Should be proceeding from understanding that The other side is also interested in achieving a mutual agreement, and therefore the agreement is initially possible.
It is recommended to highlight three rubles of positions. The starts, from which the bargaining begins, usually lightly overestimated. Optimal - those on which, in fact, were focused when drawing up a plan. The minimum expectations are the Planck, with the intersection of which further negotiations are already losing any meaning.
An important factor is the choice of place for negotiations. The interior design, the colors, the size of the room and even the distance to the place of the meeting have psychological influence on a person who successfully enjoy experienced negotiation masters. There are three possible options: a meeting on its territory, on the territory of the opponent and on neutral. Each has its pros and cons, focusing on which you can vary the style of behavior and methods to achieve results.
- If the meeting happens on its territory The negotiator or the team feel the subconscious psychological advantage at the expense of a familiar reliable environment. It is also possible to organize space for itself, initially imposing its own procedure for an opponent. However, excessive relaxation can play a negative role, weakening the attention and concentration.
- Alien Territory Based on the foregoing, an opponent is equally playing. In addition, the cost of time and strength will require the road to the place of holding and location there. But, on the other hand, such a situation gives a number of bonuses. It is possible, for example, to make a psychological portrait of the opponent based on its interior, non-verbal decision. You can also more clearly, not distracted, focus on the negotiations, or even, if necessary, hold "forgotten" documents and win time.
- Meeting at neutral territory Considered by many specialists as the optimal option. The parties are in an equal position, which corresponds to the basic requirement of the principle of justice. Such a solution leads to the fact that partners can rely exclusively on their skill of negotiation.
Styles
When conducting business negotiations, two main approaches are allocated: confrontational and affiliate. The choice of strategy directly affects the course and style of communication, determines the relationship between the parties and sets the rules for all communication. The main distinctive characteristic is the receipt of one-sided or mutual benefit.
In modern business etikh, the most popular is an affiliate approach, although there is a lot of supporters from an alternative version. Opponents of confrontational style believe its methods are too aggressive and immoral, Supporters are positioned by true masters of communication and include any compromises and concessions to the category of sentimental weaknesses unnecessary for a business person.
- Confrontational style Negotiation is based on the thesis "Victory at any cost! " The main criterion for the success of negotiations is the unquestionless and absolute statement of all its own requirements, any concessions and retreats are considered as a failure strategy. A confrontational approach is based on that with certain skills and knowledge of human psychology, an opponent can be inclined to any favorable conditions for itself.
- Affiliate approach It appeared in counterweight confrontational and positions itself as a democratic and modern. The concept of partnerships, laid down in terms, implies equal rights of the parties to obtain benefits from the transaction. As a rule, such negotiations are built on a series of mutual concessions in order to achieve a mutually beneficial compromise. It is assumed that both parties make one thing and have a similar purpose in negotiations. Therefore, the task of the master is the smoothing of sharp corners and contradictions, the combination of the interests of all sides to the overall denominator and the search for the golden middle satisfying everyone.
Etiquette
As is known, any etiquette is a subsection of ethics, and therefore it is obvious that both the business etiquette should be based on the basic norms of morality and morality.
It should be remembered that, even despite the possible misconception of interests or open conflicts, each participant in negotiations is a person, which means that he deserves polite treatment, respect and tolerant relations.
An acute ethical problem in business communication is also the question of personal decency and responsibility of each, and at the overall level - honest and fair passage of all stages of dialogue. The formulation of controversial points helps the existence of a business protocol governing all the rules of behavior and communication from the ideas and dating and ending with telephone calls and the exchange of gifts.
During the years of the existence of business etiquette, it was possible to form a clear and ordered structure of negotiations. Starting with formal greetings. The first to take representatives of the host party. As a rule, the receiving party is considered to be the negotiations on whose territory, if the neutral place is chosen, the party is considered to be the initiator of the Assembly. She is engaged in seating the participants according to the protocol.
Start meeting right with the essence of the case is considered impolite . The true art of negotiations is to move to the question gradually, from common unofficial phrases and topics. Such an approach will help to locate the interlocutors to themselves and express their respect and interest in them.
