Negotiation - rules and typical mistakes. Etiquette for business negotiations and meetings

negotiator rules

It is probably no secret to anyone that in life, in order to achieve our goals, we often have to negotiate with other people. And it does not matter where we want to achieve these goals, in the personal sphere or in the business sphere. We have to participate in negotiations every day. Often our interests intersect with the interests of other people. For example, I want to buy an item at a price lower than what the seller is asking for. The one who sells this thing, on the contrary, is interested in selling it more expensively. This is where the conflict of interests comes in. My task, as a negotiator, is to convince the opponent to conclude a deal on terms that are more favorable to me. Of course, one could wave a Smith & Wesson revolver in this man's face and he would be very happy to make a deal on my terms. But, I understand perfectly well that very serious uncles will not let me hold such “successful” negotiations many times. They will send me to places not so remote, and there, willy-nilly, they will still have to negotiate in a peaceful way. The rules described below will allow you to avoid many mistakes when participating in negotiation processes and teach you how to bypass the pitfalls encountered on the way to a successful deal with almost no losses.

Rule #1: Give absolutely nothing away .

One of the main mistakes of a negotiator can be a concession without a counter offer. If you give up your positions and think that your opponent will also make concessions, then you are deeply mistaken. What's the point of him giving in to something if he can get what he wants anyway.

Rule #2: Never accept the first offer.

The worst thing you can do is accept the first offer your opponent makes. People enjoy solving “hard problems”, but if you make it easy, your opponent will regretfully think that he underestimated the value of his thing, and you will think that you may have overpaid for it.

Rule #3: Don't just complain, negotiate with the offender about corrective action.

In the event that an opponent has caused you any damage (moral, material, etc.), created some kind of problem, it would be a huge mistake in negotiations to focus on your “complaint”. This can only cause a response defensive reaction. It would be much more effective to suggest ways of solving this problem. Your task is not to resent the shortcomings of the other side, but to take care of your own interests.

Rule #4: Never soften your offer until you've received an offer from the other party.

In the case where your opponent remains silent and does not make any counteroffers, it would be a very big mistake to continue making one-sided offers. Negotiation is a process in which at least two parties actively participate.

Rule #5: The most helpful negotiator questions start with “what if…”.

In order not to get into unpleasant situations later, it is better to foresee and discuss everything in advance. possible options development of events. To do this, it is useful to use questions that begin with the words "what if". When renting an apartment, you can ask the landlord such a question, what if the neighbors flood? Who will be responsible for this and how? When buying a tourist package, it is important to ask what if the hotel refuses to provide the booked room on the basis of lack of availability? Etc.

Rule #6: Voluntary concessions made by one side do not soften the other side - they make their position even more rigid.

The meaning of negotiations is that all parties involved in them should benefit. As mentioned in Rule #1, in successful negotiations, like in chess games, all parties need to take turns moving. There is an exception when the opponent's position is soft, and it makes no sense for you to take counter steps to achieve your goals. But it is worth paying attention to the fact that if your fairly strong negotiating position forces your opponents to diplomatically make counteroffers, then your soft position, backed up by voluntary concessions, on the contrary, may lead the other side to take an even tougher position. It is unlikely that you will benefit from this!

Rule #7: Surprise them with your first offer.

When you start trading, offer an unthinkably low price (if you're buying) or an unthinkably high price (if you're selling). Opening a negotiation is always a risk, and if your starting price is low, your opponent may get the wrong impression of how much you can concede in the final price. After that, trading can be carried out furiously and persistently, which will force you to reconsider your price. Do you need it?

Rule #8: Never use the phrase "bargaining is appropriate" in ads for sale.

Why can't you use the expression "bargaining is appropriate"? Because it's carte blanche for potential buyer, who sees that you are not sure about your price and this gives him a huge advantage over you. Want to encourage him to bid? Please, but only during negotiations. Ask him questions about what he liked about your product, for what purposes he needs it, etc.

Rule #9: Tough negotiators are determined.

If you are facing a tough opponent, then either meet him face to face, or lead the negotiations to a dead end. Do not give up cruelty at the cost of surrendering your own positions. For any proposals that are not acceptable to you, answer simply and with a smile “No”!

Rule #10: Most Useful Negotiator Word "IF" .

The most important thing to remember in negotiations is to preface all (without exception) your offers and concessions with the word "IF". This conclusion follows logically from Rule #1.

Rule #11: "It won't affect the end result."

The main rule when dealing with heavy opponents: no matter what their behavior is, you should always remember that it will not affect the final result. This should be reflected in your face. Opponents can behave as they please, but if this does not affect the final result, then their behavior is not your problem.

Rule #12: "Power is the very essence of the negotiation process."

In negotiations, the presence of force is a decisive factor for their successful completion. Therefore, before starting communication with an opponent, it is worthwhile to determine in advance strengths his position. And it is not necessary that the advantage should be actual, that is, in reality, it is much more important when it is present in the perception of your opponents.

Rule #13: Get yourself a principal.

To relieve yourself of psychological pressure from your opponent, come up with a principal. That is, the person on whose behalf you are participating in the negotiations. And when your interlocutor makes your offer, which you cannot accept, you can easily refuse it, referring to the specific instructions of your fictitious principal. For example: the wife said not to sell for less than 10,000.

Rule number 14: "There are no fixed prices in nature."

There are practically no fixed prices in nature. Therefore, always bargain as soon as possible. Give it pleasure to yourself and your opponent. In this case, you have nothing to lose, but you can win.

Rule #15: “I will consider your offer and call you back.”

It happens that you are under active psychological pressure from your opponent, but you either have a negative answer to his proposal - a requirement and you cannot directly say about it, or you have not yet decided what to do with it (accept or refuse). In such a case, always take a time out by saying that you will think about the offer and give your answer later. In this way, you gain time for yourself to analyze the problem in more depth and identify it. optimal solution. In addition, your opponent will no longer have the advantage of surprise that he could use by demanding a “right here and now” decision from you.

Rule #16: "Don't change the price, change the package."

One of the most practical ways to trade is to change the offer package. In this case, you focus your opponent's attention not on the price, but on those parts in the offer package that may be important to him. For example, Samsung, selling their household appliances, gives a 3-year warranty. This period is longer than that of many of its competitors, while the cost of the goods is approximately the same. The buyer pays the same money, but wins in the service.

Rule #17: All that glitters is not gold.

Don't let anyone fool you with luxury, often ostentatious. To be successful in negotiations, you must always focus on the outcome you want to achieve. In negotiations, only what your opponent offers, as well as the weight of his arguments, matters. Nothing else matters.

Rule #18: "Keep the threat for dinner."

Sometimes it's tempting to speed up negotiations by force: by threatening and intimidating the opponent. In this situation, we can say that this is the most constructive way and, in most cases, it leads to deadlock. Use of force is possible only when the negotiations have almost ended in nothing and there are no other ways to complete them in a positive way. If your opponent decides to “pressure” you in this way, then you need to decide whether his threats are serious and whether he can actually use them. If the answers in both cases are “yes”, then find yourself room for maneuvering and try to “sell more”, or, if conditions allow, lead the negotiations to a dead end.

Rule #19: Win - win".

The basic principle that you should be guided by when negotiating is called “Win-Win”. Your opponent wins - you win. This principle applies always and everywhere. As a result of successful negotiations, each of the participants should remain the winner. You get what's important to you, your opponent gets what he needs. Always try to understand the point of view and interests of the other side and use the knowledge gained during negotiations.

Ministry of Education of the Republic of Belarus

Branch "Vocational and Technical College" of the educational institution "Republican Institute of Vocational Education"

on this topic: " Negotiation Rules»

Completed by: Neverovich E.V.

Checked by: Koyda Y.V.

