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What negotiations can be considered successful. Conduct of negotiations

A single person can build a house in a few years. A group of people can build a house in a month. What if you want to build a palace? One definitely can't do it. In order to bring to life big projects people need to unite. And therefore the ability to negotiate becomes decisive for your achievements, because people are so different.

The ability to negotiate is an indispensable condition that ensures the strength and effectiveness of any association.

When two people meet and start talking, it's already negotiations. The ability to negotiate in our lives depends not only on the success of our work, but also on relationships with loved ones and not so close ones, and our mood and health too. It is perhaps more difficult to name something that does not depend on negotiations.

What negotiations will we consider successful? Only aimed at achieving the common and mutually beneficial interests of all parties involved. And if the contradictions have already escalated and a conflict and a tough confrontation have arisen, then this is most often the result of incorrectly conducted negotiations. Conflict always indicates the need to change the style of negotiation.

In order for the negotiations to become successful, serious preparatory work will have to be carried out. The first thing to do is to collect as much information as possible about the subject of the conversation and about the people with whom you have to negotiate. And in this case, no information will be superfluous. Information may turn out to be the very "straw" that will help soften the sharp "corners" in the negotiation process.

It is very useful to analyze the current situation, considering it from different perspectives.

The most successful negotiators are those people who know how to live and think about the situation from different points of view. There are many positions from which to view what is happening. Let's take a closer look at the three main ones.

I-position

In this position, we focus on ourselves: on our bodily sensations, our emotions, we think only about what is important to me, what I really want. That inner strength, which is commonly called charisma, is based on a strong I-position, on the ability to concentrate on one's sensations, feelings and needs. In order to achieve this, it is necessary to see, hear and feel the situation from the first person. While in this position, we use expressions such as “I want”, “I see, I hear”, “I feel”. This way of thinking allows us to better understand what we really want for ourselves. It is also easier to assess the consequences of the decisions taken from this position. The following questions will help you feel more fully in I-position:

What I want to get for yourself?

What I want to give to the interlocutor?

What I get as a result?

Write down the answers. And the more accurate and detailed answers you give, the stronger your I-position will be.

This way of perceiving enhances your confidence.

Unfortunately, the traditions of our upbringing, to put it mildly, do not support the development of a strong self-position. Such frequently used words of parents: “I am the last letter in the alphabet” or “You never know what you want!” - affect us in adult life much more than we would like. However, with purposeful work, you can get rid of this influence at any age and finally understand that " I"- a very significant word in your life.

The position of the interlocutor

When negotiating, it is important to be able to put yourself in the place of the interlocutor. Entering the position of another person, you perceive what is happening as if you are him. You imagine what it is like to see through his eyes, hear through his ears, and be in his body, and as a result, you are able to see, hear, and feel the situation as if you were him. The following questions help you get into this position.

What does it look like when I am NN*?

What do I want when I am NN?

*NN - in this case, these are the initials of the interlocutor.

Also write down your answers in as much detail as possible.

Of course, we cannot completely become a different person, but it is amazing how close you can come to this if we are well versed in the skill of becoming the position of our interlocutor. Taking the place of another, it is much easier to understand the emotions and motives of the behavior of your interlocutor. And looking at what is happening through the eyes of another, you can sometimes get the most unexpected results. For example, when discussing the division of property and asking the question: “What would NN want to get?” - you suddenly realize that he needs respect and recognition. And if in this case you manage to show respect and recognition, the interlocutor will make concessions much easier when dividing material property. Strange as it may sound, psychological gains are often more important than material gains. Using this position can be especially helpful if you don't understand the other person's behavior.

neutral position

Another position that is important in negotiating is the position of a neutral observer. Look from the outside at yourself, your interlocutor and at what is happening between you. In this way, it is easy to step back from those emotions that you experienced while in the first and second positions. The view of a neutral observer allows you to see the entire system of relationships as a whole. And only from this position it makes sense to analyze the situation. Looking from the outside, it is much easier to understand how you need to change in order to successfully solve the problem. And remember that only you can change!

When preparing for a negotiation, it is very useful to practice your perception by thinking about different situations from the three perspectives described above. At this stage, the help of a coach can be very effective.

It is important that the use of the items described be balanced. The predominance of any one can create problems for achieving your goals.

Excessive use of self-position can lead to misunderstanding of what is happening and ignoring the feelings and ideas of the interlocutors. You can insist on some decision, but create yourself big problems in future.

Excessive use of second position can lead you to overthink others and neglect your own needs. Making decisions based on other people's feelings can even lead you to stop thinking about what you want.

A neutral position is also good in moderation. Excessive detachment from what is happening isolates you from your emotions. A person who is completely detached from emotions loses a lot of information about what is happening.

The ability to easily move from one position to another gives you the greatest advantages. When building any relationship, you acquire the ability to freely manage your emotional state. Better understand your partner and the situation in general. Your thinking becomes larger and more precise. Using different perceptual positions increases the flexibility of your thinking, which means you have more choices.

