NEGOTIATI SKILLS

NEGOTIATING SKILL S

Introduction

Negotiation is a dynamic process which requires you to be both disciplined and

creative in your approach . It requires a high level of interpersonal and self-
management skill in order to achieve the best possible results . Research and
preparation are just as important as your performance in the negotiation itself, when
your ability to manage yourself and the information you hold while gleaning as much
information as possible from your counterpart is essential .

Successful negotiators demonstrate a wide range of skills and abilities, all of which
can be learned and developed through preparation and practice . Some of those skills
and abilities are :-

• Self-control - in terms of the information they divulge and the non-verbal

messages they giv e
• An ability to assimilate information
• An understanding of the mechanics of a negotiatio n
• An understanding of all the issues relating to the negotiation
• A flexible and perceptive approach
• Good questioning and listening skill s

Whether you get the result you want or not in each negotiation in which you take part,
it is important to analyse your performance and take note of anything which will help
you to improve your performance next time around .

This booklet is intended as an aide-memoir to a negotiating skills seminar. It

summarises the issues discussed and the skills practised during the seminar. These
are :-

• Types of negotiation
• Approaches to negotiating
• Preparatio n
• Phases of negotiatio n
• Effective skills, strategies and tactics
• Self-presentation
Approaches to Negotiatio n

One definition of negotiation is a process by which a matter is discussed with a view

to reaching a settlement, mutual agreement or compromise . Whatever the needs which
bring participants to the negotiating arena, whether on their own behalf or that of a
client, there should be an area of agreement possible for all parties somewhere .
Finding that area can be difficult .

One model of negotiation describes three types or styles :-

Mainstream Negotiation
• Pressure Bargainin g
• Joint Problem Solving

Mainstream Negotiatio n

In this approach to negotiation, each party gives itself room for manoeuvre to get
movement from the other, but has also set itself limits . Each party intends to find a
deal . This type of negotiation accounts for 90% or more of negotiating activity . Most
negotiations begin, or are expected to begin, in this way and move through pressure
bargaining and or joint problem solving at various points, as appropriate .

Pressure Bargaining

This is where one party, or both, seeks an outcome through coercion rather than any
other approach . Very little willingness to move from the initial position in anything is
shown while demands for the other party(ies) to make concessions are heavy .

Joint Problem Solving

This is also known as "principled negotiation" . The objective is to enable both or all
parties to create new solutions to jointly-identified problems, rather than to find a
compromise within their respective mandates . Joint problem solving requires a high
level of trust between the parties and a commitment to finding the best solutions to
jointly-agreed objectives and within jointly-agreed constraints . The results may,
therefore, be very different to the solution initially preferred by either participant .
Consequently, a considerable degree of flexibility is also required within the
respective mandates .

In addition to being able to identify these types or styles of negotiation, you may also
come across one or a combination of these approaches :-

Compromise
This is seen as a "fair" way to reach agreement . It is often used as a way to break
deadlock and is seen as a quick and easy way to settle .

Bargaining
The difference between bargaining and compromise is that in bargaining, several
issues are linked together and used to achieve agreement rather than each party
systematically conceding on one issue at a time, and in turn . It is a slow process . It is
generally held that the slower you move, the more value the other party is likely to put
onto your concessions . An important guideline to remember is that if you move
quickly from your position you are likely to undermine its credibility .

Coercion
This can be described as the use of brawn rather than brain in the negotiation .
Consider all the implications of this approach beforehand . Threats in the early stages
will positively discourage the other party from helping or moving towards you and it
may turn out in the long run that you need them more than they need you .

Emotion
Appealing to others' emotions can have a powerful effect in the right circumstances .
However, beware of letting your own emotions control your approach to negotiation .
Remember, too, that there is a difference between appealing to someone's emotions
and just saying "Oh, pleeease . Go on."! ! ! !

Logical Reasonin g
This is when you support each of your arguments and/or proposals with clearly
described research, detail, reasons and explanations . Consistency in the reasons and
explanations used is crucially important .
Preparatio n

There is no shortcut to this! Do it methodically and as fully as possible within the time
available to you .