Introduction

Negotiation rules: step by step guide

1 a brief description of stages and stages business negotiations

2 Stage of negotiation preparation

3 Stage of the negotiation process

4 Consent stage

5 Negotiation Technique Rules

6 Rules That Help Persuade Your Negotiating Partner

Ten Rules for Negotiating

Negotiation

1 Stages effective negotiations

3 golden rules of negotiation

9 Rules for Effective Business Negotiations

Interesting

References

Introduction

Every person has to deal with what is commonly called business communication. How to write an official letter or invitation, accept a partner and negotiate with him, resolve a controversial issue and establish mutually beneficial cooperation? All these issues are given great attention in many countries. Special meaning business communication has for people engaged in business. In many ways, the success of their activities depends on how much they master the science and art of communication. In the West, there are relevant training courses in almost every university and college, and a lot of scientific and popular literature is published.

Unfortunately, in our country, for a long time, that side of business communication, which is associated with the psychology and technology of conducting business conversations and negotiations, was not paid attention at all, believing that there was nothing to teach here.

Now times have changed. Firstly, the circle of persons connected by the nature of their activities with foreign partners has significantly expanded. To successfully conduct business, they need to know the generally accepted rules and norms of business communication, be able to negotiate and have conversations. Secondly, as we become part of a single business world, we are increasingly transferring existing general patterns on our reality, demanding civilized communication from domestic partners.

very important and psychological aspects business communication. The question that business people constantly face is how to build a conversation, negotiations. It is important to understand the general patterns of business communication, which will allow you to analyze the situation, take into account the interests of the partner, speak common language. Skill in any business comes with practice, and business communication is no exception.

Everyone needs to be able to negotiate effectively. You are constantly negotiating - at home, at work, in the store... And not only with other people - often you have to negotiate with yourself. In any situation where you are trying to resolve contradictions, iron out differences, resolve conflict, influence people<#"justify">The main problem with proper conduct negotiation lies in the fact that most people do not quite understand this term. Many would answer that this word describes the successful conclusion of a transaction at the end. business conversation.

"To negotiate" (negotiate) comes from the Latin "negotiatus", the past participle of the word "negotiari", which means "to conduct business". This initial meaning is crucial in understanding the negotiation process, as you don't just have to agree on a bargain for yourself. Their goal is to continue cooperation with your business partners. Because, of course, it is always possible to agree, but sometimes the methods used lead to the fact that they are unlikely to want to continue cooperation with you.

1. Rules<#"justify">Ardalyon Yakovlevich Kibanov, Doctor of Economics, Professor, Honored Worker of Science of the Russian Federation, Head of the Department of Human Resources Management, State University of Management.

Negotiation is an exchange of views to achieve some goal. In business life, we often enter into negotiations: when applying for a job, when discussing with business partners the terms of a business contract, the terms of the sale of goods, when concluding a lease of premises, etc. Negotiations between business partners take place under equal conditions, while negotiations between a subordinate and management or a director of an organization with representatives of the tax inspectorate take place under unequal conditions.

Negotiations consist of three main stages: negotiation preparation, negotiation process and reaching an agreement.

.1 Brief description of the stages and stages of business negotiations

Negotiation preparation:

· Establishing contact between the parties

· Collection and analysis of information necessary for negotiations

· Development of a negotiation plan

· Formation of an atmosphere of mutual trust

Negotiation process:

· Start of the negotiation process

· Identification of contentious issues and formulation of the agenda

· Disclosure of deep interests of the parties

· Development of options for proposals for agreement

Reaching agreement:

· Identification of options for an agreement

· Final discussion of solutions

· Reaching Formal Consent

1.2 Negotiation preparation stage

Choice of means of negotiation

At this stage, a set of different approaches or procedures for negotiations are identified, the means that will be involved in their implementation; mediators, arbitration, court, etc., contributing to the solution of the problem are determined; approach is chosen for both sides.

Establishing contact between the parties. At this stage:

· contact is established by phone, fax, e-mail;

· a desire to enter into negotiations and coordinate approaches to the problem is revealed;

· relationships are established, which are characterized by mutual consent, trust, respect, often mutual sympathy, tune in to one wave, negotiation interaction develops;

· agree on the mandatory negotiation procedure;

· agree on the involvement of all interested parties in the negotiations.

Collection and analysis of information necessary for negotiations. At this stage:

· relevant information about the people and the merits of the case relevant to the subject of negotiations is identified, collected and analyzed;

· the accuracy of the data is checked;

· the probability is minimized negative impact inaccurate or inaccessible data;

· the main interests of all parties involved in the negotiations are identified.

Development of a negotiation plan. At this stage:

· strategies and tactics are determined that can lead the parties to an agreement;

· tactics are identified that correspond to the situation and the specifics of the controversial issues that will be discussed.

Formation of an atmosphere of mutual trust. At this stage:

· psychological preparation is being carried out for participation in negotiations on the main disputable issues;

· conditions are prepared for the perception and understanding of information and the effect of stereotypes is minimized;

· an atmosphere of recognition by the parties of the legitimacy of disputed issues is being formed;

· creates an environment of trust and effective communication.

.3 Stage of the negotiation process

The beginning of the negotiation process is here:

· the negotiators introduce themselves;

· the parties exchange opinions, show good will to listen, share ideas, openly present considerations, desire to negotiate in a peaceful environment;

· a general line of conduct is being built;

· mutual expectations from negotiations are clarified;

· the positions of the parties are formed.

Identification of contentious issues and formulation of the agenda. At this stage:

· the area of ​​negotiations related to the interests of the parties is revealed;

· controversial issues that will be discussed are identified;

· controversial issues are formulated;

· the parties seek to develop an agreement on controversial issues;

· the discussion begins with those controversial issues, the disagreements on which are less serious, and the likelihood of agreement is high;

· techniques are used active listening controversial issues with additional information.

Disclosure of deep interests of the parties. At this stage:

· disputable issues are studied one by one, and then in a complex, in order to identify the interests, needs and fundamental relations of the negotiations of the negotiators;

· negotiators disclose their interests to each other in detail so that they are perceived by everyone as closely as their own.

Development of options for proposals for agreement. At this stage:

· participants seek to choose an acceptable option from the available assumptions for the agreement, or to formulate new options;

· a review of the needs of all parties is made, in which all disputed issues are linked together;

· criteria are developed or current rules are proposed that can guide the negotiation of the agreement;

· principles for an agreement are formulated;

· disputable issues are consistently resolved: at first, the most complex ones are divided into smaller ones, to which it is easier to give an answer acceptable to the parties;

· solutions are selected both from the proposals submitted by the parties individually, and from those that were developed in the course of a general discussion.

.4 Agreement stage

Identification of options for agreement. At this stage:

· a detailed consideration of the interests of both parties is carried out;

· a connection is established between interests and available options for solving the problem;

· the effectiveness of the chosen solutions is evaluated.

Final discussion of possible solutions. At this stage:

· one of the available options is selected; through concessions by the parties and there is a movement of the parties towards each other;

· a more perfect version is formed based on the selected one;

· there is a process of formulating the final decision;

· the parties are working on the procedure for reaching a basic agreement.

Reaching formal agreement. At this stage:

· consent is reached, which can be presented in the form of a legal document (agreement, contract);

· the process of fulfilling the agreement (contract) is discussed;

· possible ways to overcome probable obstacles in the course of the implementation of the agreement (contract) are being developed;

· a procedure for monitoring its implementation is provided;

· the agreement is given a formalized character and mechanisms of coercion and obligations are developed: guarantees of performance, fairness and impartiality of control.

1.5 Rules of negotiation technique

1.Statements that belittle the partner's personality should be avoided; secular etiquette, courtesy and cultural attitude should be involved. In an extreme form, it is better to break off negotiations (not to make negative assessments).

2.The effectiveness of the dialogue is significantly reduced by statements that flow from the thoughts of the listener himself, without affecting the thoughts or feelings expressed by the interlocutor. What the partner says is not taken into account, his statements are neglected (do not ignore the opinion of the interlocutor).

.The interlocutor asks the partner question after question, obviously trying to find out something without explaining his goals to him. Determine with him the goals and objectives of the negotiations or announce a break for consultation with the management (avoid unpretentious inquiries).

.During the conversation, the interlocutor inserts statements, trying to direct the course of negotiations in the direction he needs (do not make comments during the conversation).