Having collected as much information as possible and having thought through the situation from different (at least three) points of perception, we proceed to the next stage of preparing negotiations.

This is the identification of the goals of all participants in the negotiations. Speakers do not always think about what every the conversation has a purpose.

Although these goals are not always realized by the participants. And even more rarely, goals are called aloud. And sometimes one goal is voiced, but another is implied. And this process of changing goals is also not always realized. Unawareness of goals leads negotiations to apparently insoluble problems. It is amazing how often people do not realize the reason for their actions and the results that these actions will lead to. You must have heard more than once: “Why did I do this?” Most often, a person cannot intelligibly answer such a question. Lack of understanding of their goals and the goals of others inevitably leads to conflict. And vice versa - an increase in awareness of one's goals and emotions ensures and maintains the success of any activity, including negotiation.

By making our communication with others more conscious, we are less likely to have to ask ourselves questions: “Why did I do this?” and "How did it happen?"

So, the goal must be determined before you begin the negotiation process itself. By examining the situation from three perspectives, you get most of the answers to the question of goals. When you prepare for any important conversation, first of all answer the question of what exactly you want to receive as a result of these negotiations.

The next important thing in negotiating is to understand what your interlocutor or opponent wants. Questions about the goals of both parties must be answered in as much detail as possible. And special attention should be paid to the psychological gains of the parties. If, in fact, psychological gains are more important than material gains, then this is a substitution of goals. Knowing exactly what kind of psychological gains you are counting on helps you avoid big mistakes. To better understand your expectations, imagine that you have already achieved what you wanted. What will it give you at the level of emotions. Perhaps it is strength, confidence, superiority, calmness, etc. This is your psychological gain. And the more significant your psychological gain is for you, the weaker your position in the upcoming negotiations.

Next an important factor, influencing the nature and results of negotiations, will be your emotional state. The best results in negotiations can be achieved in a state of calm and confidence. Use the following questions to assess your emotional readiness to negotiate.

How do you feel when you think about the upcoming negotiations?

How do you feel when you think about your interlocutor?

What feelings arise when you think that you will not achieve what you want?

Describe your emotions in detail. Sometimes, instead of emotions, a person begins to describe the sensations that arise in the body: various kinds of tingling, spasms, increased heartbeat, etc.

This means that the person is not aware of their emotions. Every bodily sensation is preceded by an emotion. And in order to neutralize unpleasant sensations in the body, it is necessary to recognize and redirect this emotion. Awareness of emotions will save you from unpleasant sensations in the body and help you avoid many diseases in the future.

There are many ways to achieve emotional balance. Using the three perceptual positions is one of the most effective. Getting into the first self-position helps build and maintain confidence. The second position helps to understand the other person differently and get rid of anger. The ability to use a neutral position allows you to get away from strong emotions and feel calm.

To create emotional balance in preparation for negotiations, the exercises described by us in the issue of the journal "Security Activities", 2010 may also be useful.

Such preparation is extremely useful before any conversation: with friends, with partners, with loved ones and unloved ones, with superiors and subordinates.

So, preparation for negotiations can be divided into several stages:

Consider the situation from three perspectives of perception;

Precisely formulate goals and analyze them from three positions, be sure to take into account the psychological gains;

If necessary, adjust and align the emotional state;

Check the goals again based on the new emotional state.

And only when you have decided on the goals, you can go directly to the negotiations. If the negotiations are deadlocked, you should take a break and use the above techniques again.

If you have any questions about the preparation or conduct of negotiations or any other, you can get answers to them on the site www.NLP4U.ru.

It's no secret that a project with bright prospects can be ruined by unsuccessful negotiations, and vice versa, competent negotiations can save a deliberately failed business. There is no optimal negotiation scheme. The outcome of negotiations is influenced by many factors: personal attitude towards the opponent, financial interests of the parties, etc. But there are several points in which the wrong behavior will definitely harm the outcome of the negotiations. To avoid these mistakes, read the tips and tricks on how to behave in such situations.

1. The first mistake is negotiating without proper preparation. Of course, we can assume that preparation is not needed, since the parties already know what they need from the upcoming meeting, and do not bother collecting the latest and most recent information about opponents. Such people rely on their own intuition and the use of psychological techniques at the right time. However, the main weapon in negotiations is awareness. In this case, negotiators who have not completed their homework remain unarmed. It is important to know that without information, you can be taken by surprise at any time. In such a situation, the enemy will quickly realize that you are not in control of the situation. As a result, respect for you as a participant in business relations will be lost.

2. In the business world, many are guided by an unspoken rule: those who are ready to come to a “foreign camp” are more interested in negotiations. Therefore, in order not to reveal your motives, it is best to agree on negotiations on neutral territory. In this case, a balance of power will be achieved.