To formulate your speech is clear and clear, not allowing ambiguousness and shortness, do not distort the facts and do not promise more than it is capable of offering.
Does not paint the negotiators and the desire to put pressure on the interlocutor, to force it to take the right decision. Direct questions should be avoided that require immediate solution. A more efficient and ethical tactic is to give an enemy time on reflections and analysis.
An important factor is the appearance of partners. If another is not agreed, the style of clothing is supposed to be the official - suit and tie in unreasurable colors. A bad tone is considered to remove the jacket or weaken the tie knot - at least before it is offered to make the head of the host.
Subtleties of behavior
In the era of globalization, the Internet and rapid ways to move, business connections with other countries and peoples become more common. Despite the universal desire for tolerance and the formation of the general, World Business Protocol, the national and cultural traditions of other nations should be respected. Some behavioral patterns are similar, but there are also serious differences, sometimes impellent communication. For example, for Europeans it is difficult to understand the subtleties of Japanese etiquette and, in particular, a Japanese polite failure, sounding like care from a direct response.
Therefore, before entering negotiations, it is desirable to explore the main features of the mentality of the other party.
However, The art of negotiations in principle is based on the ability to understand and feel the nuances of the psychology and the state of the interlocutor . Each conversation is unique and develops according to its own original scenario. It is not enough just to put the goal and reach it. At the end, it is necessary to carry out a detailed analysis of what happened, to understand what worked, and what no, what mistakes were made, and what helped come to a compromise.
An experienced master is distinguished by the ability not only to follow the protocol and achieve the goal, but also to differentiate the types of negotiations and act according to them.
However, the final, final point is not an agreement and the signing of the transaction, and its qualitative and timely execution. Often this last, the final stage of negotiations is undeservedly deprived of attention. You should not forget that this is how the businesswoman or company is being formed, and this is the most immeasurable, but a significant value that will invariably affect all subsequent negotiations and transactions.
Reputation is formed and in the very process of communication, providing both an additional positive and the opposite, in case of disrespect for the interlocutor or violation of the protocol, influence.
Strategy
For productive negotiations, it is necessary to determine the preferred strategy. Specialists allocate three main strategies suitable for certain conditions. The choice depends on the correct and objective assessment of both your own positions and opportunities and other dialogue participants. However, with a certain negotiation skill, any strategy may lead to a successful completion of the transaction.
Thorough analysis should be subjected to primarily such parameters as a psychological portrait of the interlocutors, the level of their culture and the standards of communication and interaction among them. You should also consider the format of the meetings and the amount of goals and tasks.
- The first strategy is known for its aggressiveness and rectineality. , no wonder her is still called the tactics of "primitive" or "market" negotiations. The main lever of the impact in this case is the personal charisma of a businessman interested only to benefit at any cost. Prospects for further cooperation, maintaining a positive image, mutual confidence and comfort of the transaction participants do not go. Often there are rather axes of manipulation based on assertion, actively imposing and often deception. Examples of similar disposable transactions are colorfully described in the stories of the first American businessmen of the Times of Golden Fever.
- The second strategy is an intermediate link between the chaotic unregulated and civilized market. Its essence lies in constant balancing between rigid and soft pressure methods on partners. The strategy is quite dangerous and is mainly used in situations of a tough competition for resources and markets, when there is no time and opportunities for long discussion. On such methods, almost the entire illegal market is held from major mafia and organized crime and ending with blackmail and extortion.
- Strategy of a civilized market It is considered the most progressive and constructive. Its methods are aimed at creating long mutually beneficial relations with partners. The conversation in such conditions does not always involve the equality of partners, but necessarily implies the highest possible accountability of the interests of the parties.
Depending on the selected strategy, the tactics of negotiation tactics should also be varied. Tactics differ in the combination of used methods and technologies aimed at successfully passing all the stages of the process. The most famous tactical techniques are considered to be expectation, a rigid offensive, regular repetition of requirements, refinement of positions, partial concessions and dodging a direct response.
About what phrases are forbidden to use in business negotiations you can learn from the following video.