.The interlocutor wants to talk in more detail about something already said that he misunderstood or seems controversial to him. If you incorrectly determined what is the main thing, the speaker has the opportunity to correct you (clarifications are allowed).

.Paraphrasing, transferring what the partner said in his own words in an abbreviated form, highlighting what seemed to the main interlocutor. Paraphrasing may include a new emphasis, generalization or repetition of only those partner’s words that contain the main contradiction or main idea(do not paraphrase).

.The interlocutor is trying to deduce a logical consequence from the partner's statements, but only within the framework that he asked. Otherwise, it goes to ignore. Developing the partner's thought, you can add what the partner was ready to say, but did not say. You can deduce a consequence from the partner’s words, clarify what he had in mind (further development of thoughts).

.Telling your partner about your emotional reaction to his message or about your state in this situation goes well with the paraphrasing technique (do not allow your emotional state).

.Message about how this moment his state is perceived, goes well with the paraphrasing technique (do not allow a description of the emotional state of the partner).

.Summing up the intermediate results is appropriate after a particularly long remark of the partner (choose the right moment for the behavior of the intermediate results).

.6 Rules that help convince a negotiating partner

1.The order in which arguments are presented affects their persuasiveness. The most convincing is the following order of arguments: strong - medium strength - the strongest (trump card).

2.To get a positive decision on an important issue for you, put it in third place, prefixing it with two short, simple, pleasant questions for the interlocutor, to which he can easily answer.

.Don't push your partner into a corner. Give him a chance to save face.

.The persuasiveness of arguments largely depends on the image and status of the persuasive.

.Don't drive yourself into a corner, don't lower your status.

.Do not belittle the status of a partner.

.We are condescending to the arguments of a partner that is pleasant to us, and with prejudice to the arguments of an unpleasant one.

.Wanting to convince, start not with questions that divide you, but with what you agree with your partner.

.Show empathy - the ability to comprehend the emotional state of another person in the form of empathy.

.Check if you understand your partner correctly.

.Avoid words, actions and inactions that can lead to conflict.

.Watch the facial expressions, gestures and postures of yourself and your partner.

.Show that what you offer corresponds to some of the partner's interests.

2. Ten Rules for Negotiating

Successful negotiation requires understanding and using different approaches and techniques. The secret of the success of the negotiations also lies in the details and the flexibility with which different approaches are applied.

We will consider ten closely interrelated aspects that are not a panacea for all occasions, but reflect the essence of the negotiation process and the tactics used.

The first position is not the most important, but in our opinion, the logical sequence of points should be as follows:

1. Take time to prepare

Given the complexity of the negotiation process, it is not surprising that preparation is indispensable. First of all, it activates previous experience, and also lays solid foundation for upcoming negotiations. In a certain sense, preparation is nothing more than putting into practice the time-tested truth "measure seven times, cut once."

Essentially, preparation may consist of a few minutes of quiet concentration just before the meeting begins. Or it may include several hours of brainstorming about best tactics. All other cases of preparation, probably, are between the two mentioned. Preparation may include rehearsal: the discussion will go according to your scenario if you rehearse the presentation. So:

· do not spare time for preliminary preparation (despite the lack of time, prepare for negotiations in advance);

· correctly select the people needed for preparation (participants in the upcoming negotiations or just those who can help);

· collect and analyze the necessary information (take the basic materials with you to negotiations).

Preliminary preparation does not mean that everything will go exactly according to plan. It will help you adjust and flexibly change your tactics in case of a sudden turn of events. Experience can reduce preparation time, but does not replace it. A famous golfer once said, "The more I practice, the more luck I get." Never neglect preparation, do not spare the time and effort spent on it. Then you will not have to say after the failure of the negotiations: "Now if I ..."

2. Provide clear communication

Along with preliminary preparation, a clear construction of negotiations is the basis for success. Your messages in a difficult situation should be extremely clear. A detailed explanation enhances the quality of the agreement reached. Your clear message:

· promotes understanding: you avoid confusion and consider exactly those issues that are on the agenda; And

· produces good impression, clarity of presentation creates a sense of confidence, certainty, and ultimately increases the power of your influence on the course of negotiations.

In addition, a clear organization of the meeting (announcement of the agenda, regulations, etc.) directs the course of negotiations in a certain direction and helps you to play a leading role, which, in turn, contributes to achieving the desired result.

Clarity of communication is achieved in the process of preparation, as well as with experience. This is worth working on. The worst thing is when, after an agreement has been reached, the partners want to terminate it, citing the fact that they "did not quite understand what exactly was discussed." And if you start objecting at this stage, you will never be believed again.

3. Try to look your best

No matter how trite it sounds, but this aspect really affects the outcome of the negotiations. Your appearance should be organic and appropriate to the circumstances. For example, a man should be dressed in a business suit, while in some cases a less formal style is allowed (shirt and tie in a country with a hot climate). Women have more choice, but they must also abide by general principles.

Equally important is the behavior of the negotiators. You can impress a person:

· well-prepared (this will make your position more weighty);

· organized (same effect);

· confident (this will greatly increase the credibility of your words, especially the belief that you did your best);

· well-prepared professionally (you will earn a lot of positive characteristics (experienced expert, knowledgeable, solid) if you do not fuss and lose the thread of the conversation).

Sometimes it makes sense to further enhance this impression. In some cases, even exaggeration is permissible. Of course, words carry a lot of weight; but many inferences are made on the basis of visual cues, and this should be used.

4. Respect your partner

Negotiations contain an element of confrontation, and each participant in the process is aware of this. And although sometimes it is necessary to take a hard line, be firm and insist, it is still desirable that the discussion process take place in an atmosphere of courtesy.

Show that you understand the point of view of other people, that you are interested in their position, write down the details that are important to them and refer to them when discussing. Be prepared to apologize, flatter a little, ask for opinions, and be respectful (perhaps without feeling deep respect for the other person).

In addition to the usual polite behavior in difficult situations, showing respect for your partner will strengthen your position. If you take a hard line, there is a danger that it will be perceived as a sharp attack, and you will automatically be rebuffed. If rather stringent demands come from a person who respects other participants and their positions, then it is quite likely that they will be taken seriously, considered and (possibly) agreed upon.

5. Set high goals

It is no coincidence that the author included in this list some of the techniques described above (especially in Chapter 5, "The Pinnacle of Mastery") - they are undoubtedly very important. The technique mentioned below, in fact, determines the choice of approach to negotiation. Set high goals for success. During pre-training define your main goals. Think about the best outcome of the meeting and move towards the intended goal. Keep in mind that there are quite a lot of variables. Let the agreement reached include mutually acceptable values ​​of these variables.

The negotiators say conflicting opinions and agree to compromise options, but you can not start with low requirements. Bargaining usually starts from the top mark; in the course of bargaining, you can give in a little, reducing your profit. But it is very difficult to increase the value of the initial offer. When negotiations are already underway, you cannot revise your initial position. Therefore, starting with what you want to achieve is a prerequisite for success in negotiations.

6. Agree on a package of conditions

Following this rule, you should negotiate terms as a package, not individually. By negotiating terms one at a time, you lose some bargaining power because many terms in the package are fixed (non-negotiable). A single condition may seem easy and simple. You gladly agree to it, and then you are offered an item on which you would like to trade, but you no longer have variables to trade.

The principle is simple. find out full list what the other side wants to agree on. In the future, do not allow part of the conditions (perhaps important) to be "knocked out by aimed fire" and agreed separately in order to start discussing the most important conditions at a stage when room for maneuver is limited.

7. Look for variables to bargain

Make a list of variables during pre-training, prioritize. Even with the most careful approach to defining variables, you can miss something. Remember that everything can be negotiated, any condition is potentially variable (including those conditions that are called fixed by one side or another). You may declare an item non-negotiable and then decide that it's better for you to concede a little.

Find out what your partner's words about the impossibility of changing conditions really mean. You will have to ask questions, call your partner for frankness. The search for prioritized bargaining variables must continue throughout the negotiation process. When a more compromised approach is required of a negotiator, he may have to admit that conditions he hoped to keep unchanged are now becoming variables (and some variables may vary over a much wider range than first thought).

