Negotiations without defeat

Attracting new clients, hiring new employees, making presentations, resolving conflicts - what do these processes have in common? In all cases, we enter into negotiations: with a supplier, client, subordinate, colleague, boss... In modern business, the ability to negotiate is an extremely important skill.

In the appendices to the article there are tests for self-assessment of one’s own qualities, an example of a questionnaire for an applicant, etc.

Are all people natural negotiators? Absolutely! From the cradle we are masters of negotiations, the first cry of a baby is already a position, a demand... From the first minutes of life, having nothing (and not knowing how), we receive everything that is vitally important to us - love and care. Children are excellent negotiators: flexible, persistent, sensitive to their partner’s weaknesses, creative and very successful. How often do we manage to resist and not give in to their requests and persuasion? And they manage to maintain relationships with key partners (their parents), despite all their pranks and whims and the individual characteristics of the “other side”, subtly taking into account (“I’m not crying to you, but to my grandmother!..”). It is often simply impossible not to buy ice cream or another car - they literally learn on the fly.

But over time, we lose this valuable skill, although in adulthood we continue to negotiate literally at every step: when and who to visit, who to take out the trash, where to go on vacation...

At work, too, continuous negotiations - to get an interesting project, a promotion, a salary increase, to enlist the support of management in promoting your idea, to achieve favorable conditions from a service provider... We are constantly in the “negotiation process” with superiors, colleagues, partners, external and internal clients, regulatory authorities. The success of both our personal and the company as a whole depends on the results of each of these “rounds.”

Be an effective negotiator, be able to conclude mutually beneficial agreements with partners - these skills are required for any position, in any department; experts call themtransferable skills (applicable in various fields). Moreover, the higher a manager climbs the career ladder, the higher the requirements placed on him. He must be able to find a common language with a variety of people and “influence groups” (stakeholders): shareholders, founders, clients, representatives of government and regulatory authorities, employees, journalists, etc. For top managers, the ability to effectively negotiate - achieving the desired company results while developing long-term mutually beneficial relationships with partners is one of the key competencies.

Real negotiations are not a series of compromises, but a purposeful movement towards success. What is success? An inexperienced negotiator will rarely answer this question clearly. When can we consider negotiations effective? There are several such criteria. In case the counterparties:

didn't get into a dead end (no one gives in, the participants do not hear each other and do not want to hear);

found out the interests of the “other side” (what do they really need);

conveyed their proposals to the partner (“the other side” understood what we want and why it is so important to us);

found a mutually acceptable solution (if one of the parties is dissatisfied with the imposed or “pushed” conditions, it hardly makes sense to count on the conscientious fulfillment of the terms of the contract);

maintained partnerships (we continue cooperation).

Defining your goals - clarifying what exactly we will consider a successful negotiation is the first step to success.

The ability to negotiate is a complex skill: you need to know how effective negotiations are “structured”, what algorithm to use to conduct them, how to avoid common mistakes, how to formulate a quality proposal and productively “reformat” the counter-proposal of the “other side”. In addition, you need to be able to listen carefully (trying to understand your opponent’s arguments without being distracted by preparing a response); be sensitive to subtle manifestations of the interlocutor’s emotional response (facial expressions, intonation, posture, etc.); have a good understanding of the psychology of human relationships (we are not talking about a diploma, but about practical skills).

How to become a good negotiator? Is it a natural gift or a skill that can and should be learned?

Let's look at an example. Company X (FMCG market) is negotiating with a large supermarket chain to conclude a three-year contract for the supply of its products. In response to the offer, the sales manager hears: “And your competitors are offering us (hereinafter referred to as the figure) more!” Possibly blackmail. Option: “Well, sign a contract with them!” - of course, it’s not suitable, such emotionality can cost the manager his job. What if such an offer actually arrived? What then: agree to a promotion or stand your ground? And you need to react right now... The manager is driven into a dead end: if he agrees to the proposed conditions, the company will suffer losses; if he doesn’t agree, he won’t do his job. What should he do?

What does the decision depend on in this case? From the emotional stability of a sales manager? Not only... The success of negotiations largely depends on how well the manager:

1. Prepared for the meeting : knows exactly his goals and understands the true needs of the “other side”. For whom is this deal more valuable? What is more important now for a retail network (delay, discount, additional services)? Maybe the owner has just changed here or a large-scale downsizing is planned? What does this particular Yuri Semenovich need now (he is about to be fired or, perhaps, he has just moved to work from another department)?

2. Masters the technique of conducting complex negotiations : can assess the balance of power (whose position is stronger) and understands within what limits it is appropriate to “bargain” - to give in, to compromise.

3. Able to listen to others and present their own arguments convincingly .

4. Understands people : able to notice disagreement, dissatisfaction in a timely manner and correctly assess the emotions of negotiating partners.

