Best Practices in Negotiation-Win Or Lose, You Win!
by Dr. Gary S. Goodman
Sometimes I question the wisdom of my colleagues in the negotiation training field.
I wonder if they have personally engaged in enough bargaining sessions, and if they have, are they current on today’s marketplace dynamics?
For instance, in my recent seminar at UCLA Extension, “Best Practices in Negotiation,” we were discussing a case study of workplace negotiation. I’ve used this case for three years, and as time passes, the strategies participants employ seem to change, dramatically.
The other day, for instance, I found bargaining pairs were unusually conciliatory toward each other. A mere 24 months ago, their counterparts were at each others’ throats.
Why the change? To paraphrase a presidential candidate, “It’s the economy, dummy!”
Today, subordinates bite their lips a hundred times before confronting their superiors, lest they antagonize and alienate them, and in doing so, elevate themselves to the top of the “expendables list” for the next spate of layoffs.
Fighting unfairness, poor treatment, pay cuts, and miscellaneous insults and injuries, is potentially problematic.
But there are times when increasing your WILLINGNESS TO CONFRONT makes sense.
You might recall the movie, “Raging Bull,” about Jake LaMotta, the boxer. At one point his brother, who is also his professional manager, explains the logic of accepting a bout. Because the foe is ranked higher than LaMotta, his sibling explains:
“Take the fight because if you win you win, and if you lose, you win!”
Certain negotiations are like that fight. They present opportunities to give you exposure, to sharpen your skills, and even if they result in a nominal loss, they constitute a net gain for you.
Interviewing for jobs comes to mind. The more you interview, even for less desirable positions, or for those that are beyond your potential to perform, the better you’ll get at this necessary skill.
When I was a sales manager with Time-Life, one of my reps loved to go on interviews, reporting to me his triumphs. Mind you, he had no intention of bolting from our company, he just wanted to compare us to others and to enhance his interviewing skills.
The test of his prowess were the job offers he elicited, and there were quite a few. I indulged him because his briefings enabled me to do some competitive benchmarking, to sense where Time-Life needed to be in order to remain competitive in recruiting and retaining employees.
I suppose if this seller did find a disproportionately better job, he would have taken it, but irrespective of the outcome, if he won, he won, and if he lost, no job was offered, he still won.
You can do the same, by accepting nearly every opportunity to bargain. You’ll find, the less you NEED and MUST win, the more you will gain.
About the author: Dr. Gary S. Goodman is a top speaker, sales, service, and negotiation consultant, attorney, TV and radio commentator and the best-selling author of 12 books. He conducts seminars and speaks at convention programs around the world. His new audio program is Nightingale-Conant’s “Crystal Clear Communication: How to Explain Anything Clearly in Speech & Writing.” His web site is: http://www.customersatisfaction.com and professional speaking, training, and consulting opportunities can be addressed to:gary@customersatisfaction.com.
photo©iStockphoto.com/LiseGagne
