The
Art of Power Negotiating
When you go into a negotiation, take a
personal inventory. How do you feel about
negotiation? Do you want to get it over
fast? If so, you may give in too quickly,
or give away too much. Or, do you want
to win, no matter what the cost? If so,
you may become adversarial and damage
the relationship.
Know
who you're negotiating with before you
begin. What's his or her reputation as
a negotiator? Win/Win model or Win/Lose
model? Does the person want to negotiate
with you (Oh Boy!), dread the negotiation
(Oh No), or is this a neutral situation
(Show Me) think, think, think,
It
s not enough to know what you want out
of negotiation. You also need to anticipate
what the other party wants (double think).
The smart negotiator also tries to anticipate
what the other party thinks you want (triple
think).
Negotiation
is a highly sophisticated form of communication.
Without trust, there won't be communication.
Instead you'll have manipulation and suspicion
masquerading as communication. Be trustworthy.
Honor your commitments. Tell the truth.
Respect confidences. Listen...
Most
people carry on an inner dialogue with
themselves. When you're trying to communicate
with someone else, this inner dialogue
becomes a problem because you can't listen
internally and externally at the same
time. When you negotiate, turn off your
inner voice and only listen externally.
You won't miss important nonverbal messages,
facial expressions of voice inflections,
when you listen externally.
It's
risky to make yourself vulnerable to someone.
That's why in a negotiation you begin
by stating your position. Later, when
the trust has deepened, you and the other
party can risk more honesty and identify
your true interests. As a negotiator,
it is your responsibility to ask questions
that will uncover the needs or interests
of the other party. If you've also done
your job of creating a supportive climate,
you're more likely to get honest answers.
Don't
assume that because the other party has
one type of power, e.g. position power,
that he or she is all-powerful. That's
giving away your power! Balance power
by assessing the other parties source(s)
of power, and then your own. While there
are many sources of power, they all break
down into two categories; internal power
and external power. The former no one
can take away from you and includes your
personal power, level of self-esteem,
and self-confidence.
BATNA
stands for Best Alternative to A Negotiated
Agreement. The acronym comes out of the
research on negotiation conducted by the
Harvard Negotiation Project. Before you
begin a negotiation, know what your options
are. Can you walk away from the deal?
What other choices do you have? What are
the pros and cons of each choice? Don't
stop here. Also consider the BATNA of
the other party. A WIN
What
is your best case scenario? What is your
worst case scenario? The area in between
is called your settlement range. If you
can reach an agreement within your settlement
range, that's a Win! Don't drop below
your bottom line; you'll feel bad about
yourself and the deal afterwards, and
you may not follow-through on your commitments.
Negotiation
is a process, not an event. There are
predictable steps preparation, creating
the climate, identifying interests, and
selecting outcomes that you will go through
in any negotiation. With practice, you
will gain skill at facilitating each step
of the process. As your skill increases,
you'll discover that negotiating can be
fun.
Power
Study Tips
- Make
study notes in pocket form on small
pocket size cards. Stick them in places
where you are likely to see them often,
such as on your desk, on the mirror
or on the refrigerator door.
- Read
difficult material out aloud, instead
of silently, or record it on a tape.
This increases sensory input to the
brain. Listen to the tape while doing
other things, like having breakfast
or just before going to bed.
- Organize
information in graphic for (diagrams,
figures, charts, graphs). This of
reveals new relationships and aids
recall.
- Re-organize
course material logically. See how
concept maps with the most important
idea in the center, and then various
branches showing the relationship
between other ideas and subcategories.
- Use
the 3-RS, read, write and recite -
to increase your memory and understanding.
- Use
the SOAR (select, organize, associate,
rehearse) strategy to prevent forgetting.
Use word associating, analogies (pump=heart)
and acronyms (i.e. Unesco) to help
you remember.
- Think
about possible exam questions and
practice them. Ask your study partner
to trade questions to give you a new
perspective.
- Try
teaching the subject to someone else.
This is the best way to learn it.
Soul
Of Waves
Inside this chest so broad and wide
Is there a soul your depth does hide?
Is there any urge that moves you so?
To take a spin and have a high!
Chasing each other up to the shore
Wanting to see which come first?
Children on the beach, which does touch?
Playfully then a retreating wave
Takes the children's toys away
What is this? Is it id?
Wanting objects to play with?
Children yell; some shout, some cry
Tears are left on cheeks to dry
For away after a stay
All the toys are back on the way
Soon the stolen are returned
Admonished by conscience stern,
Impish wave, now is grave
Does some play still it crave?
by Sadat Jabeen
