Negotiation Information

Negotiate to Your Advantage


The hardest and most important part of any negotiation is knowing when to walk away.

Few things are sweeter than a successful negotiation session where both parties leave the table with a winning solution. That's because the stakes are high: Negotiate too hard and you lose the deal; be too timid and you may not get what you want.

The three most important concerns in any negotiation are the relationship, the risk, and the value--the real decision criteria underlying any future business transactions. So whether you're negotiating a salary increase with your board or a contract with a vendor, before beginning the process it's critical for you to cross three essential mental bridges:

1. Clarify the relationship. "What is the current real and perceived business and personal relationship, and what is its true value to my credit union's future?" Far too often people hold on to the past not realizing that they need to let go to be free to reach out for something better.

Carefully consider what could be lost in this negotiation, but also what new doors may open should there be successful negotiation. Too many business leaders continue with existing relationships beyond their prime simply because it's easier and more comfortable than striking out to develop a new relationship that better suits their organization's future.

2. Clearly structure the outcome both parties desire. Very often, people enter a negotiation with the drive to win, but they never commit to paper beforehand precisely what that means. Yes, they have a general idea (to place the contract at the best price or cost); however, they haven't defined the optimal combination of price/cost and all other terms that reflect both parties' best long-term interests.

Identify what it will take for all parties to believe they've been treated fairly. Outlining what each party should view as a "great deal" often leads to the optimum win-win agreement. After all, negotiating is merely a more formalized variation of common marketplace bartering. It's all about give and take and each party's perceptions of value. You offer. They counter. You respond. And so it goes.

3. Determine your walk-away point. The hardest and most important part of any negotiation is knowing when to walk away. Decide when you'll walk away from the deal before the negotiation process, because it's difficult to identify it in the heat of the negotiation.

It's important to approach your walk away point calmly, as negotiators truly need to understand what each side requires to make it a "great win-win" agreement. Then, if the other side becomes unreasonable and prevents your desired outcome from happening, weigh the predetermined value you placed on the relationship as well as ask the question, "Do we really have a mutual relationship or merely one party taking undue advantage of the other?"

Once you've laid out the previous three steps you can begin negotiation, realizing that at times the process requires the patience and confidence to be still. For example, if the other party precipitates a long silence then wait, say nothing, and let the other party break the silence.

While it's important to hold out firmly for your high priority/risk issues, holding out for a lost cause isn't in your best interest. Know when to give in on a point. If it's not a walk away issue, then concede and negotiate onward. Most important, realize when you're approaching the walk away point. That will help you try and steer the negotiations away from falling unnecessarily into a downward spiral, where relationships deteriorate and from which it's often impossible to recover.

Copyright 2005 by John Di Frances.

John Di Frances is an internationally recognized organizational legacy expert and motivational speaker. http://www.difrances.com


MORE RESOURCES:

Boston Globe

Citi Ends Negotiation with Wells Fargo on Wachovia Transaction
WELT ONLINE, Germany - Oct 9, 2008
Citi announced today that it had reached no agreement with Wells Fargo following several days of discussions about matters related to Wachovia. ...
Citi ends negotiation with Wells Fargo on Wachovia The Daily Deal (subscription)
Half-Time Lessons From the Battle for Wachovia New York Times Blogs
Fed works toward an agreement on Wachovia The Associated Press
Bloomberg - Winston-Salem Journal
all 3,325 news articles


Preconditions do not work; try 'preparations'
The Free Lance-Star, VA - 12 hours ago
But the negotiation itself, which may lead to a mutually acceptable treaty, always includes compromises by each side. Therefore, it is illogical to torpedo ...


Rudd to use surplus to battle slump
The Australian, Australia - 3 hours ago
Mr Rudd said yesterday the financial crisis meant he was facing a more difficult negotiation with the states over the funding deals. ...


Nearly As Far-Fetched As The Maverick Lie -- Negotiation Preconditions
Huffington Post, NY - Oct 6, 2008
First, it's either naive or a fabrication when McCain suggests Obama will suddenly pop up at a negotiation with the leadership of Iran. ...


PRESS TV

Iran’s letter to Solana shows dissatisfaction with 5+1
Tehran Times, Iran - 20 hours ago
The first response was that Iran was accused of being angry and not inclined to negotiation, whereas the main point of this letter was an invitation to ...
Iran writes to West: Avoid pressure MehrNews.com
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2008 Scholar-Statesman Award Dinner
Washington Institute for Near East Policy, DC - Oct 10, 2008
I don't think one can hide behind negotiation. I think negotiation has to be part of the process. Satloff: As somebody who lived through the threats of ...


Times Online

Talking To The Taliban
Times of India, India - Oct 10, 2008
The Pakistani parliament has held an in-camera joint session and news comes in of a negotiation between the Taliban and the Hamid Karzai regime mediated by ...
Afghan president offers Taliban a role in governing country Telegraph.co.uk
Unwinnable Afghan war The Post
Between the Taliban and a hard place Toronto Star
Stratfor (subscription) - Orillia Packet & Times
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JTMM turns down invitation for talks
Kantipur Online, Nepal - 3 hours ago
In a press statement issued today by Janatantrik Terai Mukti Morcha (JTMM) led by Rajan Mukti, the outfit rebuffed the negotiation table accusing the ...


WWJ

Fluidity needed in school negotiations
Mirror, MI - Oct 9, 2008
There are some daunting realities built into the negotiation process this year that haven't been seen in past negotiations, one namely being the economic ...
Kaneland teachers plan demonstration Geneva Sun
Wayne-Westland Teachers Walk Off the Job WWJ
Wayne-Westland Teachers Picketing WXYZ
Mirror
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Washington Post

Sen. McCain proves he has the best judgment to lead
Portsmouth Herald News, NH - 54 minutes ago
He recognizes that during disputes, opposing parties can both be correct to some extent and that negotiation, reconciliation and compromise will lead to ...
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Negotiation - Google News

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