5. Controls himself and knows how to manage his emotions : do not give in to your mood, do not allow yourself to be manipulated, maintain the general “outline” of the discussion and at the same time do not deviate from your goals.

Is it possible to master these skills on your own? “According to the book” is unlikely; skills and abilities are developed only through practice. Are there ways to quickly master them? Certainly.

1. You can find a Master (a person who brilliantly masters the necessary skills) and learn from him - adopting techniques, methods, nuances in practice.

2. Choose a good training program in which the main emphasis is on learning applied knowledge (algorithms, rules) and developing the necessary skills.

Technologies for the effective development of “soft” skills have long been developed: video recording of solutions by a group of practical cases, the “aquarium” technique (one group of participants watches how another negotiates) and constant feedback from the trainer. The main thing in developing skills is practical exercises (hardly anyone learns to ski from books like “Alpine skiing for dummies”) and the opportunity to see yourself from the outside. The last one is also very important. The effectiveness of two basic principles of developing skills: 1) try out the proposed techniques in a safe environment (no criticism, mistakes are welcome!) and 2) conduct a “debriefing” under the guidance of moderators - has long been proven in practice; it is on them that the training system in Western armies is built.

Are negotiation skills necessary in the daily work of HR? Undoubtedly! Let's take a typical situation -conducting an interview with a candidate for a vacancy : in terms of tasks, structure and methods of organization, this is a classic negotiation process. Each of the parties has its own goals, its own strategy, its own limitations, its own ideas about an ideal and good solution, about unacceptable conditions, etc. Both parties strive to obtain the necessary information, present strong (or weak) arguments, make a proposal (or want hear it), argue and in the end - the proposal is accepted or not.

Of course, our goal is to attract the best of the best; we need the specialist the company needs to accept our proposal (perhaps from a dozen similar ones). Let's see what problems each negotiator solves.

HR tasks:

1. Check the information provided by the candidate (biographical and qualifications).

2. Obtain the maximum information necessary for making a decision (assess whether the candidate is able to perform the required work with the required level of quality, whether he will “fit” into the corporate culture, etc.).

3. If the candidate meets the requirements, then make him a job offer, and the new employee must accept the corporate conditions.

Candidate's tasks are very similar:

1. Provide information about yourself (it is advisable to show yourself in a favorable light).

2. Obtain the maximum information necessary for making a decision (assess whether the company is able to offer the job he is interested in, provide acceptable working conditions and the level of remuneration).

3. Receive a job offer, and it is desirable that its terms are accepted.

It would seem that both sides are interested in reaching an agreement. Why do these negotiations often end in mutual misunderstanding and failure?

Even an experienced negotiator can make mistakes, and at all stages of communication with the counterparty. For example, everyone knows that you need to prepare for an interview in advance, but what exactly needs to be done? Just making a list of typical questions is not enough. It is important for us to understand the needs and interests of the candidate, to see the situation “through his eyes.” What is really important to him? What motives drive him? What goals does he strive to achieve?

Typically, an employee does not analyze his needs in detail, does not evaluate the strengths and weaknesses (of himself/the company), and certainly does not draw up his own “wish list.” This means that it is the HR who must evaluate and find out what the candidate wants to receive from the employer.

When conducting an interview with an applicant, it is useful to fill out a specialQuestionnaire (Annex 1). Try to find out how important each of the needs/values ​​indicated in the sheet is for a person. Then rank them - prioritize them. As an option, you can invite the person to fill out the questionnaire on their own - to evaluate and rank the proposed needs/values. (Of course, the right side of the sheet - “The company’s opportunities as an employer” is intended only for HR: it should not be on the sheet for the candidate to fill out independently.) But, of course, a live discussion is preferable, since in this case you can always ask a clarifying question.

Annex 1 QUESTIONNAIRE Needs/values Degree of importance (value) for the candidate (low/high) Opportunities of the company as an employer (low/high) 1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5 Financial reward Desired salary level and attractive compensation package Power and influence Ability to lead, influence others and make important decisions Life style Ability to balance time for work and personal life (interests) Autonomy Ability to work independently, without the constant close supervision of a supervisor Team Membership Opportunity to work with colleagues I respect Workplace Location (remoteness, convenient transport links); characteristics of the workplace (desired environment, availability of additional amenities and services) Education and development Opportunity to do interesting work, learn new things, and develop Competence The opportunity to improve professionally, gain new experience, and become a master of your craft Recognition and support The opportunity to receive recognition of successes and achievements, support in the desire to develop Other (Add additional needs/values ​​that are important to your future employees)

Try to put yourself in the other person's shoes. What didn't he find at his previous job? What could you put up with, and what can’t you live without? Observing the spontaneous behavior of the interlocutor and his emotional reactions, it is important to assess what is really significant to him. It is a difficult art to notice subtle “signals” that indicate genuine interest, or slips of the tongue (these often reveal true goals and motives); They don’t teach this either at school or at university. But for success in negotiations (and in life) this is much more important than grammar...