At least, you need to know your negotiating objective and positions within that, and to
have some appreciation of the other party's objective and positions . Recognition of
your, or information about your client's, interests in the negotiation will be
enormously helpful, as will information about the personalities involved in the
process and their relationships . At all stages of preparation, think from the other side's
perspective aswell to make sure that you have as full a picture as possible .

Position s

• IDEAL This is what you would achieve if you could get everything
you wanted.

• REALISTIC The position you believe you can achieve with a well-
planned strategy and which will meet your key objectives .

• FALLBACK The worst position you are prepared to accept . If you cannot
achieve this you will pull out of the negotiation .

• BATNA Best Altern ative To A Negotiated Agreement . The p rinciple

behind this is to identify alte rnative options available to you
should you be unable to reach a workable negotiate d
outcome, and decide on the best one . Having a BATNA in
place helps to loosen your thinking about p riorities and
goals, and refine your perspective of the issues and outcome .
It helps you to be more flexible and discourages you from
agreeing at any cost . (There is also WATNA - Worst
Alternative To A Negotiated Agreement .)

Interest s

Why do you wish to enter negotiations in the first place? What was the reasoning
which helped you and your client to establish your positions ? Why are these issues
import ant to you? Thinking about your interests will enable you to be more creative in
identifying all the options open to you and will therefore lead you towards the best
outcome in the circumstances .

Put yourself in the other side's shoes and ask the same questions . An understanding of
their interests will enable you to formulate options and proposals which are more
likely to be acceptable to them .

Personalitie s

Find out as much as you possibly can, from as many sources as you can, about the
other people involved in the negotiation :
 What is their reputation ?
What style do they tend to adopt ?
How hard/soft is their approach likely to be?
What do they look and sound like?
What is the quality of their relationships with others involved in the process ?

Establishing good relationships is important if negotiations are to run smoothly, so it

is worth investing time and energy at the beginning .

Prepare Your Tea m

If you are going to be negotiating in a team, there are several guidelines to follow .
You should research and prepare together as much as is possible so that every team
member is equally familiar with positions and strategy and the reasons and interests
behind them . Agree the role(s) each of you will adopt - lead negotiator, note-taker,
observer and any other roles you feel will be helpful to the team .

Again, think about the other team and the roles you are likely to meet .

Think about how you will signal to each other if you need to adjourn for private
discussions or if one team member wants to interrupt another . Consider how you will
deal with a situation in which one of you is in difficulty . Think about each other's
natural styles and how they will each benefit the team and the task .

Make every effort to ensure that you don't go into a negotiation with anyone in your
team with whom you have not prepared, or at least briefed, or been briefed by. This is
doubly important if you are teamed up with anyone with whom you have never
negotiated before .

As a team, discuss and answer the following questions :-

at are the key issues ?

- How are you going to open the negotiation?
- What is likely to be the response ?
- How are you going to set the agenda ?
- How are you going to manage their expectations?
- What will each member of your team be doing during the negotiation?
- How will you respond to difficult questions?
The Phases of Negotiatio n

Once the negotiation proper begins, it will move through four distinct phases . These
can be called Opening, Testing, Moving and Closing . There are no specific timescales
or ratios to these phases . The skilled negotiator can identify which of these phases
they are in at any given time and use appropriate skills and strategies to be effective .

Opening
The purpose of this phase is to establish good working relationships between you and
the other parties and to manage expectations . Whatever happens in this phase will
influence the tone and atmosphere for the rest of the negotiation .

• Create warmth - be polite and courteous, no matter how divergent your

positions or how hostile your respective clients feel towards
each other.
• Find something - anything - that you can agree on :
- an agenda that you can all work with, even if it's not in the order you would
prefer
- a timeframe for the negotiation
- the key issues, if possible
• Propose your opening position and reinforce it .
• Listen carefully to their opening position and identify areas of similarity and
difference .
• Never accept an opening offer, even if it does seem attractiv e

Testing
The purpose of this phase is to explore all areas where agreement might be possible .
Within this, you will need to manage the information you give to achieve that
objective aswell as asking for information from them .

