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Chapter 4 (Communication)
Chapter 4 (Communication)
NEGOTIATION SKILLS
CHAPTER FOUR (COMMUNICATION)
Communication in Negotiation
● Encoding
– The process by which messages are put into symbolic form
– Senders are likely to encode messages in a form which receivers may
not prefer
● Channels and media
– The conduits by which messages are carried from one party to another
– Messages are subject to distortion from various forms of interference
Distortion in Communication
● Reception
– The process of comprehension by receiving messages and decoding
them into an understandable form
– It might not be possible to capture fully the other’s meaning, tone or
words
● Interpretation
– Process of ascertaining the meaning and significance of decoded
messages for the situation to go forward
– An important way to avoid problems is by giving the other party
feedback
Distortion in Communication
● Feedback
– The process by which the receiver reacts to the sender’s message
– Can be used strategically to induce concessions, changes in strategy, or
alter assessments of process and outcomes
– Absence of feedback can contribute to significant distortions by
influencing the offers negotiators make
What is Communicated during Negotiation?
● Use of language
– Logical level (proposals, offers)
– Pragmatic level (semantics, syntax, style)
● Role reversal
○ Negotiators understand the other party’s positions by actively
arguing these positions until the other party is convinced that he or
she is understood
○ Impact and success of the role-reversal technique
■ Effective in producing cognitive changes and attitude changes
■ When the positions are compatible, likely to produce acceptable results;
when the positions are incompatible, may inhibit positive change
■ Not necessarily effective overall as a means of inducing agreement
between parties
Special Communication Considerations at the
Close of Negotiations
-Avoiding fatal mistakes
○ Keeping track of what you expect to happen
○ Systematically guarding yourself against self-serving expectations
○ Reviewing the lessons from feedback for similar decisions in the
future
-Achieving closure
○ Avoid surrendering important information needlessly
○ Refrain from making “dumb remarks”