Once you have collected the necessary information, match the candidate's priorities and needs with your company's capabilities and value priorities. (Of course, the analysis “for the employer” has already been done in advance - at the preparation stage.) It is impossible to satisfy all ambitions and desires; there have always been and will be contradictions between the demands of employees and the funds of the employer. This is fine. But in what ways can you meet the candidate’s requirements? Where do you need to show persistence? And, most importantly, how to negotiate? How to find the perfect solution? How to make a persongot what he wants, but in the form in which the company can give it to him today ? (For example, an independent responsible project instead of a promotion, or a flexible schedule instead of a higher salary...)

Having found out the hidden goals and deep-seated motives of a person, you can prepare an individual, “targeted” offer for him. Bargaining (discussion during negotiations of the terms of an agreement or transaction is called bargaining by professionals) can and should be carried out on many important positions - not only on salary. If there are conditions where the company cannot give in, look for others where you can be flexible. The main thing is that they are important personally for this person.

It seems that everyone knows about this: some people need to be offered a flexible schedule, others a difficult independent project... But it is important not only what to offer, but also how and when. What is better: to immediately formulate all the corporate “carrots” - in a “package”, or to “give them out” one at a time? This is a delicate question, it also needs to be thought through in advance! An untimely concession can lead to the opposite result: a person will refuse the offered job altogether or sharply increase his demands.

Of course, whether the candidate accepts our offer or not depends on many conditions. Negotiations, like the East, are a delicate matter... But if properly prepared and skillfully conducted, they are much more likely to end in success!

We examined the interview with the candidate in a “negotiation frame”: preparation, clarification of interests, bargaining, proposal. The same approach can be used when protecting the budget, introducing new policies and procedures in the company (new system of remuneration, evaluation, training, forming a personnel reserve, etc.), negotiating with representatives of the trade union, manager, subordinates, etc. Eichar - a professional communicator, negotiations for him are not just a very important work process, but literallymodus vivendi.

Developing negotiation skills is a serious contribution to building your own career. What can you do to improve yourself? To assess the level of development of important “negotiation” qualities - communication skills and abilities necessary for successful negotiations, use self-assessment tests (appendices 2 and 3).

Based on the test results, you can create your own training/development program for target qualities. It is also very important not to forget about motivation and provide yourself with prizes for every - no matter how small - achievement.

Note: This is not a professional diagnostic tool; the tests are intended only for self-assessment of one’s own qualities.

Appendix 2 Self-assessment test COMMUNICATION SKILLS The ability to communicate is extremely important for HR. Rate the level of development of your communication skills using a scale from “1” (low, beginner) to “5” (high, expert). № p/p Communication skills State of the art (low/high) Key skills I want to develop 1 2 3 4 5 Presentation skills Ability to conduct (facilitate/moderate) negotiations Ability to conduct meetings Listening skills Interviewing skills Ability to influence Ability to receive and give feedback Ability to resolve conflicts Negotiation skills

Appendix 3 Self-assessment test SKILLS REQUIRED FOR SUCCESSFUL NEGOTIATIONS The table below outlines a number of characteristics that are important for effective negotiators. No one knows your strengths better than you, so assess for yourself whether you have such qualities. To do this, next to the characteristics are statements corresponding to them. Choose the answer that most closely matches your usual behavior. You are capable of conflict and severance of relationships Persistent and stubborn On the way to achieving your goal, you strive to maintain positive relationships with others, despite difficulties Excellent communicator You always listen carefully to the interlocutor (rather than preparing your answer while the interlocutor is speaking) You always feel comfortable during a meeting You always feel comfortable during presentations and public speaking You have the necessary skills to conduct negotiations in various conditions Able to use humor You know how to use humor to reduce tension or cope with an awkward situation Balanced, cool-headed You can remain calm and cool in a situation full of turmoil and disorder Self-aware You are fully aware/can describe how your behavior affects others If you agreed with most of these statements and chose the answer “yes,” then your negotiator skills are well developed. If in at least a few cases you chose the answer “no,” it is worth considering how to further work on developing qualities that are not yet sufficiently formed. Use the results to focus your efforts on developing the skills you need.

And to develop the intelligence of success (the term was proposed by the American psychologist Robert Sternberg), experts recommend performing the practical exercise “The Worst That Can Happen” before starting important negotiations (Appendix 4). Having prepared for troubles, a person perceives the situation much calmer and reacts less dramatically to changes in his original scenario. Self-confidence and self-control (control of your emotional state) are also very important components of success in relationships.