• Ask plenty of questions and listen attentively to the responses and reaction s
• Use open, reflective and hypothetical questions to encourage the flow of
information
• Use silence to encourage them to speak mor e
• Don't accept "no" at face value - try rephrasing the question in different ways
• Ask the same questions several times over, phrased in different ways, to check
consistency of respons e
• Challenge their conclusions, facts, positions and assumptions
• Avoid backing them, or yourself, into a corner .
• Summarise periodically - prevent misinterpretation s
• Avoid being rushed or intimidated - take time to think and be clear on your
own objectives and fact s
• Remember, you don't owe them an answer to all their question s
• Look for - signals that they are unsure, feeling insecure or very firm in their
position ; inconsistencies in their arguments ; disunity or solidarity in their
team ; signals that they are ready or able to move .
Moving
The purpose of this phase is to get the deal done .

• Summarise discussions so far by way of transition from Testing to Moving .

• Make hypothetical proposals, eg "If we were to . . . would you be prepared
to . . .?" "What would be your response if we were to . . . .?"
• Link issues together and offer certain outcomes as a "package" .
• Be prepared to concede - no harm in being first to do so !
• Sell the benefits to them/their client of accepting your proposals .
• Ask them to sell the benefits to you/your client of accepting their proposals .
• Apply pressure, if appropriate - perhaps time constraints or "dealbreakers" .
• Again, avoid backing them into a corner .
• Again, avoid being rushed .
• Know when to stop - keep your eye on what you NEED, not necessarily what
you WANT .

Closing
The purpose of this phase is to finalise agreement, determine how your decisions will
be implemented, plan how any future working relationships will operate, and manage
the transition from the negotiation back into the rest of life .

• Summarise the agreement which has been reached .

• Agree who will draft it .
• Agree timescales for implementation .
• Discuss and agree how you will deal with any hiccups along the way .
• Discuss and agree the approach you will take should the agreement break
down .
• Seek to repair any bridges which may have been broken .
• Seek to reinforce relationships which have developed during the negotiation .
Communication Skills in Negotiatio n

Good questioning and listening skills are essential in negotiation . Progress in

negotiation depends on the ability of the negotiators to glean the information they
need from their counterpart and to act accordingly, depending on what they have
heard and understood from the responses to their questions . An inability ti ask the
right question at the right time and/or a failure to listen well to the information you are
given will make your job that much more difficult .

Questioning Skill s

Neil Rackham in "The Behaviour of Successful Negotiators" showed that good

negotiators ask more than twice as many questions as their less successful
counterparts . Asking questions gets you information against which you can then
assess your position and current strategy and maintain or amend your approach as
necessary .

There are three basic categories of question :-

Questions for information :-

To find out about the other party's position, how they support it and what lies
behind it .

• Questions for clarification :-

To find out how others in the negotiation respond to your themes, proposals
and comments ; to find out about the priorities in their position.

Questions for commitment :-

To identify common ground and areas of agreement or potential agreement .

Within these categories of question, there are five types most commonly used in
negotiation :-

Closed
• Open
• Hypothetical
• Leading
• Multiple

The first three types are helpful, when used correctly; the final two need to be used
with care.

• Closed questions - are those which demand either a "yes" or a "no" answer .
They are used when looking for confirmation of information, for acceptance of
facts or a summary, and for commitment .
 • Open questions - are those which demand responses in the form of sentences .
They begin with the words "who", "what", "when", "why", and "how", and
are useful when looking for information, detail and clarification . Probing
questions also fall within this category - "tell me more about . . . .", or "why is
that important to you/this matter? "

• Hypothetical questions - ask the respondent to imagine what s/he would do

in a particular situation or set of circumstances . These are very good for
finding out areas` of potential movement or agreement and for identifying areas
of difficulty or dealbreakers .

