Negotiation Skills and Principles

NEGOTIATION SKILLS AND PRINCIPLES - POST COURSE QUESTIONS

Date: May 30th, 2009

1. You are applying for a job and one of the requirements will be your understanding of negotiation skills. You have sent your CV and now you must send a letter listing the main skills required for successful negotiation.

I am delighted to list my personal list of the main skills required for successful negotiations. As we know, negotiation must not be mixed up with persuasion and identifying a winner. Negotiation is finding a solution which is acceptable to all sides involved. Therefore all these skills are essential to successfully negotiate towards a win-win situation for all parties involved.

• Thoroughness to prepare in depth.

Before starting in any negotiations, we should be well prepared for the task. It is very important to search for all available information about the other party and their interest in our company. Furthermore it is important to find out which possibilities both parties have to come to a satisfying result.

• Ability to analyse another point of view rapidly.

For me it is always important to understand what the other parties involved are in need of. Only if we are able to understand the other point of view we can react on their needs to come to a common result. Therefore we have to be a good listener to understand feasible hidden messages, something very typically for example if you have to deal in Asian Countries (as I have seen in the last two weeks in China)

• Flexibility to accept an alternative route.

Flexibility is a very positive attribute that helps us to find a new solution on the way to a common result. Creative thinking is a big advantages and a good approach for finding a new basis on the way to a successful deal.

• Ability to build relationships

Building relationships is also a very essential detail during negotiations. Depending on the nationalities, taking part in the negations, it can also be the most important part....