Appendix 4 Practical task "THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN" Scientists have discovered how successful people differ from losers. It turns out that they are optimistic about the future, but at the same time they always know exactly what they will do in case of failure - if something goes “wrong”. But losers build only successful scenarios, discarding even thoughts about possible loss. Therefore, when reality makes its own adjustments (not necessarily worse ones), they are not ready for changes and refuse further efforts. The most important thing is that this skill of successful people can be learned.

Today I would like to talk about the ideal negotiator. It is clear that there is no absolute ideal in the human world, since an ordinary person is a constantly changing, dynamic system, full of internal contradictions, desires and aspirations.

Nevertheless, the topic of ideal in negotiations, albeit as a kind of universal model, will help many to understand the key principles of the science and art of effective negotiations.

But first, one question and a small parable...

Did you know that in ancient Japan the sword was considered to be the seat of the samurai's soul? Once upon a time, there were two masters who made the best swords.

Master Muramasa made samurai swords as striking weapons. Master Masamune is like a weapon with which they protect their lives.

To compare, their blades were driven into the bottom of a stream. Fallen leaves floated down the stream.

All leaves that touched Muramasa's sword were cut into two parts. Masamune's sword the leaves floated around without touching it...

Humanity has always strived for the ideal. This impulse is inherent in human nature itself. Whether in art, science or sports - everywhere, millions of men and women strive to become leaders, achieve maximum results, and become role models.

In my opinion, excessive perfectionism only hinders effective movement forward. However, to be honest, it’s nice to see the image of an ideal leader before your eyes, like a beacon, focusing on which you understand that what one person could achieve, anyone else can. The whole question is only in the right method of action and daily persistence.

If you apply this approach to the negotiation process, you can try to model the image of an ideal negotiator. What competencies should he have? What skills? What are the characteristic features?

I would highlight several fundamental sections in the structure of competent skills that develop the professionalism of the most successful negotiators:

1. Negotiation skills;
2. Communication skills and establishing warm empathic connections with people;
3. Skills in making effective decisions in extreme situations and managing your psychophysical state.

Basic negotiation skills include:

1. The habit of preparing the agenda and minutes of upcoming negotiations in advance;
2. The habit of collecting information about the opponent before and during negotiations;
3. The habit of preparing in advance a model, strategy and tactics for upcoming negotiations;
4. The habit of knowing in advance what concessions you can make and what to ask in return;
5. It's good to understand your BATNA and the other party's BATNA;
6. Skill in drawing up and analyzing budget negotiations;
7. The habit of taking notes during negotiations
8. The habit of summing up and recording the results of stage-by-stage agreements;
9. The skill of jointly searching for mutually beneficial solutions with an opponent.

Basic communication skills include:

1. The habit of asking open and relevant questions during negotiations;
2. The habit of actively listening and hearing your opponent;
3. The ability to establish a close emotional connection (empathy) with an opponent;
4. The habit of detailing your opponent’s answer;
5. The habit of returning his message to your opponent as positively as possible, clarifying whether you understood it correctly;
6. The skill of reading non-verbal signals from an opponent (microfacial expressions, postures, gestures);
7. The ability to take into account cultural differences when communicating with opponents;
8. The habit of clarifying the opponent’s vision of the negotiation situation;
9. The habit of preparing answers to possible objections from opponents in advance.

The basic skills of making effective decisions in extreme situations and managing one’s psychophysical state include:

1. The ability to control your negative emotions and fear;
2. The skill of not identifying with any results of negotiations;
3. Ability to withstand negative pressure in negotiations;
4. The ability to take the initiative during negotiations;
5. Willingness to leave negotiations (knowing your limits);
6. Have the authority and power to make decisions;
7. The ability to be a blank slate and have an open mind towards your opponents;
8. The ability to non-verbally influence opponents;
9. The ability to quickly recover from difficult negotiations.

Naturally, all of the above is only part of the iceberg of negotiation science. However, all of the above points are taken from my personal practice through experience.

They are a gentleman’s set of fundamental system points for building a reliable foundation for victory in any of the most difficult negotiations.

Today, there are a great variety of negotiation strategies, as well as negotiation systems and schools. So, you can choose various interesting methods and non-trivial approaches to solve any problem.

The main thing is not to get lost in the newfangled trends of the negotiation world and more often return to simple and reliable fundamental negotiation technologies.

Finally, I would like to tell you an interesting story about the variety of options for solving a seemingly simple problem. The analogy with the art of negotiations is the most direct.

A university lecturer turned to Sir Ernest Rutherford, President of the Royal Academy and Nobel Prize winner in physics, for help. He was going to give the lowest grade to one of his students in physics, while he claimed that he deserved the highest grade.

Both the teacher and the student agreed to rely on the judgment of a third party, a disinterested arbitrator. The choice fell on Rutherford.

The exam question read: “Explain how the height of a building can be measured using a barometer?”

