Apr 9, 2013

24 Steps to Building Agreement


Step 4

                                                   Understand Negotiation  
 
Sometimes people find themselves in situations in wich they want or need to make a decision or a deal with others. Unless they all agree immediately on every point, there is a need for a mutually acceptable process. Negotiation is one name for various joint decision-making processes.

          Negotiation succeeds when the parties reach an agreement that they feel mutually commited to fulfilling. Fairness is crucial to effective negotitiation. A party who feels that he or she has been treated unfairly may be unwilling to keep an agreement. People who try to take advantage of others are taking risks. Negotiation calls for countributions from all parties so that agreement is shared and durable.

                It is important to understand the following there basic concepts of negotiation:
Know that negotiation is a jouint decision-making process à A negotiation is successfull when all the parties end up committed to fulfilling the agreement. Fairness is crucial.
Know what negotiation is not à It is not an order imposed by someone in authority. It is not a competition to defeat and even destroy the other party.
Know that negotiation can be eithter confrontational or cooperative à It is confrontional to want to win every point. It is cooperative to negotiate so that all the stakeholders win. This is interest-based negotiation.

Negotiating is not a competitive sport.”

No comments:

Post a Comment