• Leading questions - suggest the answer you are expecting or hoping to

receive, eg "Of course you told the client about this development, didn't you?"
Fine in cross-examination; not so useful in negotiation .

• Multiple questions - are questions asked rapidly and in quick succession,

with no opportunity between each for a reply . The respondent will tend to
answer wither only the last question in the list, or the one they are most
comfortable answering, and will ignore the rest .

Listening Skills

When you're in a meeting or at a seminar, do you really listen to everything that's

said all the time? Or, do you find yourself thinking about the weekend, planning your
shopping list, counting the number of dots on the tie of the man opposite . . .? In
negotiation, it is vitally important to listen to everything that's said, inferred and
omitted so as to reduce the risk of misunderstanding to the minimum . So, a starting
point is to be aware of what can prevent us from listening well :-

• Poor concentration - drifting in and out of listening mode, for whatever

reason.
• Mind wandering - to a meeting later in the day, back to the task you were
doing before this conversation, to ideas for what to cook tonight . . .
• Filtering - listening to the gist of what is said and picking out the things with
which you agree or disagree in order to substantiate your own opinion, and so
missing the whole context of the message, and possibly its real meaning, too .
• Anticipating - waiting for the speaker to say what you would say if you were
speaking, and so missing what they actually do say .
• Waiting to speak .

Awareness is half the battle. "Active listening" is the term used to describe the skills
of good, concentrated listening . The key things to practise are :-

Quieten your mind - difficult to do because the brain can process much
more information that can be spoken in a given period of time .

• Concentrate - on the person speaking, on the words they are saying and on
the way they are saying them, so that you hear a complete message .
 • Show you are listening - it's much easier to speak to someone who looks as
if they are interested, who nods to encourage, whose facial expressions are
appropriate and who makes the right kind of listening noises - "ah-ha",
"mmm", etc . So, if you do this, you're likely to get much more information
than if you were looking down at your papers, scribbling down every word
or staring blankly at the speaker .

• Check understanding - your understanding of what has been said - ask

questions and listen to the answers, or

• Summarise - in your own words to confirm that you have heard and
understood everything .

Self-Presentation - Doing Confidence and In Contro l

When we meet someone for the first time, we make judgements about them and what
we assume them to be like within a very short amount of time - between 4 - 40
seconds - and a lasting opinion of them within four minutes . Our opinion then
influences the way in which we respond and behave towards that person until
something happens to make us change our mind .

In a negotiation, it is essential to project the most appropriate image for the situation
within those first few minutes . We must reinforce this initial impression throughout
the negotiation, not only by demonstrating technical expertise and/or thorough
preparation but also by effective self-presentation .

The information on which we base our judgements is all visual . We take into account,
in the following order :-

Colouring
Gender
Age
Size
Facial expression
Eye contac t
Hair
Build
Clothes
Movemen t

Think about people you have judged negatively on first meeting them :-
- How did you interpret their appearance / manner ?
- How did your judgement affect the way you behaved towards them?
- Have you found your initial judgement to be correct?
Others judge you on the basis of how your appearance and manner fits with or
contradicts their expectations of someone in your position in this situation . Always
pay attention to the things over which you have immediate control - present as
positive a visual impression as possible . Be consistent . A discrepancy here can affect
others' feelings of comfort with and trust in you, and therefore the temperature of the
negotiation .

In face-to-face communication people receive information in the following

proportions :

• 7% from the WORDS spoke n

• 38% from what they HEAR. - tone and pitch of voice, pace and use of pause,
clarity, accent
• 55% from what they SEE - posture, gestures, facial expression, eye contact .

So, in particular, an appropriate facial expression and good, well-maintained eye

contact will make it easier for other people to hear and understand you . Likewise, if
you take care to support your words with appropriate tone of voice and gestures, you
will seldom be misunderstood .

Here are some key points to be aware of for effective self-presentation :-

Meeting and Greetin g

• When entering a room, keep your posture upright but relaxed, head up and
shoulders back .
• Establish eye contact with other people in the room as quickly as possible .
• Be aware of your expression - stop thinking about other issues and
concentrate on the people you are meeting .
• Your handshake should be firm and maintained for an appropriate length of
time . Look at the person whose hand you are shaking and smile .
• Do not slide or storm into the room .
• Do not overpower others or try to hide away .
• Do not speak too loudly or too softly .

