What determines success in business negotiations. Success in negotiations: important factors

  • Questions for the exam on the course "pr in conflictology"
  • 1. Meaning, subject, goals and objectives of conflictology (the main tasks of conflictology facing pr-specialists).
  • 2. Definition of conflict. The structure of the conflict. Conflict situation. Incident. conflict formula.
  • 3. Classification of conflicts (basic typology of conflicts). Typology of social conflicts. Types of conflicts depending on a number of factors.
  • 4. Subjects of the conflict (initiator, instigator, organizer, instigator, other participants in the conflict). Opponent's rank. Give examples from practice.
  • 6. Positive and negative functions of conflicts. Conflict boundaries (spatial, temporal, subjective). The relationship between "crisis" and "conflict".
  • 7. Objective causes of conflicts in organizations. Methodological principles of conflict research.
  • 8. Dynamic model of the conflict. The first (latent) stage of the development of the conflict. What are the incidents?
  • 2. Rise phase (1),
  • 3. Conflict Peak (2),
  • 4. Decline phase (3).
  • 9. Stage of open conflict. Signs of an escalation in the conflict. Factors (methods) distortion of information. type of conformism. Distortion of the perception of one's own side.
  • 1. Distortion of information and uncertainty in the behavior of opponents.
  • 2. Growth of emotional stress.
  • 10. The stage of the end of the conflict and the post-conflict stage. Causes of dead center conflict. The main forms of the end of the conflict, their characteristics and criteria.
  • 11. Strategies for exiting the conflict. Factors influencing the choice of strategy. Strategies of rivalry and compromise, the most justified conditions for their application.
  • 12. Strategies of cooperation, avoidance and adaptation, the most justified conditions for their application in conflict resolution.
  • 13. Preparation for negotiations - organizational and content sides. Negotiation plan. The main measures aimed at increasing the effectiveness of negotiations.
  • 15. Soft (light) tactics of behavior in conflict, their brief description and features of application.
  • 16. Neutral tactics of behavior in conflict, their brief description and features of application.
  • 17. Interethnic conflicts. The essence and causes of interethnic conflicts. The system of settlement of interethnic conflicts. Principles of regulation of interethnic conflicts on the territory of the former USSR.
  • Principles of regulation of interethnic conflicts on the territory of the former USSR
  • 18. Interstate conflicts. Types of interstate conflicts. The main directions of prevention of interstate conflicts.
  • 19. Essence, types, subject and causes of labor conflicts. Forms and technologies for resolving labor conflicts.
  • 6. Power pressure.
  • 22. Strategies for exiting the conflict and their brief description. The most acceptable conditions for the application of each of these strategies. Factors influencing the choice of strategy.
  • 23. The main forms of the end of the conflict. Give a brief definition of them. Criteria for conflict resolution. Outcome of the conflict. Basic principles of crisis communications.
  • 1. Don't panic!
  • Stages of conflict resolution
  • 26. What periods and stages does the negotiation process consist of? What determines success in negotiations? In what situations is it appropriate to involve a third party in conflict resolution?
  • 1. The personal factor has a decisive influence on the success of negotiations:
  • 4. Success in negotiations largely depends on taking into account the national characteristics of the partner, his style of negotiating.
  • 12. The interdependence of opponents has a positive effect on the effectiveness of negotiations. It can be expressed in two aspects:
  • 27. Preparation for negotiations. Directions of preparation for negotiations. Expand the main organizational moments of preparation for negotiations. Formation of the delegation.