3. Do not jump right off the bat. You need to start negotiations in the same way as any conversation between people. A small lyrical introduction on an abstract topic will help defuse the situation before an important conversation.. Just do not talk about a beautiful manicure or a well-chosen opponent's tie. Just a few phrases about a good repair in the office or an excellent choice of a restaurant are enough. After that, you can go to the rules of negotiations, but there is no need to make surprises for those present. To show that you respect the people who came to you, immediately tell about the points of negotiations, and about the approximate time it will take to stipulate all the nuances. After all, your potential partners may have other meetings.

4. A common mistake in negotiating is the dominant position of the negotiators, especially if the meeting takes place on their territory. This mistake can be avoided by giving the parties the right to speak.. As a rule, in such situations there are small pauses when you need to collect your thoughts. As a general rule, whoever speaks first will have a stronger position in the negotiations, although not necessarily. The more your opponent talks to you, the better his disposition towards you. And even if the monologue dragged on a little, you should not interrupt the interlocutor. Firstly, it is impolite, and secondly, in this way you can learn more about his business. Just don't let the conversations lull your vigilance. It is necessary to follow the thread of the opponent's reasoning in order to cut into the conversation at the right time and direct it in a beneficial direction for yourself. For example, if the opponent has doubts about some aspects of your activity, then you can ask the question: is there a desire to receive confirmation of the transparency of intentions or the corresponding quality of products, etc. And after such an “exercise”, you can let the rain of eloquence continue.

5. Resorting to psychic attack is also not the smartest of approaches. No need to try to confuse the opponent's head with the provided abundance of plans and schedules using complex multimedia tools. The situation can be aggravated by the use of aggressive interview tactics that can anger an equal interlocutor. One of the levers of manipulation can be a busy seat at the negotiating table: if you want to put pressure, you can position your opponent opposite you. In order to show interest in equal partnerships and show respect for the interlocutor, you need to take a seat with him on one side of the table, best of all at arm's length. To argue for such a choice of places, you can offer to look through the documents together. The use of hypnosis or any other means is unacceptable. Thus, you can not only not achieve the desired results of negotiations, but also earn a dirty reputation in the business world.

6. You need to attract feelings to your side, but in no case emotions. The interlocutor should use the maximum number of senses, and not just hearing. It would be a good idea to stock up on delicious light snacks, coffee or tea, as desired by the interlocutor. Feelings are also involved in negotiations, so “knocking the interlocutor down” with a monotonous listing of facts and a strictly delivered voice will be a mistake. Information will be “watery” and unpleasant to perceive if it is not accompanied by graphs or pictures. Therefore, if possible, something can be drawn right in the meeting room during negotiations. Do not be afraid to lose the initiative, do not occupy the entire “negotiation space” with your own speeches. Let the interlocutor speak and listen carefully. The easiest way to keep your own initiative is to build your statements in such a way that they end with a question that the interlocutor could answer.

7. The position of whoever is stronger, he and the king is erroneous. For example, everything is going well, the interlocutor's eyes sparkle from the aroused interest, but the positions begin to stagger and collapse, like a house of cards, when the opponent confronts you with the need to choose or calculate, common sense or pity. If one of the interlocutors takes a strong position, guided by some aspects of doing business, for example, an understanding of market policy, then the enemy may begin to act from a weak position. Sometimes the second option is the winning one. The weak can lead the conversation away from numbers and logic in a beneficial direction for themselves, skillfully manipulating the interlocutor's feelings and compassion. However, weakness also needs to be able to present, no one will take the side of the “whiner”. But if the weak side skillfully operates with facts and figures, then it is a completely different matter.

8. It will be a mistake to go over to personalities or the desire to win back the personal field of the interlocutor. Naturally, everyone knows about the successful outcome of the negotiations held in bed or in the sauna. But this is book poetry! For such cases, common interests and trust are important. If the interests of the parties do not have a common denominator, then what kind of baths can we talk about? In such cases, you can cause unnecessary alertness and partiality of opponents. Negotiating in a relaxed informal setting can make your opponent see you as dangerous because too much information has been given to your attention. In the success of negotiations, a lot is decided by awareness not only about the business of the opponent, but also about some of his personal qualities. Since it is very easy not to notice in informal communication and cross the line between formal and familiar.

9. You should not go to negotiations with fire in your eyes and the flag of the winner in your hands. Do not underestimate the enemy, do not think that you are dealing with idiots who are unable to figure out the features of your game. Undoubtedly, a measure of self-confidence must be present, but unnecessary maximalism can fail or derail negotiations. No need to rigidly establish your positions as a potential winner. The opponent should not guess your intentions. The forces of action and reaction must be equal, then the negotiations have a real chance to get their continuation - these are the unspoken rules of the game.

10. It's a paradox, but in most cases negotiations fail exactly those people who often have to negotiate. We can say that experience gives them excessive self-confidence. They ignore the collection of information about the enemy, stubbornly stick to their line, driving the opponent into a deliberately disadvantageous situation. And then shocked by the failure of negotiations. And, maybe, and vice versa, they drink champagne for the successful completion of the enterprise. As stated at the beginning, there is no set successful pattern in the negotiation process. To all the will of His Majesty Chance and the degree of preparedness for negotiations.