Dress
This can be easier for men to get right than women, who must make choices about
skirt lengths, colours and necklines .

MEN
Your tie, shirt and socks all send messages out to the people whom you are
meeting . Colours, designs and motifs can express your individuality, advertise
your school or college or your political affiliations . Be aware of this and
consider the opinions which may be formed in the minds of others as a result
of your choice of clothes .
WOMEN
• Wear something comfortable and which looks good . Err on the conservative
side when choosing colour and/or style for a meeting with new people .
• Beware of necklines which gape as you lean forward.
• Skirt length is a matter of personal choice . However, short skirts can be
perceived as sexually provocative if you keep crossing and recrossing your
legs . Therefore, sit comfortably from the outset and avoid changing position
too much.

JEWELLERY
• Again this is a matter of personal choice . The one guideline is, do not play
with it.

Posture

STANDING
• Up right and relaxed, preferably with arms and hands loosely at your sides, o r
hands clasped loosely at waist height . Beware of invading other people's
personal space.

SITTING
• Again, remain upright and relaxed . Sit well back in your chair and do not
slouch .
• Try to keep your hands and forearms on the table . Steepled hands can suggest
strength and confidence . Open palm gestures can signal honesty .
• Do not - stare at the floor or your shoes ; gaze out of the window/up at the
ceiling ; wriggle, fidget, play with jewellery/buttons/pen/keys .

Voice and Speech

• The speed of your speech impacts upon other people's impressions of you,
upon your clarity and diction, and therefore on others' ability to listen to and
understand you.
• Beware of speaking too quickly or slowly . If you have a strong regional accent
which others in the room do not share, you will probably need to speak more
slowly than usual .
• Maintain an even tone and appropriate volume . Do not shout or mutter . If you
are being interrupted, raise the volume of your voice a little, but keep the tone
and speed the same .
• If you tend to falter or stutter in negotiations or other meetings then breathing
and voice warming exercises can help .
• Beware of your use of language and its effects on other people . Do not make
sweeping statements or broad generalisations such as, "the fact is that . . . ",
"everyone knows that . . . . .. Instead, introduce your contributions with a phrase
such as, "In my opinion . . ", or "It seems to me that .. . ".
• Do not use verbal qualifiers such as, "basically ", "actually ", `just ", "in fact,
"you know " . If you keep qualifying what you say and seeking the approval of
others, you will not sound confident .
Facial Expressio n
• This must support the message which your words and tone of voice are giving .
Otherwise, your listeners will become confused. For example, smiling while
making a sarcastic comment is aggressive behaviour . Smiling and saying "no"
gives a mixed message and your listener will tend to "hear" the smile and its
implications rather than the word "no" .

Negotiating on the Telephon e

On the telephone, more than half the source of information is unavailable . However,
the sound of the voice is still significantly more important in conveying the message
than the words spoken . Make sure that what you say is congruent with how you sa y
it.

• Be clear in your own mind of the points you want to make and the outcome
you seek .
• Use phrases such as "I need. . . ", "I think . . . ", "it seems to me . . . " rather than
you should . . . ", "everyone knows that . .. ", "obviously . . . ".
• Again, beware of using verbal qualifiers when speaking, eg :- really, basically,
in fact, you know, actually, just - they detract from the impact of what you say
and suggest nerves, lack of preparation and lack of competence .
• Try to use "and " in place of "but " whenever you remember - it gives a more
positive and constructive tone to what you say .
• Listen to everything the person on the other end of the `phone is telling you -
listen consciously to the tone of their voice, how they phrase what they say,
the pauses they use, their breathing pattern . Use this information to help you
choose how to respond to them .
• Talk about issues and behaviour, not personalities - avoid criticism and put-
downs .
• Be constructive in comments and suggestions you make - always seek to
make progress in the conversation or the matter .
• When speaking on the `phone, use body language which suggests competence
and confidence :
- upright, relaxed posture
- calm, appropriate gesture s
- even, appropriately projected voice
- keep feet stil l
• Try to avoid:-
- gripping the receiver or your pen so tightly that your knuckles become
white!
- frowning or scowling while speaking - these facial expressions are
communicated in the sound of your voice .
• Above all, remember to breathe - calmly and deeply!
Classical Tactics in Negotiatio n
The following list is taken from "It's A Deal" by Steele, Murphy and Russell
(McGraw Hill), and describes 41 tactics which you might come across in negotiation .
Recognise them and respond appropriately. Choose according to the situation, the
strength of your position, the personalities involved and the approach adopted by the
other side . Above all, choose consciously and be alive to all the potential
consequences of your choice .