The student’s answer was: “You need to go up to the roof of the building with a barometer, lower the barometer down on a long rope, and then pull it back and measure the length of the rope, which will show the exact height of the building.”

The case was truly complicated, since the answer was absolutely complete and correct! On the other hand, the exam was in physics, and the answer had little to do with the application of knowledge in this field.

Rutherford asked the student to try again. Giving him six minutes to prepare, he warned him that his answer must demonstrate knowledge of physical laws. After five minutes, the student still had not written anything on the exam paper.

Rutherford asked him if he was giving up, but he stated that he had several solutions to a problem and was simply choosing the best one.
Interested, Rutherford asked the young man to begin answering without waiting for the allotted time to expire.

The new answer to the question read: “Climb to the roof with a barometer and throw it down, timing the fall. Then use the formula to calculate the height of the building.”

Here Rutherford asked his teaching colleague if he was satisfied with this answer. He finally gave in, recognizing the answer as satisfactory. However, the student mentioned that he knew several answers and was asked to reveal them.

There are several ways to measure the height of a building using a barometer, the student began. - For example, you can go outside on a sunny day and measure the height of the barometer and its shadow, and also measure the length of the shadow of a building. Then, having solved a simple proportion, determine the height of the building itself.

Not bad,” Rutherford said. - Are there other ways?
- Yes! There is a very simple way that I am sure you will like. You take the barometer in your hands and walk up the stairs, placing the barometer against the wall and making marks. By counting the number of these marks and multiplying it by the size of the barometer, you get the height of the building. Quite an obvious method.

If you want a more complex method,” he continued, “then tie a string to a barometer and, swinging it like a pendulum, determine the magnitude of gravity at the base of the building and on its roof. From the difference between these values, in principle, it is possible to calculate the height of the building. In the same case, by tying a string to the barometer, you can climb onto the roof with your pendulum and, swinging it, calculate the height of the building from the precession period.

Finally,” he concluded, “among many other ways to solve this problem, perhaps the best is this: take the barometer with you, find the manager and tell him: “Mr. Manager, I have a wonderful barometer. It is yours if you tell me the height of this building.”

Here Rutherford asked the student whether he really did not know the generally accepted solution to this problem. He admitted that he knew, but said that he was fed up with school and college, where teachers impose their way of thinking on students.

This student was Niels Bohr (1885–1962), Danish physicist, Nobel Prize winner in 1922.

I remind you that on Thursday 06/30/2011 at 21:00 Moscow time there will be an online master class “The best negotiation techniques”. Register and don’t be late, many great techniques are waiting for you, ready for practical use!

Lately I have often been asked the question: “what does it take to become an effective negotiator?” It is clear that you need desire and a lot of practice; this, most often, does not even have to be explained. But there are certain skills without which you cannot become a great negotiator. In this article I want to highlight 5:
The skill of asking the right questions.
The ability to listen and hear.
The ability to analyze what is heard.
Persuasive argumentation skills.
Self-control.
The skill of asking the right questions. Contrary to popular belief, the main task of a negotiator is not to talk his opponent out, but to obtain maximum information about his needs and values, and also to lead him to the necessary conclusions on the topic of negotiations. This can only be achieved with the help of correctly formulated questions. You can “lead” your interlocutor by simply periodically asking the vector of his reasoning with various relevant questions, be it general open-ended, clarifying, or some other.

The ability to listen and hear. I often come across this model of behavior in negotiations when a person asks a very competent question, and then his gaze glazes over, and he becomes absorbed in himself, coming up with the next question or remark. At this moment, he does not hear the interlocutor and misses a lot of important information. This is the problem for novice negotiators. They come up with a strategy and try so hard to follow it and not forget a single step that they completely forget to listen to their opponent. And there are simply people who seem to be listening, but do not hear what exactly the opponent is trying to convey to them. A classic example is when a client spends ten minutes talking about the value of time and the importance of strictly adhering to the delivery schedule, and he is offered a discount.

It is also worth mentioning that active listening encourages the other person to open up more and give more information.

The ability to analyze what is heard. A professional negotiator must draw correct conclusions about what he heard right at the moment of the conversation. Your interlocutor may, without knowing it, give you unexpected information that will force you to reconsider the negotiation scenario right on the spot. A timely analysis of your opponent’s words will help you determine his motives, goals and general vision of the situation and avoid mistakes in the formulation of the proposal.

Persuasive argumentation skills. The negotiator must be convincing; he must arrange arguments in such a way that the opponent has no doubts. Correct selection and ranking of arguments distinguishes a professional from a beginner. Inexperienced negotiators love to dump all the arguments they know on their interlocutor. And so they prepare a trap for themselves. A weak argument provokes an objection and allows the opponent to seize the initiative. Remember, one or two strong arguments that take into account your opponent’s point of view are better than ten weak or irrelevant ones.

