Tough negotiations are those in which the participant or participants use tactics and tricks prohibited in business communication, manipulate others, and try to achieve maximum benefits at minimum costs. Of course, this is prohibited only by the internal ethical considerations of opponents, and therefore it is used in the business world almost everywhere and constantly. To be successful in business, it is important to be able to conduct such negotiations yourself, as well as to be able to respond to attacks from the other side.
Instructions
Step 1
In business negotiations, participants can act in an equal position, and more often in a weak or strong position. It is clear that the one who communicates from a position of strength is unlikely to make concessions, he simply does not need it, he is already a winner. But with a weak own position or with an equivalent relationship, it is important to determine in advance the desired result, the outcome of the negotiations, the goal that is planned to be achieved. This negotiation preparation allows you to address many aspects - from the priorities that need to be solved, and the strengths and weaknesses of your position, to comfortable clothes and shoes to maintain self-confidence.
Step 2
Another step in preparing for a tough confrontation in the negotiation process should be to determine what can be sacrificed in order to achieve a result. Simply put, you need to decide what can be changed in the company's initial proposal, and what is not subject to the slightest discussion. For this tactic to be successful, you need to set yourself the most clear boundaries of what is paramount and what is not so important.
Step 3
During tough negotiations, you need to choose one of the strategies: defensive or attacking. This largely depends on the strength of the position of a particular negotiator. If the position is weak, a defensive strategy is often chosen, which implies the absence of a final decision-maker in the negotiation process. This allows you to postpone the resolution of the issue and the possible signing of documents and gain time. In an attacking strategy, on the other hand, the company should be represented by a person who makes instant and, if possible, correct decisions. In such a strategy, a conflict situation plays a huge role. If the opponent begins to lose his temper, most likely, he can make a mistake, which can then be used to his advantage.
Step 4
Some negotiators are of the opinion that the first step is to try to bring the negotiations on a peaceful track - to soften them. One of the surest options for this is being open to your opponent. You can talk on neutral topics, find points of intersection, ask for help in some small things, and then state your position as clearly as possible. If you show flexibility in some issues, it is possible that the opponent will show flexibility in others, which will make it possible to reach a compromise solution, and negotiations will cease to be tough. Even if the decision on negotiations is negative, it is not necessary to affect the personality of the opponent, it is better to refer to some abstract circumstances that do not allow reaching an agreement.
Step 5
In certain situations, one of the parties in the negotiations may feel that they are trying to pressure, manipulate or catch on something. Of course, the best solution in this situation would be the completion of negotiations, but this is not always realistic. It is important to learn to recognize such moments and to resist them. In many negotiation trainings, participants are taught both these tactics and how to resist them.
Step 6
One of the first conditions that you should not agree to is a meeting on someone else's territory. In this case, the "outsider" often feels uncomfortable, even if his position is stronger. It is believed that the one who travels to negotiate with another person is more in need of a positive outcome. If negotiations cannot be carried out in your office, it is better to choose a neutral territory.
Step 7
It is important to take pauses in negotiations. If the interlocutor suddenly falls silent, you should not fill the silence, so as not to find yourself in a situation where all the arguments have already been presented, and the opponent has not even begun to speak. In such a situation, you can ask a question, albeit a neutral one, but a provocative answer from another negotiator. But in a situation where the opponent begins to divert the conversation aside by means of such an answer, it is better to firmly stop these attempts.
Step 8
Also, during negotiations, some managers use tricks in the form of shifting responsibility, ask leading questions and questions without choice, or refer to phrases such as “everyone has been doing this for a long time,” “everyone knows,” and so on. It is important to differentiate positions here: each of you has your own problems and the problems of the opposite side for the most part do not concern anyone. In general, when a participant begins to feel as if under threat, when even the body sends signals that it wants to leave the negotiating table (for example, a leg itches or twitches), it is better to say out loud that such dishonest measures cannot establish any adequate cooperation.