Be careful, look for bargaining variables and treat all conditions as potential variables.

8. Apply flexibly general approaches

Negotiation success does not come from clever tricks or a show of force. The path to a mutually acceptable result lies through the coordination of many details. Keep this in mind when negotiating, as things get more complicated as new issues are discussed. You Can Influence Hundreds of Decisions various ways, but your choice must match the place and time.

An experienced negotiator has a range of approaches at his disposal and applies them in the best possible way. But that doesn't mean you should turn the hail to the other side various techniques. Use them with surgical precision. Sometimes it is better to remain silent, and sometimes it is worth demonstrating the determination of your intentions.

Don't let negotiations run on autopilot. Every movement should be filled with meaning; it's about what you do and how you do it. Existing approaches and techniques should work for you; true mastery is acquired only through prolonged practice. Only your experience will tell you how best to behave with this partner at a particular moment in time.

9. Manage and control the process

Managing the negotiation process is a critical task. A situation is possible when you, concentrating on particular issues that require urgent solutions, lose control over the overall course of the negotiations.

Do your best to take a half step back and take in the “big perspective”. In particular:

· take notes;

· regularly sum up and always summarize the agreements reached if you feel that they are trying to get around you (there is no need to explain why you are doing this every time!);

· keep as much of the big picture as possible in view;

· do not lose sight of your goals and desired results;

· be prepared to respond adequately at a critical moment (for example, take a break and assess the situation), without thinking about how it will look (practice shows that such actions rather increase the level of trust in the negotiator).

If you consciously adhere to this approach, take useful notes and learn useful skills, then your level of competence increases.

10. Be alert

Don't relax for a second! Even if everything goes well, events unfold exactly according to your plan, one agreement follows another - beware. Constantly analyze what is contained between the lines of each message; do not assume that events will invariably develop in your favor. If you take anything for granted, it is only the fact that around every corner you are in danger, change or surprise. Get ready to meet them.

Remember that both parties are doing their best to achieve their goals. Each negotiator may difficult game; everyone can miss their chance. Vigilance never hurts. Otherwise, a moment will come when a small surprise will derail an agreement that seemed to be practically concluded.

Recall the words of Lord Hore-Belish, a recognized master of negotiation: "When someone tells me that he is going to put all his cards on the table, I keep my eyes on his sleeve." This is good advice for anyone who wants to successfully negotiate. Another statement about the conclusion of the contract belongs to the famous economist Fulton Sheen (J. FultonSheen): "Large print draws attention to the bait, small print masks the hook."

As mentioned above, these ten points do not detract from the significance of the remaining rules. Remember that successful negotiations are the result of the successful combination of many details. The first steps to success are an understanding of the principles and the ability to apply the basic approaches to negotiation in practice. Relying on the basic knowledge, you are purchasing own experience benefiting from each discussion for future negotiations.

3. Negotiation

You get a job or try to negotiate a price with a taxi driver. Two lawyers are trying to solve a contentious case on the division of property of clients. A group of trading companies share the sales market. A city official meets with representatives of municipal transport in order to prevent a strike. All these are negotiations. Although all life consists of continuous negotiations, few people know how to conduct them “professionally”. So what is this - negotiations? What are they made of? What are the rules for preparing for negotiations?

Like the whole thing, any negotiations have their own internal structure - the stages of conducting:

·Planning

· Establishing contact

· Definition of "rules of the game"

Partner rating

· Scenario Development

· Trading. concessions

· Completion of negotiations.

Those who are familiar with sales techniques may exclaim that the stages of negotiation almost completely coincide with the stages of sales. And he will make the wrong conclusion: "Any negotiations come down to a sale." It would be more correct to say that a sale is a kind of negotiation.

The main difference between negotiations and sales is goals. In selling, the main goal is to sell a product. The seller may slightly change his offer, but the goal remains the same - a simple "yes" to the offer to buy the goods.

Negotiations, on the other hand, involve two people discussing the subject together. In the course of the discussion, the goals can change depending on what the other side has to say. Therefore, the negotiator should have not one task set for himself, but several, which will allow him to maneuver and achieve success.

.1 Stages of effective negotiation

Negotiation Planning

At this stage, the most important thing is to formulate your goals for yourself. Without a clear goal, the discussion will very quickly go sideways, thanks to the distraction of the opposite side, shifting the focus from the main topic of the discussion to the secondary ones. Therefore, the negotiator must define his goals in advance, dividing them into three groups:

· Perspective goals.

Possible targets.

· Required Goals.

Long-term goals are those that you ideally want to achieve.

Likely goals are less achievable, but still very desirable.

Mandatory goals are those that must be achieved anyway.

At this stage of the negotiations, it is also very important to analyze the possible concessions of the opposite side, as well as to prepare responses to possible objections.

Establishing contact is creating an atmosphere of trust.

On this topic, you can talk a lot and for a long time. I want to talk about one of the main qualities - the ability to empathize.

Empathy is the ability to understand and accept inner world» interlocutor. The ability to empathize is the ability to see the world through the eyes of the interlocutor. If a negotiator is able to sincerely empathize, then he will be able to create an atmosphere in which the opponent has the impression that he is understood and sympathized with.

If you develop such a quality as the ability to empathize, you will be able to convince others, and the likelihood of your personal success will be very high.

Definition of "rules of the game"

Before taking any steps, you need to agree with the interlocutor on how your negotiations will take place: in what form, what will follow what and, most importantly, what criteria will be used and who will set them.

This stage will set the tone for all negotiations, and in case of any misunderstandings or, moreover, a conflict, be sure to stop all conversations and return again to pronouncing the “rules of the game” that you have established.

Partner rating

At this stage of the negotiation, it is important to identify the key needs and starting position of the opposite side, to probe what concessions he can make.

The main tool at this stage is the technique of asking open questions and the ability to listen.

All questions can be conditionally divided into two groups: open and closed. Open-ended questions effectively stimulate discussion and require detailed responses. Closed questions (requiring one-word answers) worsen negotiations, leading to an aggressive and negative reaction.

Pre-prepared questions will help you gather a wealth of information about your opponent's needs, value system, and understand what concessions he is willing to make.

Scenario Development

If you capture the negotiations on video, you get a movie. The actors in this film will be the negotiators themselves. Like any other, our film has a script. Such a scenario is called negotiation.

The task of the negotiator is to develop several scenarios for future negotiations even before the conversation begins. While establishing contact and evaluating an opponent, you must make a choice of scenario, and at this stage run it.

Trading.

concessions

This stage is often referred to as the "big IF" For example: "If you agree with X, then I will agree with Y." Following the “if…then…” method, both parties move along the path of compromises to a final agreement. With this tactic, the parties feel that both parties win. This is the ability to make concessions. If your interlocutor during the negotiations offered you a concession, then he expects the same actions from you - this is the main condition of the negotiations.

Completion of negotiations

When all issues are resolved, summarize the items you have reached agreement on and close the deal. In all negotiations, the practice of confirming all the details in writing in order to avoid any misunderstandings and the possibility of hearing the phrase: “Yes, there is one more small detail ...” has proven itself well.

4. 3 golden rules of negotiation

business negotiation communication behavior

1. Start Negotiations First

Always try to initiate the negotiation process first, as whoever controls the start often controls the end. If you allow the other party to start negotiations, you will hand over control to them and, most likely, you will not even notice how this happened. For example, when you ask someone what their allocated budget is, you give them the right to start negotiations. You end up spending time chasing his sums instead of finding the best solution.

When Grant sits down for negotiations, which will include the topic of discussing money, sometimes he even interrupts the other side in order not to let her take over the situation and direct the conversation in the direction they need. It sounds strange, but it is a very important point. You should be the one to start this deal.

Once, he had a client who wanted to offer his terms in advance. To which Grant replied that he appreciated his willingness to immediately tell what exactly he could do, but he would be grateful to him if he gave him the opportunity to also show the prepared information. And so that after that he would report if such conditions do not suit him. This allowed Grant to take control into his own hands.