Self-control. For some reason, many business people understand control of emotions in such a way that you need to sit with a straight face and feign indifference. I suggest you don't refuse from humanity, but you need to clearly monitor your emotions, because this way you can understand that they are trying to manipulate you. Be attentive to yourself and catch any emotional discomfort. In the case when they are trying to bring you into conflict, to inflame you, strict self-control is very important. It will allow you to remain friendly and extinguish the negativity emanating from your opponent in its infancy. It will also prevent mistakes that are inevitable in the heat of emotions.

There is a myth that negotiating successfully is a gift. In fact, all of these skills can be developed, especially if you have an experienced mentor.

People must learn to hear each other, accept the other’s position and be able to negotiate. Otherwise, human life will turn into an endless stream of quarrels and conflicts. Of course, they happen in any family or society, but you need to learn how to effectively resolve controversial issues through dialogue, in order to reach a compromise. A solution that suits both sides of the conflict is the result of the art of negotiation. Coming to a compromise is sometimes more difficult than solving a problem unilaterally. This is a vicious circle that aggravates the consequences of the crisis rather than eliminating the cause.

The art of negotiation

From an early age, a person has to find himself in conflict situations. Already during children's games in the yard, he realizes that not all his peers think like him, and the point of view on the same actions is different. Soon the understanding comes that it is better to resolve controversial situations calmly. In this article we will look at several rules on how to negotiate with people diplomatically, without offending others or humiliating yourself.

What unites politicians, businessmen, and artists? This is the ability to speak clearly and convincingly. It can be noted that not a single journalist with his piquant questions could put any of them in an awkward position; they always carefully get out of the situation and turn out to be “winners”. The trump card of their victories is the correctly chosen words, metaphors, emotions, phrases and gestures. This is mastery of psychological techniques and words. The ability to negotiate is an entire art that needs to be mastered. Therefore, public people are excellent diplomats, they easily find an approach to any person, know how to build a constructive dialogue, and easily resolve disagreements that arise. The average person has a lot to learn from them.

Compromise

Disputes arise everywhere: at school, at work, in the family, on the street, at the institute and in various public places. And the more effectively the dispute is resolved, the more your authority in the eyes of others will increase. What does “effective art of negotiation” mean? By definition, this is a successful result of negotiations between two or three parties, during which a compromise is found. In turn, a compromise is voluntary and mutual concessions by all parties to the conflict on a friendly note. The phrase “agree” implies a mutually beneficial solution. And if it is found, it means that people have come to a mutually beneficial option, that is, they have agreed.

Understand, hear, listen and insist

Surely many managers, sitting at the negotiating table, sincerely want to find a solution that suits everyone. But the attempts fail because in the first minutes it becomes clear that it is simply impossible to reach an agreement. And, unfortunately, they are not trying to resume the dialogue again.

How to master the art of negotiation? The rules developed by experts will help you get out of any situation. Endurance, patience, self-control and focus on what is most important are fundamental factors on the path to compromise.

A good example is politicians or large businessmen who conduct long-term negotiations with partners or competitors. Most often, negotiations end on a positive note.

Way to success

For a successful dialogue, all round table participants must:

• listen carefully to your interlocutor without interrupting, even if his arguments are absurd;
• show respect to your interlocutor;
• do not allow aggression, pressure, persistence towards the opponent;
• celebrate merits and achievements;
• speak calmly, confidently without emotions, use arguments, facts, provide evidence;
• reach a compromise diplomatically.

This is the art of negotiating; the rules of correct communication are always useful in life.

Of course, it is impossible to list all the nuances; there is a special science on this subject - social science. These are just the basics, without which effective negotiations will not take place.

The art of negotiation in the form of a poster

Many people are upset by a quarrel with a friend. What to do in such situations? How to achieve mutual understanding next time, avoiding conflict? In this case, experts recommend developing your own rule “The Art of Negotiation”; the poster will be a good guide in this matter. Everyone has seen the cartoon about Carlson, who called himself “the tamer of the housewife.” He was able to win over the most harmful Freken Bock. Sometimes it is useful to write a memo in the form of this hero for communicating with any person. Remember the bitter resentment, explain to yourself why this resentment arose. The main thing is to be honest, because no one gets offended by bad weather or a stone they tripped over. You need to create your own recipe for avoiding offense.

1. What prevents you from understanding a person?
2. What feelings are neutral?
3. What helps you understand others?

In this way, the art of negotiation will become more clear. A poster hung in the room will help in this matter.

