Negotiating in English In groups of 3 discuss

Negotiating in English In groups of 3, discuss for 10 minutes: In your lives now and in the past, who have you negotiated with? Have the situations been formal, or informal? How much in English? Have any of the negotiations been crosscultural? What aspects of negotiating in English are you most interested in? Worried about?

Principled Negotiation ‘Hard on problems, soft on people’ n How to not be aggressive, yet also not ‘cave in’ How to handle others who are not using a principled approach n ‘Changing the game’ n

Elements of Principled Negotiation n n Preparation Thinking in terms of underlying interests rather than declaring rigid positions Staying open to and imagining various options before committing to one solution Using objective criteria as much as possible for determining fair outcomes Being prepared to walk away if necessary, and know what other possibilities you have

Preparation as the first step: what to prepare? n Brainstorm the kinds of things you should think about before a negotiation begins (if it is not an ‘on the spot’ negotiation).

Possible elements of preparation Consider: n Who are you, and who are they? n Are there any relevant cultural similarities or differences that you should be sensitive to? n How about the power relationship – who is more powerful in this negotiation, and who needs who more? n Any previous contact or relationship? What, or who, do you have in common? n Are you hoping for a long-term relationship?

Possible elements of preparation Consider: n What are your interests and needs, and what might be theirs? In other words, what is motivating you and them? n What are some possible options for meeting those needs, and what options might they propose? Think creatively ahead of time if you can. Role playing can be helpful.

Possible elements of preparation Consider: n What are some objective criteria you might refer to? n What range of outcomes would be comfortable for you, and which outcomes would not? What are your alternatives if you walk away? n Context of meeting: where, what time, informal or formal, what will be the agenda, who will have what roles?

Setting the tone: Opening a negotiation n Greetings n Introductions, if necessary n Small talk, in most cases n Getting comfortable, if necessary (drinks, sitting down…) n Transition to negotiation

What went wrong n Okus team (Karen and Andrew) did not communicate about their agenda, their interests/goals, or their roles. n Levian team did not learn/remind themselves of who other people were. n Introductions were not made well n Francoise did not lead well as the host n Sean did not value small talk n Body language in general is defensive

Practice: buying a used car (a special one!) n

Facts: n Ad in paper: 1972 VW Beetle for sale in ‘perfect’ condition. New engine, 10, 000 miles. $5000. n ‘Blue book’ price for one in ‘good’ condition is $3800. n Other used Beetles from the 1970 s have been advertised from between $500 to $4800 in the last few years, depending on condition and mileage.

Context: n Potential buyer goes to seller’s house on a slightly cloudy day. n We will assume there will be no mechanic’s check – that the car really is in excellent condition and potential buyer can see that.

Activity: n Groups of 3: 1 buyer n 1 seller n 1 observer of the negotiation n 5 minutes to prepare n 10 minutes to negotiate n

Reflection How did preparation affect how you negotiated? How do you feel about the outcome? Do you wish you had done anything differently, or are you satisfied? Were there any style differences in negotiating that came up? (e. g. possibly due to culture, gender, age, speaking style, or just personality…) Anything else of interest…