Negotiation Skills -
Dealing with Emotions
Step 6.
Dealing with Unhelpful Behaviour
Emotional outbursts from attendees can suddenly change the
mood of a negotiation. These outbursts may declare indecision,
confusion or aggression, but the most common one is a team
member losing their temper. When this occurs, decide whether it
is a ploy or is unintentional and steer the discussion back on
course as quickly as possible. Handle these situations well,
and people will be less likely to try such a ploy again.
Handling ploys and unhelpful
behaviour
| Types |
Possible Solutions |
| Confused
Negotiator |
Use visual aids to clarify
complex issues that are causing
confusion |
| |
Put complex proposals in
writing, using short clear sentences |
| |
Follow a concise step by
step agenda |
| |
Be prepared to involve a
third party to review the issues with a fresh
eye |
| Emotional
Negotiator |
Do not challenge the
motives or integrity of the negotiator |
| |
Do not interrupt
outbursts, wait patiently to make your
response |
| |
Respond by using rational
questioning |
| |
Adjourn to allow them to
calm down |
| Aggressive
Negotiator |
Reiterate all the facts,
keeping calm and avoiding emotional
language |
| |
Refuse to be drawn into a
battle of words, and stay calm at all
times |
| |
State firmly that
intimidation, bulling and threats are
unacceptable |
| |
Suggest an adjournment
until tempers cool |
| Indecisive
Negotiator |
Proceed slowly and
methodically, and be prepared to reiterate
points |
| |
Promise a review of the
issues under discussion after a set period of
time |
| |
Adjourn to allow them to
consult with others in their team |
|
|
Try to present the
issues in a fresh and original way
|
Establishing Positions
The negotiation process can begin in earnest once each team
has explored their own position after hearing the other side’s
proposal.
After you have heard the other team’s proposal, your team
may need to reassess its strategy or tactics in order to retain
a strong bargaining position.
Look for any mutual points of interest between the two
sides, and consider the points on which you are prepared to
give or concede. Decide if there are any major differences
between the two cases that will require you to prepare a
counter proposal in response to the other teams proposal.
Once both parties have outlined their basic positions, there
may be extensive discussion about the underlying assumptions
and facts. This debating time is a crucial stage in the
negotiating procedure. Where possible keep every debate calm.
If you are frustrated or angry, try not to let it show. Do not
score points off the opposition, instead, work to form a bond
with them.
Strengthening your position
Strength is about power - the power that you can wield to
influence the outcome of a negotiation. When you have made a
powerful point, maintain a strong position by reminding the
other party of the disadvantages of rejecting your proposal.
Try to make it as easy as possible for the other side to change
their position. This will help to strengthen relationships and
avoid deadlock.
Negotiations can be a stressful process. Never take things
personally; otherwise you may lose control of the situation.
Concentrate on the issues, and restate your position firmly and
clearly. If you are forced to make concessions to prevent
negotiations from breaking down, attach your own conditions.
Take the long-term view, and remember that compromise can be a
constructive tactic to help reach agreement.
Using
tactics to weaken the opposition
| Types of tactic |
Examples of how to use Tactics
|
Financial
Imposing costs on one or both parties if
agreement is not reached |
Inform the other
parties that costs will be incurred if, for
example, goods are held in a warehouse until
the dispute is resolved
|
| |
Point out to the opposition that
costs will occur if the negotiation is
prolonged |
Legal
Using sanctions or injunctions to prevent
one party from taking action or to cause delays in
proceedings |
Threaten to pursue a course of
legal action, if you have a solid case, and
emphasise the cost, both in time and money, to the
other party if they lose |
| |
Cause lengthy legal wrangles to
effect delays in production and consequently loss
of finance to achieve an agreement |
Social
Imposing restrictions by disapproving of a
proposed course of action on moral
grounds |
Tell your opponents that their
proposals are an insult to the people they are
likely to affect |
| |
Demonstrate how unfair
suggested proposals are when compared to the
treatment that other people receive in similar
situations
|
Humiliation
Publicly humiliating one party in the eyes of their
peers |
Humiliate an opposing party in
order to damage their image or reputation. This can
cause some long-term damage to their credibility
but is unlikely to have any drastic effect on the
party’s business. Be aware that they may seek
revenge for the humiliation in the
future.
|
Emotional
Making opponents feel guilty if they do
not make any concessions |
Emotionally blackmail your
opponents if they are not giving enough ground.
Remember though, people who feel they have been
emotionally blackmailed may dig there heels in
more! |
Go to Closing a
Negotiation
| 