  • 28. Strategies of the negotiation process (styles of negotiating in a conflict situation).
  • 1) Ultimate tactics and
  • 2) The tactics of squeezing concessions.
  • 29. Dynamics of the negotiation process. What does the negotiation plan include?
  • 30. Negotiating: clarification, discussion, agreement of positions. Behavior of the negotiating team during breaks.
  • 31. Psychological mechanisms of the negotiation process. Technology of negotiation. Negotiation tactics.
  • 32. What is the specificity of negotiations with criminals?
  • 33. The concept of conflict management. The main conditions under which conflict management becomes possible. Circumstances and factors influencing conflict management.
  • 35. Prevention of conflicts. The main activities of the leadership to prevent conflicts in organizations.
  • 36. Interrelation of "crisis" and "conflict". Root causes of conflicts in organizations. Stimulation of conflicts. Areas of work of pr-specialists to prevent a crisis situation.
  • 37. Early preparation for the resolution of possible conflicts. What kind of conflicts (crises) can there be? Anti-crisis monitoring. The content of the anti-crisis plan.
  • 38. What documents are being prepared after anti-crisis monitoring? What is the emergency (crisis, conflict) response team? General rules for the work of the crisis team.
  • 39. Basic methods (technologies) of conflict resolution, their essence and conditions of application.
  • Identification of preferences in the choice of ways to resolve conflicts
  • 40. Typology of ways to resolve contradictions in conflict (ways, approaches, methods of conflict resolution).
  • 41. Stages of research and analysis of conflicts and their summary. Definition of research objects. Approaches used to identify target social groups.
  • 42. Methodological principles of the study of conflicts, their brief content. Communication channels with community groups
  • 43. Research methods used by pr-specialists in order to draw up programs to end conflicts. Reveal their essence. Types of research conducted directly by pr-specialists.
  • 1) Custom methods.
  • 2) Study and analysis of information by pr employees
  • 44. What does the process of planning and drawing up a conflict resolution program include?
  • 45. Classification of pr-technologies. Classification pr. Russian specifics of development pr.
  • 3. Media pr.
  • 46. ​​Pr-technologies for conflict management. Name them and reveal their essence.
  • 8) Sponsorship;
  • 47. Technology of working with the media in crisis (conflict) situations. Russian specifics of development pr.
  • 1. To begin with, the media with which to work must be carefully studied and long-term relationships established with them in advance, as already noted above.
  • 48. Technologies used by pr-specialists for the purpose of hostile takeover (aggressor company).
  • 49. Technologies used by pr-specialists in order to prevent hostile takeovers (company target).
  • 3. Conduct an analysis of the current situation
  • 6. External pr in hostile takeover protection
  • 8. Activities carried out directly by the company's management:
  • 50. Rumor prevention and/or neutralization strategies.
  • 51. Activities carried out when working with the media in a conflict (crisis) situation.
  • 1. Press conference
  • 2. Virtual press conference on the Internet
  • 3. Briefing (briefly inform).
  • 54. The main means of organizing public relations in a conflict (crisis) situation.
  • 4. Preparation of printed materials to influence various groups
  • 55. General recommendations for resolving a conflict situation. The main methods and techniques of influencing a communication partner.
  • 10. Don't corner your opponent.
  • 56. The essence of the situational analysis of the study of conflicts at various levels.
  • Negotiations as a complex process, heterogeneous in tasks, consist of several stages :

