The Art of Negotiation
There has been a great deal of research into the art of negotiation, and in particular, into what makes a “good” negotiator. One point most researchers seem to agree on is that good negotiators try to create a harmonious atmosphere at the start of a negotiation. They are open-minded and creative, able to change according to the circumstance, able to build (to establish) a rapport, that is, to be versatile, to be adaptable. In other words, they are able to come up with ideas on how to repackage the negotiation, as well as to manage conflict. They are able to manage pressure in a face-to-face negotiation. Good negotiators generally wish to reach an agreement which meets the interests of both sides. They therefore tend to take a long-term view, ensuring that the agreement will improve, or at least not harm, their relationship with the other party. On the other hand, a poor negotiator tends to look for immediate gains, forgetting that the real benefits of a deal may come much later. Skillful negotiators are flexible. They do not “lock themselves” into a position so that they will lose face if they have to compromise. They have a range of objectives, thus allowing themselves to make concessions, for example, “I aim to buy this machine for £2, 000”. And not “I must buy it for £2, 000.” Poor negotiators have limited objectives, and may not even work out a “fall-back” position. Successful negotiators do not want a negotiation to break down. If problems arise, they suggest ways of resolving them. The best negotiators are persuasive, articulate people, who select a few key arguments and repeat them. This suggests that persistence is an important quality. Finally, the ability to be able to look out is very important. There are small bits of language around proposals, like, in the region of, roughly, probably, around about, that will tell you that your counterpart has more negotiation room. So language is important as well as the control of the language, and the ability to listen. The more information you have, the more powerful you become, for information is power. It is also important to check frequently that everything has been understood by both parties. Notes: to make concession - йти на поступки “fall-back” position - відступ
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