Your Weekly Walkaway - The 10 Lessons Spring Can Teach Us About Negotiation
The Weekly Walkway highlights negotiation in its ‘good’, ‘bad’ and sometimes ‘downright ugly’ forms. Newsletter Issue No. 27 (7th April 2023)
What to expect?
Quote of the Week - “Conflict is good in a negotiation process... it's the clash of two ideas, which then, all being well, produces a third idea.”
Tactic of the Week - The Flirt
Thought of the Week - The 10 Lessons Spring Can Teach Us About Negotiation
Remember: You are a negotiator!
You are always managing some form of conflict, a difference of opinion or interest.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“Conflict is good in a negotiation process... it's the clash of two ideas, which then, all being well, produces a third idea.”
Luke Roberts
TACTIC OF THE WEEK
The Flirt
Sex Sells! Doesn’t it?
The Flirt involves using charm and charisma to influence the other party.
It is used to establish a personal connection with the other party, make them feel comfortable and build trust. It can create an emotional connection between the parties, which may cause the other party to let their guard down.
Flirting can take many forms, such as paying compliments, using humour, or using body language to convey interest. Wink Wink.
The goal of "The Flirt" is to create an atmosphere that makes the other party more open to your ideas and proposals.
Be warned! Using sexual attraction to influence the other party in negotiations can be highly ineffective if the other party is not receptive to such tactics. This leaves the tactic user exposed and open to exploitation or it could lead to a breakdown in negotiations and the business relationship.
It is important to use this tactic carefully. Some people get stuck in their ‘selling’ mode, mirroring and flirting, to build the initial relationship but are unable to flip into their ‘negotiation’ mode. Flirting now can be seen as a sign of weakness or even desperation. Or the other party may feel that they are being insincere or manipulative.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
The 10 Lessons Spring Can Teach Us About Negotiation
In our home we are celebrating the Easter holiday. The beginning of Spring, a season of renewal and new beginnings.
Now I know, spring and negotiation are two very different things, but bear with me. No, really.. trust me, this is an interesting exercise!
We all celebrate spring in some form. Here are a few examples;
Holi - the Hindu festival celebrating love, forgiveness, and new beginnings;
Nowruz - the Persian New Year celebrating renewal, rebirth, and new beginnings;
Beltane - the pagan holiday celebrating fertility, growth, and new life.
And these are just a few examples of the many spring festivals being celebrated at this time and they all share common themes; renewal, growth, and new beginnings.
So what can spring teach us about negotiation?
Maintain a positive attitude: Spring is a time of rebirth, joy and celebration. In negotiation you need to maintain a positive attitude to build trust and find solutions. Always remember to remain resilient in the face of difficulty, the spring is coming, stay the course and soon you'll be able to celebrate your successes.
Plan. Plan. Plan: Just as Spring requires preparation in terms of getting everything ready for regeneration and new growth, negotiations also require thorough preparation beforehand. This includes researching the other party, understanding their needs and interests, as well as understanding the market conditions, so that you can create a plan, your positions and moves, that will help you achieve your objectives.
Be patient: Spring is a reminder that good things often take time. Negotiations can be long and challenging, but it is important to remain patient and persistent in pursuit of a mutually beneficial agreement. It is important to avoid rushing to an agreement that may not be beneficial. These agreements might be more complex and just take more time to crack.
Be flexible and creative: Spring teaches us that different people have different traditions and customs and we need to remain open to cultural differences. Also spring teaches us that unexpected events can occur and we need to be flexible enough to adapt to changes. The fact is things just don't always go to plan. In negotiation, you need to remain flexible and willing to consider different options. You need to be willing to adjust your approach if circumstances change. To overcome challenges you’ll need to creatively solve problems and remain open to considering different options to reach agreement.
Communicate effectively: Spring is a time of communication, sharing stories and ideas. Similarly, effective communication is critical in negotiations to ensure that both parties are clear on their positions and expectations. Effective communication also means listening to understand the other party's perspective and uncover areas of common ground.
Photo by Kenny Eliason on Unsplash Build trust and long-term relationships: Spring is all about rebirth, fertility and believing in positive outcomes. In negotiations, it is important to understand and empathise with the other party's position and needs. Building trust is critical to establishing a positive relationship and achieving successful outcomes. Take time to nurture and strengthen relationships. Focus on building long-term relationships with your counterparts, rather than just winning the current negotiation.
Focus on the bigger picture: Spring is a reminder of the bigger picture, the ultimate goal of renewal and new beginnings. In negotiations, it is important to keep the ultimate goal, commanders intent, in mind and not get bogged down in small details. It is essential to identify what is most important to you, what is most important to them and identify common ground that meets the needs and interests of both parties. This helps towards creating mutually beneficial solutions.
Show Respect: The spring festivals and celebrations are about showing respect for one another, even in difficult times. In negotiations, showing respect for the other party's position and needs can help build trust and rapport.
Move forward, not back: Spring is about moving forward. In negotiations, it is important to not look to the past but to look to the future. It may be necessary to forgive the past and focus on building a positive future relationship. Learn from past experiences and improve future negotiations and relationships with the other party, and keep moving forward.
Above all have faith: Spring is a time of renewal, growth, and new beginnings. In negotiation, having faith in the process and the outcome can help you stay focused and motivated. Take control, trust your preparation. Do not leave anything to chance. Above all else, trust, have faith, in yourself!
So, thank you for bearing with me. There are common spring themes across all of our cultures; renewal, growth, and new beginnings. Writing about how these themes can reflect in how we can negotiate better has been an eye opening experience.
The key points I’ve touched on are;
maintain a positive attitude and have faith in yourself and the process;
Plan, plan plan. Use effective communication, build trust and long-term relationships and focus on the bigger picture;
Be patient, be flexible, be creative. Keep moving forward.
Spring shows us how important it is to understand the other party's perspective and needs. Find common ground, and work towards mutually beneficial solutions.
We’d love to read your comments or thoughts. What do you think?
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