Communication process

Communication is an integral part of the successful functioning of many professions,
whose specificity lies in communicating with people. Uniqueness lies in the ability to listen, understand others and perceive the information received. The purpose of communication is the relative balance of the parties, in which their goals, thoughts, interests are defended, but as a result of which the parties come to a certain agreement. In fact, you can always come to an agreement with everyone - with the seller, buyer, employee, partner, boss. Why is the ability to negotiate called an art? The fact is that in ordinary life, not all people write poetry, play the piano, draw, dance or sing. Talent is inherent in every person, in some it is more pronounced, in others it is weaker. And the opportunity for development allows you to improve your inclinations and become a true professional in your field. Not everyone is gifted with the art of negotiating; the rules of mutual agreement will allow you to develop this quality. Certain methods, courses, and trainings will be an excellent “self-teacher.”

The Art of Diplomacy

Valuable diplomacy skills are needed everywhere. Any manager or manager should master this art perfectly. This does not mean that other employees will not benefit from this quality. The art of negotiating diplomatically is highly valued in our time. The ability to conduct a correct dialogue with employees, suppliers, exporters, and consumers is necessary in any job. By understanding this mechanism and applying it in practice, you can take a leading position.

Unfortunately, in difficult situations a person either gives up immediately or attacks his opponent. This is the peculiarity of people - they do things without thinking. In order not to complicate the situation, good preparation is necessary, which begins with the question “What do I want to achieve as a result, what am I striving for?” Once the goal is determined, it is necessary to analyze and compare, then adjust judgment and plans for the future and be “combat ready” again. This is the art of negotiation. Social studies, as an academic subject that brings together many social sciences, will teach you to improvise when there is absolutely no time to prepare.

An ordinary example

For example, an experienced employee decided to quit, citing the fact that he was no longer satisfied with the work schedule and pay. An unexpected statement needs to be responded to urgently, but in such a way that the interests of the manager are respected, because you don’t want to lose a valuable employee. Finding and training a new person may take a lot of time and money, but the arguments of the person leaving are also understandable. How to act in this situation and not make a mistake? The art of negotiation will teach you this.

If the boss is unable to find a solution in such a simple situation, then he is unlikely to cope with complex tasks. Most likely, a short-sighted manager will not stop the employee and try to find a solution. But it is a compromise in this situation that can be most beneficial for both parties. And there are many such examples. What is the essence of the agreement process? Let's try to figure it out.

Arrangement process

The first thing that happens in such a situation is a conflict of interests. Personal interests are known. But in order to objectively assess the situation, you need to set your priorities correctly, and this is quite simple to do. It all depends on the task that the person has set for himself, what goal he is pursuing, how much does he need it? In addition, it is necessary to understand the interests of the opponent, otherwise a compromise cannot be achieved. If the motive of the opposite side is not clear, and interests are hidden, a simple way is to visually change places, imagine yourself in the place of your interlocutor and think about what problems he might have, what worries him, and so on. And by talking with mutual friends, you can understand the situation as a whole and get additional information that will help you make the right decision.

All of the above helps you understand how to negotiate correctly, get out of difficult situations and find a compromise diplomatically.

Business communication can be characterized as a special process of interaction and interconnection between people, which is characterized by the exchange of knowledge, information and experience. This process involves solving certain problems and implementing planned plans. Conventionally, business communication consists of two components - this is direct communication, i.e. direct contact between people, and indirect communication, which is characterized by the presence of a spatio-temporal distance between opponents. As a rule, direct business communication is most effective, because it is characterized by emotional impact and suggestion, in other words, it involves socio-psychological mechanisms.

Business communication differs from everyday communication in that it is characterized by specific results that need to be achieved and tasks that need to be solved. In the process of business communication, a person in most cases does not have the opportunity to stop his interaction with an opponent overnight and without any losses. Everyday communication, in turn, does not involve setting goals, and it can be interrupted at any time.

Among the forms of business communication there are business conversations, meetings, speeches and negotiations. And negotiations are its main form.

Negotiations can be characterized as a business interaction between two or more people, the purpose of which is to find mutually beneficial solutions to certain problems and tasks. People have to negotiate throughout almost their entire lives - in all cases where it is necessary to reach an agreement, exchange promises and obligations, etc.

Typically, negotiations take place in the form of a conversation, the main topic of which is issues of interest to the interlocutors (negotiating parties), and the goal of the negotiations is to establish cooperative ties.

But negotiations may differ in goals. So, they can be aimed at concluding contracts, carrying out certain work, reaching an agreement on cooperation, etc. And the parties to the negotiations want to reach mutual agreements on those issues in which their interests collide, and to properly withstand the confrontation that may arise in the negotiation process.

But in order to skillfully negotiate, any person must have certain skills, namely:

• Must be able to solve problems
• Must be able to interact with other people
• Necessary

It should also be taken into account that people with different negotiating experience, different personal characteristics and education may meet at the negotiating table.

Based on this fairly large variety of features, some negotiations can be extremely different from others. In some cases, negotiations proceed relatively easily, while in others they are extremely tense; in some cases, opponents can agree without problems, but in others, finding mutual understanding and common ground can be very difficult. And all this suggests that negotiation skills need to be learned.