1 . Building Block s
You may ask for only some of your requirements . The other party may give ground
more readily with raised expectations . Conversely, you may ask for prices or
quantities higher than you need and then negotiate down the quantity and keep the
price agreed .

2. Russian Fron t
Hinting that failure to agree will necessitate the re-opening of a whole range of
aspects already agreed .

3. Back Burner
Putting off to another meeting or later stage that had not been planned for .

4. Headach e
"Not today, I have a headache . . . . . you would never be unreasonable, would you? "

5 . Linking Issues
Linking issues that had previously been separate . Offering concessions when there is
apparent deadlock .

6 . Armageddon
Suggesting that failure to concede will have catastrophic consequences .

7. Broken Record
Repeating over and over again the point you are making to get the other party fed-up .

8. Trojan Hors e
Offering a "too good to refuse" incentive.

9 . Pre-emptive Strik e
Making a definitive offer before the other party is ready, in the hope of causing panic
and acceptance of the offer .

10 . Casino
The pure gamble - "You have got to be joking ."

11 . Messenger
Using an absent third party to deliver unpleasant parts of the negotiation . Useful
for\putting down an marker without being personally responsible for it .

12 . Defence in Depth
Using several levels of management before the final decision maker .
13. Physically Disturb Them (PDT)
Using body language to make them feel uncomfortable .

14. Brinkmanship
Going to the edge to get the other party to go over . Beware of bluffing - you may be
called.

15. Negotiating Backwards.

Finding out what the other party wants before negotiating .

16. Silenc e
People cannot handle silence - they will make concessions .

17. Reassessin g
Take a break - to reassess ; to do some calculations .

18. Deadlines
These can be imposed or agreed and can encourage parties to concentrate on creative
solutions but at the same time to realise that concessions are necessary . Beware of this
leading to precipitate solutions .

19 . The Hypothetical Questio n

Useful for tabling new ideas or for breaking deadlock . Matters can be discussed
without fear or commitment.

20 . "Why? "
Never be afraid to challenge the other party, especially at the earlier stages when
positions are being defined . Where you are involved in an ongoing relationship you
will acquire the reputation of someone who demands a well-presented case .

21. Taking the Temperatur e

An informal meeting or contact can be used to test for views, positions, sensitivities,
etc. Be careful to define the purpose of this type of meeting - don't reach a formal
settlement informally .

22. Personal Favou r

Essentially, this is an emotive stance . Emphasise the trouble you went to personally
for the other party. The point is made that to ask for more or to refuse to buy would be
unreasonable .

23. Dumbstruck
Look astonished or even horrified, but say nothing . This puts th onus on them to
explain or even excuse, so weakening their position and also giving you time to think .
A more emotional approach than just remaining silent .

24. Guilty Part y

Make them feel guilty by suggesting that they are breaking some code or agreement,
or that they are refusing something already conceded by other, more reasonable
people .
25. Salam i
Feed a difficulty or "nasty" in thin slices, piece by piece . This often produces
concessions because they want to get away from an increasingly uncomfortable
situation .

26. Dunc e
Undermine the other party's faith in their case by claiming that they have not done
their homework and have got the facts wrong - they were not well briefed .