Scientific and technological progress affects all areas of business, including negotiation. Did the invention of telephones or e-mail save us from the need for face-to-face negotiations and meetings? Not! Negotiation is a whole science, which you need to learn, taking into account not only your own, but also other people's mistakes. After all, there is no recipe for successful negotiation. Their course is influenced by different life situations, features of the characters and characteristics of the participants in the negotiations. But at the same time, there are unwritten limits, trends and laws that you need to try to follow. But the main components of successful negotiations are preparation for them, awareness of the partner, communication skills, and the ability to listen to the opponent. It will not be superfluous to be able to speak body language, to distinguish between the culture of doing business (focusing on the deal or on other relationships). We need to be respectful of different cultures: expressive and emotionally restrained, adherents of strict time frames and a blurry time system. In a word, you need not only to know, but also to apply your knowledge in practice. And for knowledge - power!

The concept of BATNA or “Best Alternative to Negotiable Agreement” came about thanks to the book by Roger Fisher and William Urey “ Negotiations without defeat. Harvard Method” (Getting to YES: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In), which has become for many people a classic guide to negotiation . I'm sure you've heard the term BATNA, but how many negotiators actually remember and use this tool before or during negotiations? The main ideas of BATNA were formulated and published long before the book was published in the works of John Forbes Nash: "The Bidding Problem" and "Non-Cooperative Games". The point of BATNA is that our ability to negotiate is largely influenced by our alternatives.

Imagine you want to sell your car and you already have one guaranteed buyer ready to pay 100,000 rubles for it. It is unlikely that you will sell the car for a smaller amount if you have no doubt that the first buyer is ready to lay out exactly this amount. Your "best alternative" is to sell the car for 100,000 rubles - this gives you confidence and you boldly offer your car to other buyers at a higher price. On the other hand, if you do not have guaranteed buyers and you need money “here and now”, then you, with a fairly high probability, will be ready to give the car for 70,000 rubles to the first one who offered this option. Otherwise, you may miss this option as well. So your “best alternative” (getting $70,000 right away) has a huge impact on your decision.

The only basis for negotiating is that the result obtained by negotiating is better than what you can get by not negotiating. What result do you want to get from the negotiations? What are your alternatives? According to Fisher and Urey, BATNA is the standard by which any proposed agreement should be judged. The authors argue that this is the only standard that can protect you, on the one hand, from accepting conditions that are too unfavorable, and, on the other hand, from rejecting conditions that might be in your interest to agree to.

Not every negotiation ends in an agreement. There are situations when it is better to get up from the negotiating table and leave. In any negotiation, there are alternatives. Not all of them are attractive and profitable, but they exist. Whether or not to use the alternative option is your choice. Negotiations can be considered successful if the result obtained is better than the alternative. But in the BATNA negotiations, both sides have it. And very often, negotiators evaluate the alternatives of the other side from the position of “fairly or unfairly towards me”. Imagine a situation where you are traveling in the desert, you are lost, you are languishing in the heat, you have run out of water supplies and you are thirsty. Unenviable fate. Suddenly you meet a truck, the driver of which offers you several bottles of water for ... well, let's say 100,000 rubles. Your actions? The natural response of most of the people I asked this question in negotiation training is that such a deal is highly unfair, since the cost of this water is no more than 100 rubles. In this situation, both sides have alternatives: BATNA of a man walking in the desert, refuse the deal and die an agonizing death from dehydration. On the other hand, the seller's BATNA will also not agree to sell water for a lower price and continue to travel through the desert, wasting time and fuel in search of someone who will agree to buy water for such a high price.

The reason why this deal is perceived by people as so unfair is that the alternative for the person walking through the desert is death from dehydration, while the alternative for the person selling water is just wasted time. However, this deal is still beneficial for both parties, even though one party (the traveler) feels they have been treated unfairly. If the truck driver hadn't offered the traveler such expensive water, the traveler would surely have died of thirst. Even when a truck driver engages in what is often referred to as "price manipulation," he is still providing a valuable service that is critical to a man in the desert. Here a paradoxical situation arises: some transactions, which at first glance seem to be the height of injustice, are actually the most profitable. In other words, alternatives have a strong influence on our decisions - this is the first. And secondly, our perception can be very different from reality and lead to suboptimal decisions. It is very easy to overestimate or underestimate our alternatives. But it is even worse not to have prepared alternatives and not to think about the opponent's alternatives.

Often negotiators enter into negotiations not knowing what they will do if they cannot reach an agreement. This leads to a state of discomfort and stress at the negotiating table. Negotiators who know what they will do if they don't reach an agreement feel more confident during negotiations.

To define your BATNA, ask yourself, "What can I do to serve my interests if we don't reach an agreement?" Think of possible alternatives and list all the pros and cons of each. If you have prepared a list of alternatives in advance, determine what you will actually do and what arguments you will make if an agreement is not reached between you and the other party. This is most likely your BATNA. I say, most likely, because many people do not think about other ways to satisfy their interests. So, be sure to take some time in the preparation phase and really identify your best alternatives.