    - preparation for negotiations;

    - Negotiation;

    - analysis of the results of negotiations

    There are psychological conditions that increase the chances of success in solving a problem through dialogue.

    1. The personal factor has a decisive influence on the success of negotiations:

    The higher the level of negotiations and the more independent the participants in making decisions, the more important the personal factor is.

    Among the personal qualities and properties that contribute to the constructive conduct of negotiations, usually called high moral character, even character, tolerance, non-standard thinking, decisiveness, modesty, professionalism and corporate feeling.

    Another aspect of the personality factor is the ability of a negotiator to take into account the personal characteristics of the opposite side.

    (F. BACON wrote in his essay “On Negotiations”: “If you have to work with any person, you must find out: either his character and addictions - in order to command him; or weaknesses and shortcomings - to scare him; or people close to him - to manage it. When dealing with smart people, you need to delve into the speeches being made. They should say as little as possible - and just what they least expect. In complex negotiations, do not try to sow and reap at the same time; slowly prepare the ground, and the fruits will gradually ripen).

    2. The success of the negotiation process largely depends on the activities of the mediator ..

    This is especially important when the mediator is dealing with a long, complex conflict.

    3. Men show higher satisfaction with themselves and the negotiation process with partners of the opposite sex .

    When negotiating in a same-sex couple (male-male), they are less satisfied with themselves and the process, but more satisfied with the agreements reached.

    4. Success in negotiations largely depends on taking into account the national characteristics of the partner, his style of negotiating.

    5. The socio-psychological effectiveness of negotiations differs in dyads and triads. This is due to different socio-psychological characteristics of these types of interaction. The negotiation process in the dyad is characterized by less stability and greater uncertainty of the expected results compared to the triad, in which the role of the third participant is played by the observer. In dyads, the attention of participants shifts from the problem of negotiations to the emotional aspects of interaction.

    6. In dyads, negotiations are more efficient than in triads affecting the personal interests of opponents. In triads, negotiations on more abstract topics are more effective, when the presence of a third person makes you listen to the partner's logic.

    7. When it is necessary to negotiate with the entire group that is an opponent in the conflict, it is better to negotiate not with everyone, but only with representatives . Unlike ordinary members, representatives of groups in negotiations do not show polarization, and the result is a compromise between the original positions.

    8. Strengthening the control of communication, including non-verbal , allows participants to reduce the influence of emotions on the choice of a solution, which positively affects the result of interaction.

    9. A tough negotiating stance can lower the other side's demand, make them willing to settle for less. . But sometimes the rigidity of the position provokes the same response.

    10. The presence of an external threat for one of the opponents increases the likelihood of his concessions to the other side. The threat should be based on actions, not intentions.

    11. On the other hand, the opponents' lack of desire to use violence can lead to a quick solution to the problem. . The peaceful resolution of crisis situations is facilitated by the fact that the parties have the opportunity to influence each other by non-military means.

There are a number of psychological conditions that increase the chances of success in solving a problem through dialogue.

1. A decisive influence on the success of negotiations is personal factor. Although some experts believe that the personal characteristics of the participants have little effect on the effectiveness of negotiations, most scientists take a different point of view. Based on research, they come to the following conclusions regarding the role of personality factors in negotiations:

The clearer the definition of roles in a negotiation situation, the less the influence of personal factors on their course;

The more uncertain the intentions of the opponent, the greater the influence of personal factors on the negotiations;

AT difficult situation highest value have those of its parameters that affect the processes of perception of the participants in the negotiations or are easy to explain;

The higher the level of negotiations and the more independent the participants in making decisions, the more important the personal factor is.

Among the personal qualities and properties that contribute to the constructive conduct of negotiations, they usually name high moral qualities, even character, developed abilities, neuropsychic stability, tolerance, non-standard thinking, determination, modesty, professionalism and corporate feeling.

Another aspect of the personality factor is the ability of a negotiator to take into account the personal characteristics of the opposite side. F. Bacon wrote in his essay “On Negotiations”:

“If you have to work with any person, you must find out: either his character and passions in order to command him; or weaknesses and shortcomings to frighten him; or people close to him to manage him. Dealing with smart people, you need to delve into the speeches they utter. They should say as little as possible - and just what they least expect. In complex negotiations, don't try to sow and reap at the same time; slowly prepare the soil, and the fruits will gradually ripen.”

Knowing the personal characteristics of the opponent and taking them into account in the course of negotiations makes it possible to predict the likely nature of interaction with him.

2. From intermediary activities largely depends on the success of the negotiation process. This is especially important when the mediator is dealing with a long, complex conflict. For example, it was H. Kissinger's active "shuttle diplomacy" during the two years of the Arab-Israeli war of 1973-1975. yielded three defusing agreements between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Kissinger's strategy made it possible to control the interaction of the parties and ensured their movement towards each other without the appearance of capitulation and unilateral concessions.