27. Third Party

State, at a crucial stage, that you do not have the authority to make a final decision .
This will buy thinking time .

28. "Good Cop, Bad Cop"

A tactic for team negotiations. One team member makes very high demands and
indicates a firm stance . Then, before they lose face by having to back down, another
member takes over and indicates a willingness to take a more reasonable attitude,
often to the relief of the other party .

29. Full Disclosur e

This depends very much on the atmosphere - each party needs to feel that it will not
be exploited by the other. Can lead to swift agreement, which both parties feel to be
good.

30 . "All I Can Afford"

You need to be persistent with this if the other party is to be convinced . Be sure never
to be found out if you really could have afforded more .

31 . "Let' s Go For Lunch "

Deals can often be concluded when the atmosphere or surroundings are changed and a
more relaxed, informal setting substituted . Less formal than time out .

32. Side Issue or Red Herrin g

Highlighting a comparatively unimportant issue so that, when it's finally agreed, the
other party feel that they've broken the back of the negotiation and relac x

33 . Fogging
Nothing more than pure waffle to confuse the issue or buy thinking time .

34. Divide and Rule

For team negotiations . By listening and observing, you may pick up on more positive
or agreeable signals from one person in particular. You can then concentrate on them
as being more reasonable and supportive .

35. Charit y
An appeal to the other party's "better nature" . Essentially an emotional appeal to the
other party as a person rather than as a representative of their client or organisation .
36. Deliberate Misunderstandin g
A ploy to buy time after a complicated proposal, case or explanation . "Could you just
run through that again?" either gets you time, or discourages the other party to from
using such a complication .

37. Re- Escalation of Deman d

After conceding and moving towards the other party, you find that they are unwilling
to move and persist in pushing for more . You therefore indicate that you have moved
too far already and must return to your original position, or beyond .

38. "One More Thing"

This can be used at the end of the negotiation .

39. The Incorrect Summar y

Summarise in a way which tips the balance in your favour . If the other party does not
object at the time, they will appear unreasonable if they do so later in the negotiation .

40. New Faces

Introduce new team members, or change the team altogether/ New faces need not be
tied to what has developed in the negotiation to date .

41. Onus Transfer

Put the onus on the other party to come up with ideas, eg . "What must we do to
enable you to reduce your price?"
 EFFECTIVE TELEPHONE NEGOTIATION
- Tips and Hints

1 . Be clear in your own mind of the points you want to make and the outcome you
seek.

2 . Use phrases such as "I need... ", "I think. . . ", "it seems to me . . . " rather than "you
should... ", "everyone knows that ... ", "obviously... ".

3. Beware of using verbal qualifiers when speaking , eg:- really, basically, in fact,
you know, actually, just - they detract from the impact of what you say and
suggest nerves , lack of preparation and lack of competence .

4. Try to use "and" in place of "but" whenever you remember - it gives a more
positive and constructive tone to what you say .

5. Listen to everything the person on the other end of the `phone is telling you -
listen consciously to the tone of their voice, how they phrase what they say, the
pauses they use, their breathing pattern . Use this information to help you choose
how to respond to them .

6 . Talk about issues and behaviour, not personalities - avoid criticism and put-
downs .

7. Be constructive in comments and suggestions you make - always seek to make

progress in the conversation or the matter .

8 . When speaking on the `phone, use body language which suggests competence and
confidence:-
- upright, relaxed postur e
- calm, appropriate gesture s
- even, appropriately projected voice
- keep feet stil l

Try to avoid :-
- gripping the receiver or your pen so tightly that your knuckles become white !
- frowning or scowling while speaking - these facial expressions are
communicated in the sound of your voice .

Above all, remember to breathe - calmly and deeply !

9. In face to face communication, information is given and received as follows :

- 7% from the words spoken
- 35% from the sound of the voice
- 58% from the body language
On the telephone, more than half the source of information is unavailable .
However, the sound of the voice is still significantly more important in conveying
the message than the words spoken . Make sure that what you say is congruent
with how you say it .