Also, you must remember that alternatives are not a "pill made of stone." During negotiations, the situation may change and other alternative solutions may appear, while keeping your interests in mind. The second side in the negotiations also has its own "alternative position". Whether they thought about it or not, there is an alternative. When preparing for negotiations, it is extremely useful to simulate the situation of the other party in order to determine the moment at which he can withdraw from the negotiations. What is your opponent's best alternative? Of course, you cannot determine the BATNA of the other side with perfect accuracy and a high degree of certainty, because in negotiations there are situations when it is necessary to make decisions in the face of uncertainty. However, you could predict what the other side would do if you didn't reach an agreement. Think about it, and you will be able to make their BATNA less attractive, more difficult to implement, or less valuable: all of which will play into your hands and help achieve the goal of the negotiations.

Regardless of how you evaluate your alternatives, remember that knowing your “Best Alternative to the Negotiated Agreement” will make you a more confident negotiator and improve the outcome of all your negotiations.

2. Preparation of negotiations

The negotiation preparation stage includes determining the GOALS of your team, choosing and preparing the main and alternative strategies, preparing a negotiation plan, identifying team members and assigning their roles.

In the process of preparing for negotiations, it is necessary to thoroughly know everything or almost everything about your partners.

Who is your partner? What place do they occupy in the market, what is the state of affairs in the company at the time of negotiations (success / stagnation, launch of new products / reduction of the range, expansion / reduction of market influence, indicate which, local or international, why, difficulties with sales, production , suppliers, financial successes/difficulties, etc.). Opportunities for an alliance with other companies, the likelihood of a purchase (acquisition) by another company. To obtain this kind of information, you must follow the press, analytical reviews, and it is advisable to use not one source, but several, including foreign ones, if you are dealing with foreign partners. If the company has its own page on the Internet, be sure to visit it and carefully analyze the information it contains. Order and study the company's annual reports for the last 3-5 years. From them you will be able to judge how successful the past years have been and what prospects the next ones promise.

The subject of negotiations is the order of a new / well-known product, the release of a joint product, the purchase / sale of raw materials, equipment, etc. It is important to understand WHY? the partner turned to you, to your company, what advantages is he looking for - low prices, cheap delivery, affordable service, uniqueness of the product, etc.? Think about what benefits you can achieve for your company by knowing the motives and needs of your negotiating partners?

If possible, find out the composition of the negotiators, current / past position in the company, age, habits, character. If you personally lead your team, put forward your strong player for each member from the opposite side. For example, if the head of the marketing department known for his achievements in business takes part in negotiations from the opposite side, enter a person of equal rank and qualifications from your side. Sometimes, during crucial negotiations (entering the international market, capturing a foreign market segment, etc.), you can use the services of consulting companies. At the same time, such a company is obliged to provide you with complete information about the partner company, potential participants in the negotiations, and, if necessary, prepare your team to win the negotiations.

Goals are the maximum possible result that you can achieve if your partners agree to all your proposals. Are such hopes realistic? Apparently, not really, because each team has its own goals and its own motives. Therefore, it will be reasonable if you provide both a maximum program (all your proposals are accepted) and a minimum program, i.e. the allowable level of concessions to which you can go. With the provisions of the maximum program, it is better to start negotiations, then you will provide yourself with possible ways of retreat in the form of a prepared minimum program. If you decide to immediately tell about the conditions of your minimum program, you will give your partners strong arguments against you, and you will have no room for maneuver. Remember that during the negotiation process, the provisions of both programs may change after you become aware of the goals of the partners. Of course, within the framework of the negotiations, a set of issues related to the goal is discussed. For each of the questions, you need to have your own maximum program and minimum program. Since these issues are somehow interrelated, set the boundaries of concessions for a particular issue so that it does not cause controversy in other issues. For example, if you want to promise a partner an earlier delivery of the ordered goods (equipment, components, etc.), you should first check with the production department whether the ordered goods will be ready in order to ensure the promised delivery time. BUT Production Department, to answer your question, should in turn ask the suppliers if they can provide the supply of raw materials at an earlier date, with the transport department, whether they will have free capacity at this time, etc.

Strategies. A strategy is your negotiating behavior, a way to achieve a goal. In the most general case, three main types of strategies can be distinguished - the strategy of open cooperation, the strategy of active rivalry and the analytical strategy. It should be especially emphasized that in their pure form in real life, none of their strategies practically exists, and each applied strategy is a synthesis of all three main strategies. In addition, within the framework of the same negotiations, very often different strategies are used in different issues under consideration, which helps to make the team's behavior more flexible and achieve a better result.

Trust, but watch who you trust.