2. Always negotiate in writing

Grant is familiar with many salespeople who have sat down to discuss terms and conditions without a written agreement. But the purpose of negotiation is to reach a written agreement, not to waste time on empty talk. From the moment the proposal is voiced, the client must have a document that includes all the clauses of the agreement. It becomes a reality for the prospective client.

If you first negotiate and only at the end sit down to draw up an agreement in writing, you will waste extra time. If you make changes during negotiations to an already drawn up contract, you can offer finished document for signature immediately after you come to a general agreement.

3. Always stay calm

During negotiations, the atmosphere can be filled with a huge number of different emotions that follow each other depending on the situation. Experienced negotiators know how to keep their cool, thereby managing the situation and offering various reasonable solutions, while the rest of the participants can be immersed in their turbulent and often useless emotions that only hinder progress. Crying, aggression, anger, increased intonation will certainly help you blow off steam and feel better, but they will in no way lead you to a successful conclusion to the negotiations.

When the atmosphere is heated to the limit and everyone is giving free rein to their emotions, remain calm and use logic in order to offer a reasonable way out of the current situation.

These were tips from Grant Cardona. Well, we want to remind you of a few more human rules of good taste - respect your partner and do not try to deceive him. Mutual respect is very important, as falsehood is immediately felt. The deal must be beneficial for both parties, otherwise it is no longer negotiations, but coercion.

5. 9 Rules for Effective Business Negotiations

Before the meeting, clearly formulate for yourself the purpose of the negotiations. Sometimes it can be presented in three versions: in the form of the most desirable, acceptable and undesirable outcome of the negotiations. It is optimal to think over the strategy of your behavior in each of these cases.

When formulating a goal, proceed not only from your own interests. Constantly put yourself in the shoes of a negotiating partner. Achieving your goal should be beneficial for him as well. Ideally, if you have a lot of arguments to prove it.

Schedule appointments in a decent location. Don't have an office? Make it a good coffee shop. Strange, but often this rule is neglected. The place where you propose to meet already characterizes you.

Think over your wardrobe. Your appearance will dictate the attitude of the interlocutor towards you. And not only in the first minutes, but, rather, in the future. If you are not versed in fashion, then do not seek to impress. Dress simply and neatly, in what you feel comfortable in.

If you know how to dress, then you can play with the appearance. One of my acquaintances, a leading specialist in an advertising agency, sometimes comes to negotiations very colorfully dressed, in a youth style, with some kind of cheerful canvas bag, in a funny hat. But at the same time, he has a watch worth 10 thousand dollars on his hand, and a Vertu phone on the table. And, importantly, he presents himself as a respectable, confident person and businessman.

This combination allows you to achieve interesting results. The interlocutor breaks the pattern, and in the first half of the conversation he tries to understand with whom he is talking from the point of view social role. Often this allows my friend to “shove through” the agreements he needs faster and more efficiently. But, it must be said that the use of such a method - higher mathematics negotiation process.

Maintain a positive attitude from the beginning to the end of the meeting. Believe me, this dramatically increases the likelihood of a positive outcome for you negotiations. Smile. Not forcefully, of course, but sincerely. If you are afraid and worried, then try to translate these feelings into drive and excitement, into a sparkle in your eyes. Just don't overdo it so you don't pass for someone who's a little crazy.

At the beginning of the conversation, give the interlocutor a business card and tell about yourself and your company. Short but clear. Thereafter…

. …smoothly move on to why you wanted to have this meeting. Formulate your thoughts as precisely and concisely as possible. If intelligibility is not your forte, then think over and prepare some kind of summary in advance.

It is surprising how often inexperienced negotiators neglect the last two recommendations. Sometimes you sit like this with some young man who energetically asked for a meeting, and it is clear that it is very important for him to talk with you. But who he is is unclear from vague explanations. And even more so it is not clear what he wants. Minute after minute passes, and he is worried, confused, walking in circles and never getting to the point.

In such cases, I take the bull by the horns and start asking clarifying questions myself in order to save time: who are you, what is the subject of our meeting, how do you see the optimal outcome of our negotiations, etc. The interlocutor calms down, gives me the leading role and further goes with that the way I lead him. Usually, a couple of minutes is enough to get to the point. Meanwhile, in any negotiations it is better if you direct the conversation, and not your interlocutor. This indicates your strength and self-confidence, and these qualities always command respect.

Remember that failure to clearly explain what you want is a real chance to get one answer to your proposals - "no".

Don't drag out negotiations. Keep the conversation short.

Concluding the conversation, clearly formulate and voice the summary. Like: "... so we agreed on this and that, I will send you such and such documents and call you on Friday ...". Negotiations should have a clear result.

6. Interesting

How to reach a mutually beneficial negotiation agreement

Excerpted from "Getting to Yes", Fisher, R, and Urey. W., the Harvard Negotiation Project

1. Clearly separate your attitude towards people and your attitude to business

· Be firm on business principles, but soft on people.

· Study the trade from the point of view of your opponents

· Build your offer according to their value system

2. Focus on common values ​​and interests, not on the positions of the parties

· The value system determines the outcome of negotiations

· Each side has many interests - clearly define yours and find out their interests

3. If negotiations stall, brainstorm for the greater good

·Think creatively<#"justify">4. Use objective criteria to make a decision

· Don't give in to pressure, make a deal with principles

· Decide together which standards and procedures are fair

· Discuss controversial issues in a spirit of cooperation.

The dumber the smarter - pretend you don't know anything

Socrates used this method 2300 years ago. He feigned ignorance to encourage others to make their point as fully as possible.

Today, many of the wisest and successful people on the planet have mastered and use this method very effectively, whether intentionally or unintentionally. People who try to impress with their intelligence are not really very smart. Truly smart people know that by pretending not to understand and having the other party explain the same things over and over again, they will be able to understand the other person better and better prepare their answer, since they will have more time for this.

Use the 80/20 principle

Don't forget that according to the 80/20 principle<#"justify">Recommendations from Complete collection Murphy's laws

Eddie's first law of business: Never sit down to negotiate before 10:00 am or after 4:00 pm. In the first case, it will give the impression that the subject of negotiations is too important for you, and in the second - that you have already lost all hope.

Truman's Law: If you can't convince them, confuse them.

Helga's Rule: First say no, then negotiate.

The art and skill of selling

Regardless of what you do, regardless of your ability to sell<#"justify">References

1.#"justify">2. #"justify">. #"justify">. #"justify">. http://www.akviloncenter.ru/books/peregov.htm

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The key factor on which tactics depend is self-esteem. If it is stable and stable, then the person will try to negotiate constructively and mutually beneficial. If a person feels insecure, then he will "hide in defense" and be afraid to lose. If she is unreasonably tall, she will try to compete and “drag the blanket” over herself. In these two cases, the person himself behaves destructively. But in both cases, he believes that the problem is in the negotiating partner. There is a kind of “blind spot” principle, when a person is able to understand and notice everything, except for the reason that causes problems in negotiations.

Adequate self-esteem is developed by being surrounded by a large number of people who can and want to tell you the truth about yourself. They are not employees of your company, not managers and not colleagues, but your friends and comrades with whom you are on good terms. If you are adequate in your self-esteem, then you are adequate both in negotiations with partners and in personal communication.

Things to think about ahead of time

It is conditionally possible to divide the style of negotiating into two types: emotional and rational. When going to a meeting, think about how your partner prefers to behave.

If his communication style can be called rational, you should focus on measurable indicators of negotiations and, at the beginning, rely on what is easier to calculate. And only then move on to what is more difficult to measure.

If he uses an emotional communication style, then you should focus on the emotional background of the negotiations. What arguments are needed to convince the person located towards you that you are right? Virtually none. What if he hates you? Also none - it is unlikely that something will help here. It is important to take small steps to make negotiations easy and enjoyable for your partner.

It is necessary to prepare in advance for different options for the behavior of a negotiating partner. If he uses attack tactics, then it is necessary to consider how to respond to aggressive and not always adequate reproaches, claims and restrictions. If he defends, we need to think about what arguments can be used to “pull” the partner out of the state of expectation of actions only from our side.

