NEGOTIATING STYLE

Prof. Stephen W. Nason

Professor of Business Practice

© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved
Negotiation Outline: Where are We Going?

Negotiation

Fundamentals Processes Contexts Remedies

Nature of  Perception  Salary Negotiation

Negotiation & Biases Negotiations Envelope
Distributive VC
Negotiating Style Video Analysis
Negotiations Negotiations

Integrative Hard Ball Tactics Disputes Persuasion

Negotiations
Coalitions &
Strategy International Best Practices
Multiple Parties
& Tactics Negotiations
M&A
Conclusion
Groups Negotiations
Difficult
Negotiations
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 2
Dimensions of Conflict‐Handling Intentions
Assertive
Competing Collaborating
Assertiveness

Compromising
Unassertive

Avoiding Accommodating
Uncooperative Cooperative
Cooperativeness

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 3
 RED BLUE GREEN
Competing Compromising Accommodating
 Winner and losers  “Close the gap”  Nurtures relationships
 View nego. as a game  Super‐rational  Solves others problems
 Intense, bold,   Anchor positions  Avoids conflicts
 Passionate and heated  Determined  Listens
 Adept at leverage &   Apply fair standards  Cares
tactics
SILVER YELLOW
Collaborating Avoiding
 Digs into underlying    Tactful, diplomatic 
issues  Dodges confrontation
 Propose alternatives  Cautiously tactical
 Creative   Uses information strategically
 Problem solvers  Reveals selectively
 Not focused on closure  Withholds, 
Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 4
Which style works best?
1. Does the result surprise you?  Why or why not?

2. What are the strengths and weaknesses of your style?

3. In what negotiating situations would your style be an advantage (or a 
weakness)?

 How would you decide?  

Consider the style of your opponent

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 5
Success depends on your opponent: 
Which pairs do the best and worst?
Assertive
Competing Collaborating
Assertiveness

Compromising
Unassertive

Avoiding Accommodating
Uncooperative Cooperative
Cooperativeness

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 6
Which style works best?
What other factors would you consider?
Which style should you use and which should you use it?

 Beyond the style of your opponent, how would you decide?  

 Consider the importance of the …

1. Relationship

2. Conflict over stakes (are the underlying interests aligned?) 

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 7
The Situational Matrix: A Strategy Guide
Perceived Conflict over Stakes
High Low
I. Balanced Concerns II. Relationships
Perceived Importance of Future 

Business Partnership,  Marriage, Friendship, or 
Joint Venture, or Merger Work Team
High

Best Strategies:
Relationship

Best Strategies:
1. Accommodation 
1. Collaborative  2. Collaborative 
2. Compromise 3. Compromise

III. Transactions IV: Tacit Coordination
Diplomat, Highway 
Divorce, House Sale, or 
Intersection or Low Info 
Low Market Transaction
with High Uncertainty

Best Strategies: Best Strategies:
1. Competition 1. Avoidance 
2. Collaborative 2. Accommodation 
3. Compromise 3. Compromise
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 8
When to Use Each Style: Competing (Forcing)
Forcing Style
 When you are the BIG dog
 When a quick solution is required or decisive action is vital (in 
emergencies)
 When the other party would take advantage of cooperation
 When the other party is weak
 On important issues, on issues vital to the organization’s welfare
 Where unpopular actions need implementing (in cost cutting, enforcing 
unpopular rules, discipline)
 When “winning” is more important than succeeding 

“It is not enough to succeed, others must fail”
Gore Vidal
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 9
When to Use Each Style: Collaborating
Problem Solving

 Parties do not have perfectly opposing interests

 Enough trust and openness to share information

 To find an integrative solution when both sets of concerns are too 
important to be compromised

 When your objective is to learn

 To merge insights from people with different perspectives

 To gain commitment by incorporating concerns into a consensus

 To work through feelings that have interfered with a relationship 

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 10
When to Use Each Style: Compromising
 Little hope for mutual gain through problem‐solving

 Parties have equal power

 Time pressure to settle differences

 To achieve temporary settlements to complex issues

 When issues are not worth the effort of potential disruption of more 
assertive approaches

 As a backup when collaboration or competition is unsuccessful 

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 11
When to Use Each Style: Avoiding
 When conflict has become socio‐emotional

 To let people cool down and regain perspective

 When an issue is trivial, or more important issues are pressing

 When you perceive no chance of satisfying your concerns

 When potential disruption outweighs the benefits of resolution

 When others can resolve the conflict effectively

 When delays work towards your advantage

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 12
When to Use Each Style: Accommodating
Yielding
 When other party has substantially more power 
 To minimize loss when outmatched and losing
 When you find you’re wrong
 To allow a better position to be heard and to learn 
 To show your reasonableness
 When issues are more important to others than to yourself
 To satisfy others and maintain cooperation
 To build social credits for later issues
 When harmony and stability are especially important
 When you care more about the other side than your own issues

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 13
Success depends on your opponent: 
Which pairs do the best and worst?
Assertive
Competing Collaborating
Assertiveness

Compromising
Unassertive

Avoiding Accommodating
Uncooperative Cooperative
Cooperativeness

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 14
Conclusion

 Each style has it own unique advantages

 Each style has it own unique weaknesses

The key is to match the style to

 Your opponent

 The situation
- With lots of integrative potential be more collaborative

- With little integrative potential be more competing or compromisin

No one style is overall most effective: 
you should match your style to your opponent and the situation

Negotiation Style
© Prof Stephen W. Nason – All Rights Reserved 15