At the heart of the Open Collaboration Strategy, COC, is total trust in the partner. Such a strategy or its components can be used in negotiations with partners you have known for a long time, about whom you know everything or almost everything, and who have similar information about your company and your team. They know the real state of affairs in your company and can accurately calculate your goals in these negotiations and the behavior of your team members, taking into account the experience of past meetings. In this case, both the goals and the positions of the maximum and minimum programs are quite close for both teams. And possible differences of opinion, as a rule, relate to non-principled issues or not very significant additions, which can be easily agreed upon. SOS implies the beginning of negotiations with the announcement of the provisions of the minimum program, as expressions higher form trust in partners. At the same time, it must be remembered that the advantage goes to the side that expresses its positions last. No matter how open the negotiations are, there will always be contentious issues. Therefore, if possible, try on the agenda to give yourself the right to be the last to make your proposals. If you have chosen SOS, you have the right to hope for reciprocal and equivalent steps of your partners - complete trust and open discussion. If you are not sure that your partners will choose or join your proposed SOS, avoid using the most risky SOS as the main strategy. Leave it in reserve or for private questions. Also, when negotiating with unfamiliar partners, take care that your SOS offer is not considered a sign of weakness. When choosing SOS, both parties are focused on success.

The strategy of active competition, CAC, is the most natural in negotiations of any kind. This strategy is built on the active confrontation of both sides, and negotiations with such a strategy are especially difficult. This strategy can be applied at the initial stage of negotiations with new partners in order to find out their goals and strategy, determine the role participation of the partners' team members, the strengths and weaknesses of the partners' position. After you form an opinion on the second negotiating party, you can adjust both your goals and your strategy so that the negotiations end with the signing of an agreement. The CAC strategy of strong leaders, in which case the advantage will go to the one who is the first to come out with his tough provisions of the program-maximum. After that, your partners will have no choice but to take a defensive position and reflect your arguments. Therefore, SAS can be considered an offensive strategy. The CAS implies that if you do not give in, you will have to give in to your partners, you must hold on to the main arguments until you are convinced that if you do not now formulate a strong justification for your position, then the negotiations will stall or be disrupted. SAS is characterized by pressure on the partner, distrust and verification of the partner's arguments, dramatization of the situation. The positive side of the CAC is its unambiguous orientation towards the implementation of the maximum program, the negative side is the inflexibility of positions, which is fraught with the failure to sign the agreement if your partners, for objective reasons, cannot agree to your conditions. It is advisable to apply CAC if you really do not have any opportunity to revise the provisions of the maximum program and the refusal of the agreement is more beneficial for the company than the conclusion of an agreement taking into account the goals of the partners. In this case, the company saves resources for another possible agreement and does not take on unfeasible obligations. When choosing CAC, your team is focused on success and on the defeat of the other side.

The analytical strategy, AS, is the most productive and creative of the three main strategies. It is absolutely unimportant what problems the two contracting parties have to solve if both are focused not on active confrontation, but on ways to solve the problems posed. In the case of the AU, the personalities of the negotiators play an important role. Each member of the team must belong to the category of "quick thinking" people, be very inventive and resourceful as a team, you must learn and be ready to use "brainstorming", blitz discussion of issues with the adoption of the optimal solution. To do this, all members of your team must thoroughly study the factual side of the issues submitted for negotiations, have accurate information on the production capacities of all departments of your company, which will undoubtedly help you quickly find the right solution under the pressure of time in the negotiation process. The positive side of the AU is its flexibility, which will undoubtedly lead to success if the other side is ready to share your orientation towards the AU. When working on AS, it is important not to let yourself be carried away by emotions and the process of solving particular problems to the detriment of the main goals with which you came to the negotiations. When choosing AS, both teams are focused on success, which is ensured by solving the tasks. Be prepared to compromise!

As you can see, all three main strategies have their pros and cons, none of them can be said to lead you to success. However, a successful combination of all three, applied to various aspects of the negotiations, will undoubtedly allow you to achieve your goals.

The negotiation plan includes all the main points of the future event, from the first handshake to the farewell.

In the most general form, the following points should be included in the plan: getting to know each other, exchanging initial information with partners, preliminary psychological assessment of the other team, starting negotiations, setting the agenda, goals of the meeting, the negotiation process indicating the role participation of your team members, determining ways out of difficult situations, the behavior of your team during breaks (exchange of information, discussion, analysis and possible replacement of the strategy, establishing friendly relations with partners), conditions for completing negotiations - on achieving the goal or on the time limit, determining the conditions and place of the next round, if necessary.