3. Men demonstrate higher satisfaction with oneself and the negotiation process with a partner of the opposite sex. When negotiating in a same-sex couple (male-male), they are less satisfied with themselves and the process, but more satisfied with the agreements reached.

4. Negotiation success depends a lot on accounting national characteristics partner, his negotiating style.

5. The socio-psychological effectiveness of negotiations differs in dyads and triads. This is due to the different socio-psychological characteristics of such types of interaction. The negotiation process in the dyad is characterized by less stability and greater uncertainty of the expected results compared to the triad, in which the role of the third participant is played by the observer. In dyads, the attention of participants shifts from the problem of negotiations to the emotional aspects of interaction.

6. In dyads are more effective than in triads, pass negotiations involving personal interests opponents. AT triads are more effective negotiations for more abstract themes, when the presence of a third person makes you listen to the logic of your partner.

7. When it is necessary to negotiate with the entire group that is an opponent in a conflict, it is better to dialog not with everyone, but only with representatives. Unlike ordinary members, representatives of groups in negotiations do not show polarization, and the result is a compromise between the original positions.

8. Gain control of communication, including non-verbal, allows participants to reduce the influence of emotions on the choice of a solution, which has a positive effect on the result of interaction.

9. Tough negotiating position may lower the demands of the other party, make her willing to accept less. But sometimes the rigidity of the position provokes the same response. As D. Myers notes, in many conflicts it is not a fixed-size pie that is divided, but a pie that shrinks during the conflict. Therefore, rigidity reduces the chances of an agreement.

10. The presence of an external threat for one of the opponents increases the likelihood of his concessions to the other side. The threat must be based on actions, not intentions.

11. On the other hand, opponents' lack of desire to use violence can lead to a quick solution to the problem. The peaceful resolution of crisis situations is facilitated by the fact that the parties have the opportunity to influence each other by non-military means.

12. Positively affects the effectiveness of negotiations interdependence of opponents. It can be expressed in two aspects:

1) there were strong relations between the parties before the conflict, and it is easier for them to agree;

2) the parties are bound by the prospects of a common future, which are considered important.

13. The results of negotiations essentially depend on the content of the negotiation process, i.e. from discussion problems. The more abstract the topic being discussed, the easier it is for participants to reach agreement. And vice versa, the more significant the problem is for opponents in personal terms, the more difficult it is to come to an agreement.

14. An important factor influencing the success of negotiations is time. As a rule, the one who has time wins. A negotiator caught in time trouble makes decisions on the spur of the moment and makes more mistakes.

15. If negotiations take too long and no solution is found, it is helpful announce a break. During it, it is possible to hold consultations, for example, within each delegation. Lunch break removes the level of tension, makes people more compliant.

Another way out of the emerging impasse would be to propose to postpone the issue until a later time, after the remaining problems have been resolved.

