Capturing the attention of a person who is interested in developing their skills and abilities for negotiation is relatively simple if we refer to to strategies, tactics and tools that can be used to increase your chances of success. However, to become an excellent negotiator, it is essential to also learn to “give wax, polish wax”. That is to say, there are other elements of negotiation, of human interaction, that are less spectacular, but about which we have to have deep knowledge if we really want to master this elusive art. And an example of this are the first two phases of our negotiation model: perception and discrepancy.
Phase 1 of the negotiation: Perception
The perception phase is, without a doubt, the most important of any negotiation. Although for didactic reasons we represent and divide the different phases linearly and progressively, we really find ourselves facing a systemic framework of multiple connections, in which advances, setbacks, changes in direction and even direction can not only be common, but in many cases are essential for the negotiation to proceed along the way. appropriate. This is why perception is decisive throughout the negotiation. If we were to make a simile between negotiation and a building, the perception phase would not only be represented by the foundations, but also by the supporting structure (pillars and beams).
We must always keep in mind that the result of a negotiation will be determined by: the value that each of the parties give to the agreement, the consequences of the possible conflict -if the proposed offer is not accepted-, and the breakup. Therefore, if we want to be able to predict or direct the behavior of our interlocutor while safeguarding our interests, it is necessary that we be able to infer what the minimum acceptable value is and what the costs of the conflict can be assumed by both him and ourselves. . As a consequence, during the perception phase (both at the beginning and during the development of the negotiation) we must at least be able to:
- Identify and analyze the different actors, direct and indirect, that participate and their involvement in the different decisions.
- Determine the starting point and the destination acceptable to the negotiators. Regarding ourselves, we must have great self-knowledge of where we are and where we want to go, being very useful tools for establishing or analyzing objectives, such as the well-known SMART analysis. And, in relation to the other part, it can be The appropriate use of cognitive empathy and emotional empathy is very helpful.
- Establish the value of the agreement and the conflict for each of the parties, as well as their perception of gain and loss (effective cost of the conflict and acceptable risks).
As you may have deduced from what was stated above, this phase is directly related to the obtaining and managing information what we have of those involved in the negotiating process, including ourselves. However, we must keep in mind that the information is always incomplete and/or imperfect, whether it is what we receive or what we issue. Which implies that both the strategy, the tactics and the tools we use must be flexible enough to be able to adapt to the continuous “updates” that occur.
If we delve a little deeper into this aspect, where uncertainty is always present, we should not obsess about having the greatest amount of information possible, but rather about achieving that Minimum essential information to be able to make functional decisions. An example of this minimum essential information is being able to identify what the MNS is (Minimum Necessary Share), the point of resistance to give in to concessions, one's own and those of others, since from this point onwards, the breakdown of the negotiation is preferred to continuing to give in. One way to identify it is by verbal, non-verbal and paraverbal communication of our opponent, because as we get closer to his MNS his concessions will be much fewer and his behavior will be more “aggressive” (without necessarily implying inappropriate or disrespectful actions).
Phase 2 of the negotiation: The discrepancy
Discrepancy is the embryo of all negotiations, since it is impossible to negotiate between two or more people who agree on everything. In other words, where there is disagreement there will be negotiation or, without disagreement there is no negotiation. It can be very useful to understand these, not only as a mismatch between the objectives of each of the parties, but as a consequence of:
- What the other transmits, how they do it and how we interpret it.
- What we transmit, how we do it and how the other interprets it.
- The conscious and strategic intention to create them.
A good negotiator will never approach a disagreement as an inconvenience on the path to agreement, but as a support point to achieve. Therefore, it is essential that we have the ability to analyze them and understand the reason for their appearance. It is very useful, for its correct management, to know if the discrepancy is:
- Chosen. This type of discrepancy is consciously designed by the negotiator, so its creation is rational and has a premeditated and specific purpose. The way to address these discrepancies is through specific facts and data that reinforce our position, or at least dissolve their suitability.
- Suffered. This type of discrepancy includes those that the negotiator is forced to make due to the environment in which he or she operates. Which implies that he does not choose them strategically but is “forced” to raise them. On this occasion, the most effective way to manage them is through influence, helping the other to see the situation from a different point of view, either using arguments or resources, which allows them to understand the dysfunctional nature of the discrepancies they have exposed.
- Spontaneous. This group includes those discrepancies that manifest almost automatically, without prior reflection, determined by the person's own intuition and instincts. In such a way that once expressed, the negotiator finds himself trapped by his own words due to the trap of coherence. Finally, this type of discrepancy must be managed through persuasion, for which we will have to use communication technology focused on the resources that the reptilian brain puts at our disposal. But we will see this another time.
Do you want to know more important aspects of negotiation? We are waiting for you in the next chapter of the negotiation phases.