Due to the relevance of the topic of negotiations at the present time, we have developed this special course on training in negotiations. From it you will learn as much information as you need to master this difficult, but very useful and important skill. The course includes both theoretical and practical information, tested by more than one generation of negotiators. But we will introduce you not only to it, but also to a number of additional materials - books on negotiation, the authors of which are professional negotiators and masters of communication.

Fundamentals and specifics of business communication

As we have already said, business communication should be distinguished from everyday communication. The main distinctive features of business communication are:

• Setting goals and objectives
• actions
• Defining and choosing a strategy
• Defining and choosing tactics
• Achieving a specific result

Setting goals and objectives involves the establishment by each of the participants in the negotiation process (individually and jointly) of specific results that can and should be achieved through negotiations. This is precisely why negotiations are held, otherwise there would be no point in them, or they would become ordinary everyday communication for the purpose of exchanging information.

Drawing up an action plan it is necessary for each of the opponents to know exactly what steps need to be taken to achieve their goals and solve problems. Each point of the plan can also be designed to achieve intermediate goals. Both the plan itself and the intermediate goals can be called a negotiation map, focusing on which you can clearly see at what stage the achievement of the result is and whether it is being achieved at all.

Defining and choosing a strategy means determining a method of action, a general, non-detailed plan for achieving the desired result, which covers the entire time period during which negotiations will take place. Strategy can also be called a way to achieve a goal and a model of behavior that the negotiator will adhere to in the negotiation process.

Defining and choosing tactics involves the selection of an integral part of the negotiation process, which includes theoretical and practical aspects of preparing and conducting negotiations through the use of specific methods and techniques. Negotiation methods and techniques, in turn, can and should vary, depending on the characteristics of each specific stage of the negotiation process. Tactics include research, development, preparation and implementation of all components of negotiations: expressing one’s position, using arguments (for the purpose of attack and defense), using counter-arguments, etc.

It would not be superfluous to also talk about the difference between strategy and tactics, because many people often confuse these two terms. An analogy to illustrate this difference is: imagine being lost in an unknown area. The strategy here will be a general analysis of the situation, orientation, assessment of one’s capabilities and resources, as well as determining the direction of movement. Tactics will be the very ability to move, avoid obstacles encountered along the way, hide from dangers, etc.

It is also interesting that you must have both strategy and tactics. If you only have tactics, then the result can be achieved, but this result itself will be unknown. And if you have only one strategy, then you will know what result you need, but you will not have ways to achieve it.

Achieving a specific result is the finale of the entire negotiation process, because It is for this reason that he organizes. All that can be said here is that the result can be both achievement and failure to achieve the goal. If no result was achieved during the negotiation process, then the negotiations are inconclusive - this situation is considered the worst of all possible.

How to apply negotiation knowledge in practice?

Negotiation skills can be called one of the most necessary for a person living in modern society. Moreover, it can be useful not only to those whose professional activities are related to communication, but also to people who very rarely encounter official negotiations. Even quite ordinary everyday interaction with others at a certain moment may require us to be able to negotiate and find compromises and mutually beneficial solutions: these could be situations when we need to settle a controversial issue, resolve a conflict, bargain to bring down the price, just keep up the conversation, etc. . But, of course, the main area of ​​application of negotiator skills is the business sphere.

Meetings, business conversations with colleagues, managers and subordinates, meetings with business partners to discuss business or conclude contracts, etc. - all these are cases where a person simply cannot do without the ability to communicate competently, achieve mutual understanding, find compromises and mutually beneficial solutions.

If a person is able to find common interests and common ground with other people, truly enormous prospects open up before him. The ability to negotiate allows you to achieve goals ranging from very small to vital ones, move up the career ladder, get out of difficult situations with your head held high, establish contacts with the right people, make friends and acquaintances. Often this skill comes in handy in your personal life, because, for example, in a family you also often have to negotiate. All this allows us to conclude that negotiator skills can be useful to a person always and everywhere.

Negotiations, no matter what area of ​​life they concern, should always be carried out very carefully and carefully. This process consists not only of direct communication, but also of other components. It includes preparation, collection of information and behavior, learning to manage emotions and other elements. To put it somewhat differently, the development of negotiation skills also affects other aspects of personality development and individual qualities. And for this process to be truly effective and correct, you need to understand how negotiation can be learned.

How to learn this?

But this lesson plan, of course, is not mandatory for you. It is quite clear that you have your own affairs and concerns, which means you have every right to organize your activities in a way that is convenient for you personally. The only thing I would like to draw your attention to again is that you should strive to enrich your daily life by applying the practical recommendations and methods that you will learn about in the course. You can use some when communicating with family members, some when communicating with work colleagues, some when communicating with strangers, etc. The acquisition of skills and their development can only be achieved in this way. Remember this, and the result will not take long to arrive!