Throughout our lives, from the very first moments of our birth, we communicate. We communicate with the world around, with people, with our inner "I". At first, timidly and clumsily, but, growing up, we gain experience and then some of us cannot be stopped))). depending from the circumstances social circle, specific person, we are changing the style, strategy and tactics of communication. We will never communicate with a child the way we communicate with adults in everyday life. We will never communicate with our parents the way we communicate with our friends. We will never communicate with our friends the way we communicate in a business environment. In order for us to be accepted and understood, in order for us to be told “yes” more often, many factors must be taken into account. Where can we get the most practical experience? Of course, only in this complex process like business negotiations. I am often asked a question by my clients and listeners - what is the most important thing in negotiations? I always answer - the most important thing in negotiations is the process of preparation for them. From how we got ready to the negotiations, the result depends - we win or lose. Good, high-quality preparation is already 50-60% of success. Yes, I use sports terminology. Because, as negotiations, a kind of competition, a duel of intellects, experience and knowledge of several people. A client calls me yesterday and says - “Eduard, tomorrow I have a very important negotiations. I'm very worried, it will work - it won't work)). I ask - you prepared for them? No, - he answers - I know the topic, I am a pro in trading and I can find an answer to any question.
Here is the most common mistake. We are sometimes in some kind of illusion from what we have learned own business, as it seems to us, to the smallest detail and nothing will “knock us down”.
“Okay,” I say, “do you know who you will talk to? Do you know what kind of person, what character, what he is the leader what is his passion, what his business “breathes”, who are his competitors, with which of your competitors he has already communicated, what is the policy of his company in relation to its partners ...?)). Are you ready for possible rudeness and rudeness on the part of the opponent (sometimes such behavior is a test, a test)? Will you be able to quickly respond to a possible change in the terms of the contract by your opponent and how will you argue your objections? How will you act if the negotiations drag on for a month or two? Are you ready for many more surprises that may arise during the negotiation process? And, in the end, are you internally ready to LOSE these negotiations, because you are NOT READY for them? It's no secret that business success is based on HOW we can communicate and HOW ready we are to communicate with clients, buyers, partners, etc. And if we are NOT READY, then why did all this fuss start?))) . Again "maybe"? In this case, our entire business is designed for "maybe" and can collapse at any moment. My client was silent for a minute. Then he sighed and said - "Mdya, we need to postpone the negotiations for another time)".
In a nutshell, the preparation for negotiations takes place in several stages:

  1. Preparation of our version of the contract, commercial offer, consumables (business cards, booklets, souvenirs, etc.).
  2. Collecting information about our potential partner, client, sponsor, etc. It is always easier to communicate with someone about whom you have at least some idea than with a completely “dark horse”.
  3. Planning the overall negotiation strategy.
  4. Development of tactics and modeling of a conversation on paper or virtually (possible questions, objections, arguments, lines of conduct, depending on the development of the situation). Modeling various situations and finals in the negotiation process. Development of options for our actions, depending on how events will develop.
  5. Analysis of negotiations after their completion. Work on the mistakes, in order not to repeat the next time. This will be, in a way, the beginning of preparations for our next talks.
    It is clear that it is impossible to foresee everything, but minimize risk is our job. If we want to everything ended successfully.
    Want some sort of mystery?). From my own experience. One of my favorite examples.
    Imagine that you are calling to CEO major manufacturing enterprise. Would you like to partner with him? We made our way through the secretary (this is a separate song)). Finally, he picks up the phone himself. You start the conversation, as expected, introduced yourself and then, as usual .... The answer is silence. Reactions well NO-K-KAYA. You're trying to ask something, like - Can you hear me? And in response, only one sigh and again silence. You really need this contract. Your actions?
    Later I will tell you what I did and we still signed an agreement).
    A request to those who are in the know (I told some acquaintances) not to disclose further development events.
    In the next topic, I will tell you how I negotiated alone, with several representatives of various companies at once.

To be continued.

Each of us spends a lot of diplomatic effort every day, constantly negotiating in the family, at work, in privacy. In business, negotiations require a conscious concentration of efforts aimed at achieving an important goal. It is negotiations that are the quintessence of business, the main part of the process leading through peak voltages to solving the problem. An experienced businessman negotiates based primarily on his worldly and intellectual experience.

Is it possible to learn the art of business diplomacy or is it an inborn talent? Let's use an analogy with chess and checkers - intellectual or deterministic games in which two competing sides participate. In these games, typical conflict situations are modeled, which are easily projected onto all spheres. interpersonal relationships: economic, political, military and others. The peculiarity of these games is that not everything depends on the abilities of one of the players. In all his decisions, he must take into account the possibility of counteraction by the enemy. Negotiations resemble a tense party, and partners sitting on different sides table, - players, differing in three levels:

The weakest make the first moves that come across, not paying attention to the opponent's answers.

The more serious ones try to figure out what their next move will be and how the opponent can respond.

Skillful craftsmen calculate all options: both for themselves and for a partner.

