How to be an Effective Negotiator by Dr I-Hsuan Liu

Negotiation involves at least two parties. Both parties must have something to gain as well as to offer. Finally, both must want to reach an agreement. It could take some time for negotiating certain issues. For example, the member of the United Nations spent a large amount of time negotiating the terms in the United Nations Declaration of Human Rights. Negotiation or negotiator could encounter problems. One of the main problems is that we tend not to negotiate. The reasons are personal ego, fear, or shyness. There is also a misconception of negotiation. Negotiation could provide information, expand the deal, build trust, and long-term benefits. Moreover, negotiation could be the key to advancing personal life. For example, it could result in reducing costs or obtaining a scholarship. Furthermore, negotiation skills can be nurtured and developed. A good way to develop negotiation skills is to practice.

Preparation for negotiation has three major parts. The first part relates to self-assessment. The negotiator must concern the goal, alternatives, reservation point, issues in the negotiation, and different packages of the offer. Tradable is a capability of being discussed in an effort to reach an agreement. It is necessary for the negotiator to prepare for offers for other parties in advance. Another term to concern is BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement). It is also used for the negotiator to identify and improve your BATNA. Otherwise, the negotiator might be manipulated, lost, or depressed. Additionally, the negotiator has to prepare for the reservation point which is a point that could still provide benefits.

The second part is to assess the other parties. It is necessary to know other parties and the relevant issues. It is necessary to prepare for alternatives for each issue. The third part is to assess the situation. It is beneficial to think about trends and objective criteria.

One strategy for negotiation is anchoring. Anchoring is an attempt to establish a reference point (anchor) around which negotiation will revolve. Anchoring refers to heavily focusing on the first price as a reference point throughout the negotiation process. Anchoring serves to determine an acceptable starting point for the subsequent negotiations.

Another strategy for negotiation is making package deals. It could be useful to prepare a good deal by bundling projects or products to offer to other parties. It can create a positive dynamic in the negotiations.

There are steps to deal with anger at the negotiation table. The first step is to listen to other parties. The second step is to acknowledge the emotion of other parties. The third step is to ask other parties. The fourth step is to paraphrase which shows that you are listening to other parties. The fifth step is to give merit to other parties. This could reduce the tension during the negotiation table. Another useful way to deal with tension could be just taking a break.