Model negotiations. It is known that the best impromptu is prepared impromptu. Therefore, it makes sense to conduct so-called model negotiations, if necessary, several times before the start of real ones, in which your team must go through the entire negotiation process, try to calculate all possible cases of strategies, behavior, arguments, etc. Your partners to be ready for any surprises. Thus, the idea of model negotiations is an attempt to minimize unforeseen circumstances and possible complications that may arise during the negotiation process. Your team that goes through one or more stages of training will have an advantage, because. team members will learn how to work together effectively, gain insight into their team's goals and strategy, and in doing so, possibly contribute valuable insights to achieve them. Introductory information about the partner team will help your employees easily navigate the hierarchical relationships of the partner team and use their strengths and weaknesses to achieve the goals of your team. At the same time, be prepared that the partner team will also prepare for negotiations and take into account all your strengths and weaknesses. Conclusion: analyze what weaknesses you have and try to fight them or at least not react so sharply to their obvious exploitation. For example, if it is known that you are a vain person, do not "buy in" for cheap compliments, think better about what lies behind it and how it became known. If you tend to be verbose, remember that you, out of the kindness of your heart, in a fit of frankness, can blurt out data that your team agreed to keep silent about until a certain point. If you are not very confident, especially ask your team leader what and when to speak openly. If you are a lover of disputes, and it doesn’t matter to you what, just to argue, then at least in negotiations remember that your goal is not a good quarrel, but a signed agreement.

Team selection. Members and roles. There is no warrior alone in the field, therefore, if you are the head of the team at the upcoming negotiations, you will have to recruit and train your team so that each of its members can at any moment take the place of a failed colleague, provide the necessary numbers, give sensible arguments and rationale, give the right cue, provide moral support. Each of the team members can be a star, but if that star only cares about the opportunity to shine in full force, get rid of such players. In negotiation, as in a top-level team game, the result is determined by team play and not by individual play. The choice of your team members should be determined the following factors: professionalism of the highest level and excellent ability to communicate with people.

Professionalism usually lies on the surface, it is hard not to notice, and you can ask the personnel department, his colleagues about the character of the employee you read to participate in the negotiations. Avoid inviting low-contact, conflict, quarrelsome people, no matter how outstanding professional qualities they didn't have it! Remember the negotiation pyramid at the beginning of the course. Negotiation is first and foremost the art of communication!

The system of internal reserves helps in those cases when, due to some unforeseen circumstances, quite shortly before the negotiations (it often happens in life!) One of the players leaves the team. At the same time, it is not possible to replace him due to lack of time - there is no visa for traveling to another country, the new team member has not been trained, etc. Therefore, each team member, along with his direct duties in the negotiations, must have additional ones that he is ordered to perform in in the absence of the main player responsible for this issue. Distribute the roles so that none of the issues under consideration remain solely on your responsibility. You need an assistant and this assistant is your team! Prepare your team so that the old Musketeer motto "One for all and all for one!" did not remain an empty phrase.

"Eminence grise". If you have a very young, growing company, whose employees have not yet got used to each other, and you cannot guarantee that they will behave adequately during the negotiation process, choose one of the experienced, proven people who will independently monitor the negotiation process, observe the behavior of members of both teams and give recommendations to members of your team in breaks for discussion. The role of such a participant is not limited to direct participation in the negotiations. He must fix and analyze the statements of the opposite side, observe and recognize the language of gestures, understand the unspoken.

Psychological preparation of the team is required if it is a new team from among the employees of your company, a new partner about whom almost nothing is known, or both.

In this case, it is appropriate to conduct psychological preparation, which should be based on the following statements:

negotiation is a process of fruitful communication, not confrontation,
Your partners are really partners, not opponents,
all issues can be resolved if there is good will,
team play is everything
the success of negotiations depends to a large extent on good preparation,
successful participation in negotiations is a way to move up the career ladder.

Cultural differences. If you are negotiating with a foreign company, first find out the main cultural features of the country your partners represent. The Americans will immediately go over to you, which does not mean that the negotiations will be easy. American managers are usually highly trained, with a well-defined goal and a range of alternative strategies. According to the style of behavior, they are very assertive, active, little compliant. For successful work with the Americans, you need to match their active style of communication, otherwise they will simply kill you, and in addition to the main goal and strategy, prepare a number of alternative ones.

The greater the choice of alternative strategies, the higher the likelihood of signing an agreement.

Europeans will keep their distance for a while, addressing you formally. And be prepared that the Germans, for example, can call you with all your titles listed in your business card. You can offer to call each other by name after a while, when you get to know each other better and feel that your relationship allows this. The behavior of the Germans, Swiss, Austrians in negotiations is usually very constructive; They are quite formal, at least at the beginning of the acquaintance. The French will bring seeming lightness to the negotiations, behind which is hidden an iron will and a strictly defined position. They often use the tactics of "squeezing" partners, they can force you to return to those issues in which you seem to have already reached an agreement in order to gain additional advantages. The British will be happy to consider your alternative ideas, to acquaint you with their own, i.e. approach the problem in a very creative way. Communication with Italians, at first glance, does not cause difficulties. They are quite open, friendly, talkative. However, one should not confuse the personal qualities of the characters with the interests of the business. They will simply discuss the issues under consideration more noisily and with greater emotions, but if necessary, they will exert pressure, show firmness and intransigence, if this is part of their team's strategy. The Scandinavians are very similar to the Germans, here you will meet with detailed slowness, fundamental points of view, restrained behavior. The behavior of Asians is quite different from the behavior of both Americans and Europeans due to differences in cultures and traditions. Be ready to bow back to the Japanese, watch the gestures of the Chinese and Koreans. The culture of the representatives of Asia is built on the observance of a strict hierarchy and the unquestioning subordination of the younger to the older, and not only in age, but also in official position. Usually representatives of Asia are united by iron discipline, the absence of disputes within the team, the complete unanimity of all team members in relation to their proposed solution. If the leader of the Asian team rejects any proposal from the other side, this will also meet with strong support from the entire team. The weaknesses of these partners are excessive rigidity, a limited number of alternative proposals, a well-known isolation.