It is always better to negotiate alone. No one to rely on
just for yourself and get ready
to the maximum

Here it is important to act by the “method of gradual approximation”: fixing the minimum joint actions as an approximation to the overall result. This may be an agreement on the duration of negotiations, and a list of issues for discussion, and their order.

The more information you gather about your partner in advance, the better. But it is important not to show your interest before the negotiations have begun. Moreover, try to hide your awareness as much as possible.

If you have collected information (yes, tentatively) about the partner's interests and negotiating style, then you can probably determine what parameters of the transaction the partner would like to hide from you first. And perhaps he generally deceives or is deceived about some facts and processes.

In no case should you catch a partner on inaccuracies or “show off” your awareness. After all, if he wants to hide something, and you “pull it out into the light of day”, then you will not only complicate this negotiation process for yourself, but also spoil the relationship for a long time. People are able to forgive many mistakes, but the fact that someone is smarter, more literate or more informed than them is never.

Regulations

At the beginning of negotiations, it is necessary to decide on the rules, topic and time. Most try to determine the time first. And then it turns out that they did not have time to discuss “both this and that” questions. The rush begins. And behind it - inattention to the words, positions and proposals of the partner. Therefore, it is important to follow the sequence.

The duration of the negotiations can be different - depending on how many issues you are discussing: from one issue for forty minutes to one and a half hours for 3-5 issues. It makes no sense to spend more time on one round. After the agreed period, you should be ready to fix any result.

It is better to schedule the next meeting for another day. People get tired of each other too, even if they are friends. And in negotiations, people jointly overcome differences and conflict zones. The exception is negotiations on business trips. Then you have to spend several rounds with breaks. Then I advise you to physically change the place of negotiations.

List of participants

It is always better to negotiate alone: ​​there is no one to rely on, you rely only on yourself and prepare to the maximum. At the same time, there is a large number of people who try to negotiate, as they say, "in command".

But it takes a long time to work on the teams of negotiators so that their work is coordinated and effective. Whereas usually negotiations are conducted by a group of employees whose interests often contradict each other. Only chance helps such pseudo-commands not to cause large losses by their actions. All their contradictions, mutual interference, inconsistency is visible to the specialist in the first minute. They lose by simply sitting down at the negotiating table. But at first they don't think so.

laughter with laughter, but when planning negotiations with a woman,

I try to collect information - is she married, how is her family life

Sometimes negotiations require the participation of a specialized specialist. Then it is necessary to agree with him in advance what questions may arise for him. Only the one who negotiates from our side gives him the floor. He has no right to directly answer the partner's questions.

It is best when you are alone and there are several people opposite you - you can notice contradictions in their position. At the same time, you yourself can always refer to the fact that it may take time to work out the issue under discussion (after all, there are several of them, and you also need to consult), and not make any decision until the next round of negotiations. Such an excuse is especially useful when you have nothing to cover.

The main thing to remember: if you are one against all, you have time, which means you need to immediately plan several rounds of negotiations. To do this, it is better to immediately warn that at first you would like to study mutual needs and approaches to the problem being solved, and already in the next negotiating round you will be ready to discuss possible options for cooperation.

Negotiations with a woman

Women are intuitively more sensitive to what is true and what is false. But when faced with false information, they are not in a hurry to "attack" or "leave", as men would do. They are interested in testing their guess. In this situation, women are more prone to manipulation than men. But if you enter into an open dialogue with them, there will be no manipulations on their part either.

There are sometimes exceptions to this rule, but rarely. This refers to the fact that women negotiate based on their emotional condition. Something worries a woman, she can begin to behave emotionally unstable, "bitchy" and even manipulative.

Therefore, laughter with laughter, but when planning negotiations with a woman, try to collect information: is she married, how is her family life.

Be sure to take into account that in negotiations with a man, a woman will definitely note the status of a partner. And if he is at the level or higher, then his positive assessment will be important for her. It can be signs of attention, and elementary tact and politeness. And this applies to both married and single women equally.

If the status of a man is lower, then women conduct open negotiations, trying to finish them faster.

Illustration: Natalia Osipova

Business negotiations are present in the life of every manager of any level. In fact, this is a business conversation, which is a form of verbal exchange of information between several people. Formal decisions are not always made after business negotiations, but they are useful due to the information received during the conversations.

What it is?

Business negotiations are business communication that helps to reach an agreement between the parties. Negotiations are necessary in order to be able to discuss the problem with the partner, and also to try to find a solution that will satisfy all parties. Today, it is very important for a qualified manager to be able to conduct business negotiations.

Negotiations can carry the following functions:

• Informational– when the parties only want to exchange different points of view in preparation for the main negotiations.
• Communicative- in this case, the parties prefer to establish new ties, relationships.
• Control, coordination of actions. In this case, negotiations are conducted by partners who have already established business relationship, and they only need to clarify some of the nuances of previously achieved relationships.
• Regulatory- this function is necessary if you need to resolve a problem or conflict in time, to stop all disputes.

Business negotiations can be divided into two types - internal and external. Internal negotiations are held within your team or company. External negotiations are those in which the invited party is present, it can be partners, competitors or customers. Internal negotiations often end in mutual agreements. Here, two parties are working to obtain a positive result for the company: they analyze, draw conclusions and offer the best options for getting out of the current situation.

At Harvard, alumni and professors came up with the new kind principled negotiations. Here, concessions and firmness of position alternate. We know this method as the “carrot and stick method”. The essence of this principle is to keep a tough position, which allows you to consider in the first place only the key essence of the problem or the issue under discussion.

Ethics: basic rules and requirements

With business partners, it is best to follow the rules established in the business environment. This will give you the opportunity to have good, strong and mutually beneficial relationships in the future.

In ancient Byzantium, the "minutes" was the first part of the document, which usually contained a list of participants in the meeting. Today it is a set of rules, according to which a variety of ceremonies should be held, a dress code, a form of official letters, and so on should be established.

Each violation of the laws of protocol will mean that those who violated the protocol may have problems. This party should apologize for their mistake. Then the oversight must be corrected. Thanks to the observance of the protocol during negotiations and greetings, with document management and the conduct of various contracts, business meetings become more important.

Thanks to the established protocol, the negotiations are characterized by a comfortable and relaxed atmosphere for communication. All this only contributes to the achievement of the desired results for the parties.

Each country has its own national ethical standards. But basically this concept is the same for everyone.

Preparation: features

Almost all preparation for negotiations (both internal and external) is divided into several elements. The main ones include the following:

• definition of the problem, for which it is necessary to negotiate;
• search for those who will help solve the problems that have arisen;
• determination of interests (own and partner);
• a clear formulation of the plan and program of the meeting;
• if necessary, representatives of the delegation are selected;
• organizational moments - collection of documentation, tables, samples and other materials that may be useful in negotiations.

The order of negotiations is as follows: after the start of the meeting, all those present exchange the necessary information, give arguments and counterarguments, analyze the situation, make decisions, and complete the negotiations.

Types of negotiations

Meetings can be internal and external, official and informal. These are their main styles. The difference in them is the presence of documentary consolidation of individual points, the protocol of negotiations, the features of the topics discussed and the subject of this conversation.

According to the nature of the negotiations can be divided into partnership and counter. Counter negotiations are held if there is a conflict between the parties that needs to be resolved. In this case, the solution should be neutral and suit both parties.. This type of conversation is known for being aggressive, as each side wants to win the negotiation. In this type of conversation, partnership, cooperation, development of the parties are usually discussed.

Stages

The negotiation process can be divided into several stages. Their structure has long been determined. One of the main stages in the negotiations is an introductory conversation, during which you can clarify the subject of the meeting, resolve emerging issues on the organization of negotiations. It can also be a meeting of experts, which usually takes place before the start of negotiations between leaders and delegations.

There must be an end, summing up, a description of the meeting.

