COMMUNICATION AND NEGOTIATION SKILLS

Since the day we are born we start negotiating in a way or another.

But what is the exact meaning of the word negotiation ?

To have formal discussions with someone in order to reach an

agreement. Cambridge English Dictionary
Negotiation is an interactive communication process that may take
place whenever we want something from someone else or another
person wants something from us. Prof. G Richard Shell

The very thought of negotiating sounds intimidating, yet we are all

experienced negotiators. Any time we come to an agreement on anything,
we are negotiating. Some of it we may do somewhat subconsciously, such as
deciding who says hello first, or holding a cattle gate open for another rider
to pass through. Determining where to go out for dinner with your spouse
also involves negotiation.
One thing that these examples have in common, is that they involve
people. We may at first be surprised to see instead, what a large portion of
our day involves interacting with people. Although negotiation can be
downright hard at times, there are specific steps we can take to become
more effective negotiators.
Negotiation skills include being well prepared, showing patience,
maintaining integrity, avoiding the presumption of evil, controlling our
emotions, understanding the role of time pressures, breaking down bigger
issues into smaller ones, avoiding threats and manipulative tactics, focusing
first on the problem rather than on the solution, seeking for interest-based
decisions, and rejecting weak solutions.
When starting a negotiation we should be aware of the fact that the
decisions will be taken mainly based on emotions rather than rationality.
Therefore, before trying to sell the product we should start selling
ourselves, to create an emotional link with the customer, and after that to
start selling the product, showing its benefits for the other party.
For selling a product we need solid arguments. We can use here the
4Ps of the argumentation: Profit-time, money, cost , Prestige-recognition,
compliments, vanity , Pleasure- fun, entertainment, sports and Peace-

security, carefreeness. One of the most important steps is finding the right
arguments we should find as many arguments as possible, but we will
decide and select only the appropriate ones that best identifies and relates
with the customer.
For creating a good argumentation we should use the 5-fingers system

For having a succesfull negotiation we should divide it in 5 steps:

1. Preparation in this stage we should clarify our status, goals, sketch a
strategy, search and decide upon appropriate arguments and attitude.

2. Contact & Introduction in this stage it is critical that parties should

introduce themselves,
connection.

creating

the

warm-up

and

an

emotional

3. Argumentation & Discussion asking and listening is the main word for
this stage. This the stage in which the most information is presented and
exchanged as well as argumentation and discussions. There is also the
part where the questins&answers are a very important tool.

4. Agreement it is the stage where the parties make a summary of what

they achieved, collecting and visualizing the results with a positive
ending, a WIN-WIN situation.
5. Execution is the stage where I analyse myself and make some
reflections of the result, while following up the results for the other party
and maintaining the relationship with them.

CRITERIA FOR A SUCCESFULL NEGOTIATION

1. Focusing on person
Separate the person from the problem
Troubles on the emotional level should be considered important
and clarified before concentrating on the negotiation
2. Interest
Firstly understand your needs
Talk about your interests, provide information

 Collect&highlight common interest and benefits

Argue powerful but flexible
Be hard with facts but soft with people
3. Options
Be creative when developing alternatives and ideas
Use open and systematic questions
Increase the pie
Find good arguments
Broaden the options
Search for mutual gains
4. Criteria
Insist on finding and using Objective Criteria for the evaluation
option
Argue open and be open for factual arguments
Never accept any pressure on you
Objective criteria must be legal, practically usable and mutual
committed
5. Develop BATNA
The BATNA is the alternative action that will be taken if the
current negotiations fail and an agreement cannot be reached.
A party should generally not accept a worse resolution than its
BATNA
K

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Who asks controls the communication

Listen actively
Be aware of body language
Rhetoric
Find the right arguments
Use positive language
I-Message (express my emotions in a positive way)
Use all communication channels
Keep transaction analysis in mind

10. Use the 4 side model

Factual
Information

Appeal

MESSAGE
Selfevaluation

Relationship

PERSONAL REFLECTION:
Firstly I believe that this lecture made me aware of some facts
that I didnt knew for instance I have been told that I am a
good negotiator and I am not aware of it.
Secondly I found the lecture very interactive, with some
explanations and than applying it. Its an excellent method in my
opinion.
I think that there were not enough hours allocated for this
lecture, therefore some students practiced more than others

I realized that sometimes I have to be a little bit more flexible and

softer with people. Its a big step forward, now that Im aware of it I
will do my best to change it.