In business, these games are played all the time. Take, for example, the most common business - a store. Its owner has to negotiate with buyers hundreds of times a day. This experience not only teaches the entrepreneur a lot, but also allows him to determine his level.

Almost everyone can grow as a businessman, but this progress, of course, is determined by natural abilities - just like players grow up in a chess circle with the same coach different class. There is nothing shameful for an entrepreneur to understand: a store, a small cafe or a workshop is the scale that corresponds to its current capabilities and will ensure a sustainable income. Having acquired the necessary skill, you can move to a higher “league” of business and become a master in this field. Real talent in business is no more common than in other areas, its owners are able to generate original ideas, subtly and artistically conduct business negotiations, which allows them, after modest undertakings, to gradually move on to ever larger matters.

"Calculate" the opponent

Negotiation is an arena of struggle, during which knowledge, information, will are directed to achieve benevolence from outside and people from whom we want to achieve something. This definition can be applied both to your family, circle of friends, to all social strata in which you find yourself, and to business. In order for this struggle to be successful, you must first of all have a clear idea of ​​\u200b\u200bwhat is the place of your counter-partner in various systems social coordinates.

Relationships between people, their status in various social groups can be depicted as a pyramid, which is apparently the most stable of all geometric shapes. Such a social pyramid, in turn, consists of smaller pyramids - straight and inverted. If we mentally imagine this construction, we will find that each person can simultaneously be in several adjacent, phase-shifted pyramids, representing different areas his interests, and in each of them he can be at various levels. Various factors can change its position in the nearby pyramids. This is not only an official status, but also informal roles of a person: family, hobby, social or party work.

Thus, a high-ranking official or manager may be at the top of the production pyramid, which includes hundreds and even thousands of people at different levels who depend on him, but in the philatelists' club he is by no means considered the main authority. And in the family pyramid, he ends up at the base - the top point can be occupied by a wife, mother-in-law or child.

The first task of negotiation is to determine the place of the counter-partner in various pyramids, identifying his closeness to you and discovering those of his weaknesses, the use of which will help to achieve desired result. Not less than important matter is also the ability to find a "common denominator" with an opponent, expressed in mutual interests, habits, tastes, hobbies. We must not forget that negotiations are not only verbal exhortation, but also other actions: compliments, threats, gifts, flowers, invitations to a restaurant, and even ... the use of force.

The Four Factors of Negotiation

Four factors invariably play an important role in negotiating:

Ownership of information.

Time limit.

Manifestation of strength.

Game element.

Let's try to decipher these concepts.

Possession of information is the ability to operate with the amount of information about the counter-partner, his place in the pyramid, correlated with these negotiations; his business, the market situation in the area in which the transaction is concluded. In addition to the desire to know more about the counter-partner, it is also necessary to try to determine the level and reliability of the information he has and try to neutralize or misinform him.

A casual spectator who finds himself at a chess tournament is surprised why a grandmaster sometimes thinks for almost an hour over the first moves. After all, he knows by heart opening variations in 20-25 moves. The fact of the matter is that the grandmaster does not doubt his knowledge, but he thinks about what the opponent may know and what the opponent does not know, in which variation there are more chances to confuse him. A participant in business negotiations should think the same way. One of the main commandments of a businessman is not to show your cards! It must be constantly remembered that if the information you communicate does not bring you benefit, it will most likely cause harm.

No negotiation can last forever. The time constraint adds tension to the dialogue. In this situation, the one who is better in control of himself and is more sensitive to changes in the state of the counter-partner takes the upper hand. Often the time limit becomes a relaxing factor. So, as the term of negotiations expires, the desire of one of the parties to sell their goods makes it more accommodating. Let's take an example of a familiar situation. You bought new apartment, and the old one has not yet been sold. In the meantime, the payment time is approaching. Those who have been in a similar situation understand how important it is to hide the time factor from potential buyers.

It is extremely important to create an impression of your strength and self-confidence in negotiations, which should be transmitted to the counter-partner. Even if objectively the counter-partner is weaker, but you yourself are not sure of this, then you have no advantage! It is impossible to succeed without showing at least a minimum of acting skills. Strength is demonstrated in everything - in facial expression and gait, and in manners and in the ability to speak.

In the course of negotiations, strength can most often manifest itself in the presence of an alternative option for one of the counterpartners. For example, you are negotiating with a supplier of a product that you urgently need. The advantage is on his side: he chooses with whom to make a deal. Accordingly, your tactics should be determined. The supplier is in demand, but he is interested in reliable partners. In such a situation, your chance is to try to win his sympathy with frankness and a guarantee of accurate payments. When negotiating with the investor you need, or the banker on whom your business depends, you must first of all prove that you play by the rules - this is your dignity.

Forceful pressure can also manifest itself in appealing to moral principles, logical and emotional arguments, bringing precedents related to this transaction, and in some cases - in presenting a direct ultimatum.

All three parameters of negotiations we have previously considered are often necessary in order to create the appearance of one negotiation scenario on their basis, but in reality - to direct them in a different direction and strive to achieve their own benefits. Thus, a skilled chess player plans his goal many moves ahead, but at the same time he “throws up” false opportunities to his opponent, provoking him to choose the wrong move.

Relying on your gaming experience I want to draw a direct analogy here with business negotiations. Often a player in a losing position thinks about his next move. He faces a choice between a multi-move variant, in which the opponent needs to find natural and simple continuations to achieve victory, and a variant leading to an immediate denouement, for which the opponent needs to find a difficult and not at all obvious move.

Negotiation is a complex, almost never repeated, exciting game. A person conducting business negotiations should never take their outcome (especially failure) too dramatically and in no case - as something personal. Negotiations should be conducted without, as it were, distancing themselves from them. As in every game, defeats are possible here, but this should not be made a tragedy.

The game must follow the rules. You can make deceptive maneuvers, set traps, but you can’t deceive! Until the contract is signed and the partners do not shake hands, a bluff is possible, but behind it should be your willingness to answer for every word. As soon as the counter-partner replies to our cunning: “I agree,” we have no way out.

The modern concept of doing business always involves working with people, no matter what the enterprise does. And this is not only the ability to organize the work of the staff, to win the respect of subordinates and the sympathy of customers, it is also the most valuable ability to negotiate, that is, to conclude deals on favorable terms for oneself. Conducting business negotiations and the ethics of business communication play one of the main roles in this case. It doesn't matter who you are - an accomplished businessman and head big company or a young sales representative making the first hesitant step towards future career, communication skills are a key element to the success of your commercial endeavors.

The talent of a brilliant negotiator begins with the ability to enjoy the negotiation process itself.

The difficulties of conducting business negotiations by their nature are not much different from the difficulties of communication in general. Negotiations begin with communication, their business component runs through the process of a casual conversation between two people, and their result very often depends on how much the negotiators managed to like each other. The main enemies of any communication are always the same:

  • self-doubt;
  • excessive stress;
  • lack of interest in the interlocutor or obsession with oneself.

You can learn to feel at ease in any society by enrolling in courses to improve personal efficiency, oratory or acting skills. If you experience difficulties even with elementary everyday communication with others, be sure to start by eliminating communication barriers. Next step- to study the basic techniques and attitudes for conducting business negotiations of any complexity. There are 10 in total.

Prepare carefully

There is a common and tenacious stereotype according to which negotiations are entirely based on improvisation. It is believed that it is impossible to rehearse the negotiations, the more so it will not be possible to foresee everything in them. This is partly true, because live dialogue is always unpredictable. On the other hand, in the course of preparation, you can determine for yourself a number of very important things:

  1. Final goal. It should be formulated as precisely as possible, so as to be able to imagine.
  2. Real result. That is, what happens after your goal in the negotiations is achieved, what will you get.
  3. Means to achieve the goal. You know the personality of the interlocutor, you have defined a goal for yourself and you know why you need to achieve it. It's time to be puzzled by the choice of tactics and methods.

Prioritize

Negotiating with business partners suggests the possibility of suddenly being faced with a choice: to achieve an actual goal or maintain a long-term relationship. No matter how great the desire to get everything at once, a concession may turn out to be a strategically right move for you, which will pay off a hundredfold in the long run. Try to think through such situations in advance, in a calm environment, when you are not limited in time for reflection and are not influenced by emotions. Having turnkey solution in reserve, you will not be mistaken and will not find yourself in a difficult position.

Be honest and open

Honesty captivates, creates an atmosphere of trust and gives the interlocutor a reason to be honest in return. Revealing some cards, you kind of say: “You see, I'm not trying to fool you, we are friends!”. At the same time, it is not at all necessary to be honest to the detriment of yourself or your business interests. For example, if you are worried or uncomfortable, be direct about it. This will not only enable the interlocutor to enter into your position, but also help to get rid of the feeling of discomfort, because you no longer have to hide it.

Talk less, listen more

Active listening is a method that allows you to get several advantages in a conversation at once:

  1. Showing interest in what your interlocutor says, you emphasize his significance, it is always flattering to pride. In addition, no one has canceled the banal etiquette.
  2. Allowing the interlocutor to talk a lot, you get the opportunity to learn more about him, to study his way of thinking, to guess his goals and desires.
  3. Remaining in the role of a listener, you tell the interlocutor a minimum of information about yourself and deprive him of the opportunity to study you.

The basic rules for conducting business negotiations include the simplest trick passive listener - repeat the last phrase of the interlocutor with an interrogative intonation.

Discuss the interests of the interlocutor

Everything that the interlocutor insists on and achieves logically follows from his interests and desires. If you try to force him to change his position, then it is best to do this taking into account the reasons forcing him to defend this position. Ask the interlocutor more questions, ask him about what caused certain of his actions and decisions. Take his side and suggest options for achieving his goals in ways that are beneficial to you. This technique always works better than criticism or pressure because it allows you to get your way without making your partner feel like a loser.

Provide Choice

Most people associate the right to choose with control over the situation. This association is unconscious, a person is simply more comfortable when he has several options instead of one. That is, to increase the likelihood of a positive outcome of negotiations, prepare not one, but two or three proposals, each of which will be beneficial to you. By doing this, you will create the illusion that the interlocutor has made a decision, although in reality he will only choose one of the decisions made by you.

Never make excuses

One way to confuse a person is to make him constantly make excuses and prove that he is not a “camel”. This is contrary to the ethical principles of business negotiations, so we do not recommend trying this technique in practice, but it is worth knowing about it. Remember that an attempt to justify oneself is tantamount to an admission of guilt and a change from an equal position to a dependent one. Avoid excuses!

Control your emotions

When analyzing modern styles and concepts of business negotiations, it is necessary to understand the difference between control and suppression. By suppressing emotions, you are already experiencing them, which means that you are in one way or another influenced by them. Whether you manage to suppress emotions depends only on how many hasty and ill-considered actions you have time to perform. All options are losing.

Emotion management is the ability to remain neutral in any situation, ignore provocations and always be guided by the voice of reason. This skill does not come easily, it requires a lot of work on yourself, but in return you will learn to always follow the golden rule of negotiations - to remain calm.

Keep room to maneuver

Every negotiator seeks to gain an advantage. This is normal for both you and your partner. Methods are different, you should be ready for everything.

  • Don't promise anything up front.
  • Don't settle for things you're not sure about, don't make decisions about things you don't understand well.
  • Always reserve the right to exit.

Learn to impress

Features of conducting business negotiations are not only correct dialogue. Spectacular appearance, strong voice, disarming tone, pleasant smile, clear speech, well-created image - all these are the building blocks of your success. Often in negotiations it is not so important who you are than what you may appear to be, and even the best professional quality can be crossed out overnight by a banal inability to present oneself.