The main six stages are:

• Training. Proper preparation for business negotiations is 90% of success. Despite the great desire to act impromptu, it is not recommended to ignore this stage before the meeting. Next, you can add an intermediate stage of views.
• clarification. Do not act immediately, do not start bidding. Try to technically establish contact with the other side, determine its standards. Next, try to find out, with the help of pre-prepared questions, what interests the other side has.
• Proposing proposals. This stage is typical as a means of resolving controversial situations. Here the parties can exchange proposals, determine where and why they have misunderstandings. Be sure to record all disagreements and disputes.
• Bargain. This part of the meeting affects what you agree on. Here you can resolve all disagreements through the exchange of information, concessions. Effective bargaining is the exchange of what can be different price and value for each opponent.

• Making decisions. We can assume that you are approaching the final stage of negotiations. However, take your time. Ask yourself the question: “Is the proposed agreement profitable or can an even better option be negotiated? »
• Consolidation of agreements - the final of your meeting. There are times when opponents agreed on everything and dispersed. However, the very next day, during the implementation of the agreements, a situation may arise that someone misunderstood his opponent in the wrong way. That is why it is necessary to technically fix absolutely all the agreements and results of the meeting. This will help avoid ambiguous situations in the future.

Tactical Techniques: Dialogue Examples

Absolutely any negotiations must be prepared in advance. When preparing, it is advisable to collect the necessary information about the partner, think over the arguments for your proposal in advance, and it is also advisable to think through and play out in advance all possible options for the outcome of a business conversation.

There are a huge number of methods for conducting tough negotiations. Several main ones.

Ultimate

Here the tough negotiator puts all the cards on the table almost immediately. At the same time, he declares absolutely all the resources that he has available (or not). The calculation in this negotiation tactic is based on the fact that all options that the other side can prepare are immediately considered “wrong” and “unattractive” for cooperation.

If the hard side's opponent perceives this information as a fact, there is nothing left for him but consent or departure. The disadvantages of this method include the possible loss of a potential partner (possibly in the future).

The “victim” side can bargain to the last. You can agree to the initial conditions, but after trying to compete for more profitable terms. There are cases when the “victim” side won negotiations in its direction.

After the tough opponent announces all the conditions to the “victim”, you can agree to talk about these conditions. In this case, the “victim” can lead the opponent to the scenario she needs by providing her arguments.

You can stand your ground more firmly. Here, the opponent can already think about what exactly he will lose, and can accept the conditions of the “sacrifice” (with some amendments in his favor).

In combination with the words "Yes, but on condition ..." and a friendly conversation, the opponent can relax a little. Further, the "victim" can go on the offensive. The purpose of this game is to continue the conversation.

Emotional swing

A strong negotiator will change the mood of the other side. Here, from a tough negotiator, either pleasant words or accusations are heard. Contradictions from the mouth of one person during one conversation will prevent the "victim" from thinking about his offer. She may be in a confused state, may lose psychological stability.

To counter a strong opponent in this type of negotiation, The "victim" must initially understand that this is a game and it is played solely for one purpose. To put the attacking side to a standstill, it will be enough to gently but persistently ask to understand the situation that has occurred, using the “criteria clash” method. A prerequisite is that the “victim” must speak confidently and non-aggressively. This leads the attacker to a dead end and does not give the opportunity to reproach the opponent for rude negotiation.

Ultimatum at the end of the conversation

This tactic is a good combination of the previous two. First, a tough negotiator communicates, conducts bidding, and so on. Everything goes well until the moment when the “victim” wants to say his final “yes”. Here, the hard side is already fully involved in the work and goes on the attack, saying: “This proposal is not appropriate for us. We are not interested in it."

The calculation is made on the fact that the relaxed “victim” will not repulse the tough negotiator and will be able to accept the first conditions that the tough opponent initially stipulated at the beginning of the negotiations.

During this method of negotiation, a number of categorical prohibitions apply:

• You can not accept any statements in relation to yourself and to the proposal. If a tough opponent would have any remarks in relation to your personality, he would immediately express them.
• This method of conversation should not end after the first refusal. In this case, bargaining is appropriate.
• You don't have to apologize.
• Don't make excuses.
• Don't give up your positions.
• You should also not attack in response or show aggression.
• Do not give your interlocutor a negative assessment. Don't be like him.
• Try to replace unpleasant and negative words with softer ones.

In this type of negotiation, there are several actions you can take to turn the situation in your favor:

• Ask clarifying questions. Work on each individual position, called the interlocutor.
• Ask about criteria. For example: “Do I understand correctly that ...”, “What is important for you, we did not mention in the conversation? ".
• You can try to expose the interlocutor with leading questions: “Do I understand correctly that you are bargaining with me? "," I think that our proposal is not suitable. Can you elaborate on exactly what? ".

Who to include in the delegation?

Any serious negotiations need to be prepared. It is advisable to find out in advance the positions and responsibilities of all participants on the part of the partner. It is important to establish who the real leader of this group is, so that later, during the meeting, pay more attention to him. Often this is not the head of the delegation at all, but, for example, the head of the direction that is most interested in the result of the negotiations. And only knowing all this, you should form your own team of negotiators. According to the business etiquette consultant of the ABC-Training company Marina Arkhangelskaya, 80% of the success of the future meeting depends on how competently it will be drawn up.

Business etiquette is based on two fundamental things: saving time and ranking by position. Therefore, the main principle in the selection of participants for a business meeting is to achieve full parity, - says Marina Arkhangelskaya. - Each party should have the same number of people in the negotiations. Moreover, if they plan to come from one company, for example, the head and his assistant, then the opposite side should present themselves in the same composition. Participants of the meeting need to select the position in the position.

It is very useful before the meeting to collect the maximum information about the partner, to prepare a dossier. If you also formulate a draft agreement in advance and even discuss it in advance by phone or by mail, then you may be able to agree on most of the points in working order. Then at the negotiating table you will be able to focus on the main thing.

So, let's say negotiations are organized on the initiative of your company and it, as they say, orders the music. How many people should be included in the delegation? It depends on your goal. If it is to provide a partner with information about a new project, then the number of participants does not matter. If the negotiations are supposed to discuss any problems and make specific decisions, then the number of participants should be limited.

A large team will have a psychological advantage, but face-to-face meetings will increase the likelihood of reaching an agreement.

The main principle by which the composition of the participants in the negotiations is determined is the real need for the presence of each of them at the meeting, - says Marina Orlova, trainer and consultant at the Arsenal School of Managers. - It is necessary to invite those whose presence is really necessary, and not those who can or want to come. As practice shows, the effectiveness of negotiations is inversely proportional to the number of participants.

About the benefits of punctuality

By business etiquette, it is customary to notify the partner about the desire to negotiate two weeks before the expected date of the meeting. Moreover, the place is offered by the inviting party, and confirmed by the invited party.

Even before the start of negotiations, it is worth discussing and approving the range of issues that will be discussed, and identifying the goals of the meeting.

There is no special "negotiation" time. However, the first half of the day is considered the most fruitful. Meeting after dinner is not considered bad manners. It is indecent only to make appointments for early morning or late evening.

Naturally, the negotiations should not be late. But you don't have to come too early. This can unsettle the owners.

Ideal negotiations last two hours. If you cannot meet this time, then before the next two-hour block, you must take at least a half-hour break.

During the break, guests can be offered coffee or tea. According to etiquette, first of all, drinks are served to guests, starting with their leader, then - in the same order - to their employees.

Smoking during negotiations is allowed only when it is agreed in advance. However, now more and more people do not smoke at the negotiating table and do not drink anything except mineral water.

Houses and walls help

Where is it better to meet - in your own office or on neutral territory? The answer, again, depends on your goal. If you want to achieve a psychological advantage, then it is better to invite a partner to your company.

It is ideal to hold meetings in specially adapted meeting rooms. The doors of the furniture in these rooms should be tightly closed, and there should be no extra documents on the tables. Otherwise, the invited party will feel uncomfortable.

The main element of the meeting room furnishing is the table.

Business etiquette suggests that the best negotiating table is round or oval, says Marina Arkhangelskaya. - Any table with corners initially sets up the interlocutors for confrontation. It happens that the owners have only a traditional rectangular table at their disposal. In this case, they must remember that during the meeting, no one should be put either in his head or in the butt. The arrangement of partners should be as follows: against each other, depending on their rank or position.