Corporate culture. Corporate culture is a system of values that is characteristic of this organization. HR managers conduct regular classes with company employees, the purpose of which is to bring the values, symbols of corporate culture to each employee. Information on corporate culture can be obtained from a consulting company, as well as on the company's home page on the Internet under the heading "Our Values" or "Corporate Culture", etc. Knowing the corporate culture of the company, you can effectively build your line in negotiations, linking your arguments with the values that the partner company officially declares as its corporate values.

active position. No matter what role you play in the negotiations, as a leader or an ordinary member of the team, your position should always be ACTIVE! Ask questions that will help you understand the needs of partners. If you do not understand something in the strategy of the partners in the negotiations or you could not find some data / figures, directly ask your partners about it. An active position is always more advantageous than a passive one. Either you lead teams to victory on your terms, or lead you on partners' terms. What do you prefer?

3. Acquaintance, the beginning of negotiations

As a result of the preparation, you have already found out the composition of the partners' team members, you know their names and positions. If there is time before the start of negotiations, after the official presentation, approach that member of the partner team who is engaged in his company in approximately the same way as you, his position corresponds to yours. Briefly introduce yourself, politely ask about the road, if your partners came to your company, country, ask if the hotel is comfortable, if there are any problems, i.e. be a hospitable host. If negotiations take place on the territory of partners, similar questions will be asked to you. The rules of good manners require you to answer these questions in the affirmative, without referring to the difficulties of the road, inconvenience, and other problems that you can solve after negotiations.

Do not start negotiations with problems, especially if these problems are not worth the time spent on them.

Praise the country, the city where you are, thank you for the hospitality. If there is no time for informal communication before the negotiations, then the same questions will be asked during breaks.

Here are some tips to help you communicate with these people:

praise and thank the partner for any contribution to the success of the negotiations,
identify and try to use the strengths / positive aspects of the "difficult" partner,
accept your partner as he is and do not try to change him,
find out what he considers the main thing for the success of the negotiations.

A preliminary psychological assessment of the team of partners consists in determining the psychological types of people with whom you have to negotiate. It is good if your partners are not only high-class professionals in their field, but also contact, sociable people. Working with such colleagues is pleasant and efficient. However, in almost any negotiation, there are "difficult" partners who, voluntarily or involuntarily, try with all their might to wreck the agreement.

In addition, there are certain types of behavior or characters, the knowledge of which greatly simplifies communication with "difficult partners". If you can determine the type of negotiating partner, it will not be difficult for you, using the recommendations below, to make communication with them fruitful and positive. Knowing the weaknesses of your partners and skillfully influencing them, you will have allies, not opponents in the negotiations.

Below are the main types of negotiating behavior. Some of them are really "difficult", with others it is easier and more pleasant to find a common language. There are no ideal people, so you need to learn how to work with those partners that you have at the moment. It will be useful for everyone to get acquainted with this table. Who knows, maybe you will recognize yourself and think about your possible behavior in the negotiations.

Types. How to communicate with them

Talkative

Keep track of the time allotted for the presentation. Ask specific questions. Praise for specific answers. Pay attention to him if he repeats himself.

uncompromising

Usually these people are narrow specialists in their field. Use it for help when you have a specific question.

Interrupting mid-sentence

Familiarize such person with the rules in advance: instead of interrupting the speaker, it is better to take notes, write down questions to ask them during the discussion.

Actor

For any actor, the most important thing is the recognition of the public. If this person is worth something as a specialist, encourage him, express your gratitude and admiration to him. In this case, he will play for your team

silent

Address him by name, ask for his opinion, while thanking him for his invaluable contribution. In the end, he will be on your side.

dodger

Directly and specifically ask about his position, return him to the topic under discussion. Explain to him the subject of discussion, as you see it, i.e. implicitly impose your opinion on him.

Kicker

Do not leave him room for useless criticism. Ask directly and loudly: "What do you personally advise if you reject our offer?" Usually he is afraid of personal responsibility, hiding behind empty words.

Unpunctual

Never wait until he deigns to join you. Start the meeting without him if he is late. Directly upon arrival, include it in the discussion without introduction to the course of events. If he feels embarrassed once by answering inappropriately, then he will almost certainly not be late next time.

Peacock

(Very important person)

Well, if it is so important to him, pretend that you also consider him an extremely important person. He will appreciate it and take your side.

Bully

Don't let him speak alone or control the conversation. