Page 101 - DMGT519_Conflict Management and Negotiation Skills

Unit 4: Negotiation

Negotiating is, at bottom, an interpersonal activity. Seasoned negotiators understand this Notes
and make a point of learning as much as they can about the people with whom they must
deal. Who are those individuals on the other side of the table? Are they experienced
negotiators or novices? Are they aggressive or are they conflict–avoiding accommodators?
Is the culture of their organization bureaucratic or entrepreneurial? Are the people at the
table authorized to make a deal, or must they run back to their bosses for instructions and
approval? Perhaps more important, what are they attempting to achieve and how critical
is this negotiation to their business? Seeking answers to these questions is part of pre-
negotiation preparation and should continue at the table itself. You should, for example,
ask the other side to provide the names and titles of its negotiating team. Once you have
those names, ask around your company or around the industry.

4.20 Invitation to Negotiation

This is opening and taking off stage of negotiation. Therefore, it deserves all care.
(i) Take initiative in fixing the time, venue, and agenda of the meeting.

(ii) Initiate the negotiation processes.
(iii) Take control of organization of the meeting.
(iv) Sell the concept of the agreement before you start negotiating the terms.

Presentation

This is the occasion to present your ideal terms as declaration of your opening position as also
occasion to judge and weigh the demands of the other side. It is exploratory stage – where we
gauge the attitude, strength and importance of demands.
Negotiation is like see-saw game. It is to and fro process, moves up and down and balance
(agreement) comes after some time. Thus, it gives both – (a) an indication of area of agreement,
and (b) set the scene for final bargaining.
Setting your opening position requires a lot of skill and may differ from situation to situation.
You may open-up with general explanation of demands and may refer back the previous
agreements, if any. You may open a short discussion on neutral subject to ally any hostility and
get the other side into conversation. You may present the value that your offering is giving.
As this is the initial encounter, you can expect brickbats and emotional outbursts. It is natural to
see scenario of venting anger, anguish emotions. Displaying attacking postures, blaming, cursing,
anguish and threatening are also common. Even walk outs and other threats are also resorted to.
These tactics are adopted by union to create panic and nervousness to get early concessions.

Some don’ts

1. Do not overreact.
2. Do not become over – emotional.
3. Do not lose patience/temper.
4. Do not be unpleasant.

5. Do not be provocative.
6. Do not insult them.

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