It is impolite to seat guests with their backs to the door or facing the window. The representative of the host party should sit facing the door and, say, discreetly signal to the secretary to replace the ashtrays or bring water.

If you meet unfamiliar people, it is very useful to place cards with the names and surnames of all participants in the negotiations on the tables in advance. This will make it easier for them to communicate.

It is worth taking care that there is enough free space between those sitting. Optimal distance- 1.5-3 meters. This is the so-called "social distance".

Too much distance between partners can create a sense of detachment, says Marina Orlova. “But the familiar way of talking is also harmful. You can’t invade the personal space of table neighbors, touch other people’s things and documents without permission, try to get more comfortable than the owner of the office.

The unconditional rule of negotiations is confidentiality. Therefore, if you decide to record a conversation on videotape or a voice recorder, you should ask your partner for permission in advance.

Met by clothes

The appearance of the negotiators must be impeccable. As Cervantes said, "Clothes expose and expose." According to our appearance people judge the seriousness of our intentions and professionalism.

So, when going to an important meeting, it is best to dress in a conservative classical style. It invariably testifies to the solidity, respectability and good taste of its owner. The set of "outfits" of a male negotiator includes a gray or blue two-piece suit, a long-sleeved shirt - a light plain or thin stripe, a silk tie, socks to match the trousers and low shoes with lacing. Women are also better off wearing a classic suit and pumps with steady heels. For negotiations, daily make-up is optimal, well-groomed hands, a neat hairstyle are required. A business woman should not look like a "blue stocking", but mini-skirts and extravagant accessories are unacceptable for her. Jewelery should be kept to a reasonable minimum.

Business is a genderless community, Marina Arkhangelskaya believes. - And many generally accepted rules of behavior - for example, the custom of letting the lady go first - lose their meaning here. Of course, if a lady is given a seat at the negotiating table, that's good. But a business woman should not demand this.

Special rules are provided for the handling of business cards. If the handshake and the introduction are formal introductions, then the exchange business cards- informal. Thank you for your business card. The grossest violation is to instantly put it in your pocket or business card holder. First, read the card carefully.

Knowing the subtleties of etiquette is important not only for diplomats. An awkward gesture or word can blur the entire impression that was planned to be made on a business partner. How to prepare for an important meeting and avoid a single blunder?

The power of words

In Russia, it is customary to address partners by name and patronymic. Except when corporate culture allows you to call each other by name, in the American manner.

Etiquette strictly prescribes how to build a conversation in order to consistently carry out the intended plan and remain friendly at the same time.

It is not customary to immediately take the bull by the horns, advises Marina Arkhangelskaya. - It is considered good form to say at the beginning of negotiations two or three phrases on secular topics - about the weather, recent cultural events, the economic situation.

The most valuable qualities of a negotiator are patience, tact, diplomacy, insight and calmness. Experts do not recommend sitting stone-faced during a business meeting, but it is also undesirable to show your emotions. You can’t speak loudly, but you shouldn’t whisper softly either. Unnecessary noise and sudden movements should be avoided. You need to be friendly, but still keep a psychological distance.

For example, you should not abuse compliments, - says Marina Arkhangelskaya. - You can only say those that relate to business matters. Sometimes it is permissible to note the business suit of the interlocutor. But it is undesirable to proceed to a discussion of the remarkable qualities of his personality.

In conversation, it is better to stay one step more formal than one step more familiar. But don't be afraid to be friendly. A positive attitude and interest can be shown by such phrases: "Glad to see you!", "Thank you for taking the time to meet with us!".

Experts consider it a bad form to demonstrate a sense of superiority. This can be expressed in threats, remarks, accusations, condescending tone. It is indecent to hint to the interlocutor about your connections with influential people. It is impolite to demonstrate unshakable confidence in one's rightness, to make peremptory statements, to impose one's advice, to interrupt the interlocutor.

Conversely, if you feel that you are under pressure, you should not assume a defensive position. This will lead the negotiations to a dead end. You should answer your partner politely and calmly, and if you feel an attack of irritation, just keep silent.

The golden rule of diplomacy is to be careful with the words "no", "never", "it's impossible".

You should not start a phrase with words of denial, - says Marina Arkhangelskaya. - Often this becomes the beginning of a conflict, confrontation. Of course, you also need to be able to say "no". But before you refuse, you should definitely explain the reason why the partner’s offer is not interesting for you.

All agreements that were reached during the negotiations come into force at the moment when they are fixed on paper and signed by the leaders of the two sides. It can be not only an agreement, but also a protocol of intent, which is not binding.

And the most important rule of negotiation: never promise what you can't deliver. It's always discrediting. It is better to exceed your partner's expectations than not to meet his expectations.

OPINIONS WHAT IS ALARMING IN YOUR INTERVIEWERS?

Nikolai SKOROKHODOV, managing director of the Pizza Center company (Moscow):

Unpunctuality. If a partner is late for negotiations, it means that he will be careless in business. My practice has confirmed this more than once. I also always pay attention to how a person is dressed. After all, sometimes an entrepreneur operates in words large sums, and in his appearance you can’t say that he has ever seen such money in his eyes.

Vladimir LIM, owner of the network of photo laboratories "Fuji-photocenter" (Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky):

I really don't like it when the meeting is poorly prepared. I prefer to discuss the meeting plan in advance so as not to waste time in vain. There is nothing worse when your interlocutor now and then gets off on extraneous topics and sends the secretary to look for the missing piece of paper.

Valery GREKOV, CEO"Grill-master" company:

I do not like it when the interlocutor behaves arrogantly, shows incorrectness, disrespect for other people's business.

COMMUNICATION WITH A FOREIGN ACCENT

Many in Russia are confused by the American way of getting down to business and quickly dotting the "i", as well as the love to discuss business problems at early breakfasts, stand-up "lunches" and "breaks". However, this does not at all mean a light-hearted approach to business. Members of the American delegation are quite independent in making decisions. All of them, as a rule, are good specialists in the issues that the negotiations are devoted to.

To make the most of your meeting with Americans and Canadians, don't make it too formal. And do not be surprised if, ten minutes after meeting, the overseas interlocutor begins to address you simply by name. This is not a manifestation of familiarity, but evidence of a friendly attitude towards you.

GREAT BRITAIN

At the heart of business etiquette adopted on British Isles, traditional English rules good tone.

Communicating with panthers from England is emphatically polite and formal, using the addresses "Mr", "Mrs" and "Miss". During negotiations with them, any physical contact is excluded, except for a handshake. It is worth coming to the meeting in classic clothes. A good start for a business conversation is an exchange of views on the latest cultural or sporting events.

When planning a meeting with the British, it is worth remembering that their working day usually lasts from 9 am to 5 pm. During the working day, they most often are not distracted by lunch, transferring lengthy gastronomic procedures to the evening.

ARAB COUNTRIES

Business people from Arab countries are characterized by a sense of dignity and national pride. The level at which negotiations are conducted is of great importance.

Partners from Arab countries will definitely ask you during a conversation: "How are you? How are you?". But that doesn't mean they really want to hear detailed story about your well-being. This is just a tribute to oriental etiquette.

Until you get to know the interlocutors better, it is not recommended to joke. Do not touch on religious topics and be interested in the health of your spouse. You can not flaunt the soles of the feet - it is indecent. We must remember that Islam forbids alcohol. Therefore, it is better to offer tea and coffee to your guests from the East.

And also get ready that during negotiations with Arab businessmen you will have to wait a long time. Punctuality is not their best feature.

JAPAN

The Japanese are very scrupulous in fulfilling the minutes of the meeting. You should not dress too brightly to meet them. More suitable conservative style.

You can win over interlocutors from the Land of the Rising Sun by showing your observation and knowledge of their national traditions.

According to Japanese business etiquette, the party that made concessions can count on a return gesture from their partners. But keep in mind: the word "yes" does not necessarily mean that you agree with you. It only means that the interlocutors heard and understood you. The fact is that in Japan it is not customary to say the word "no".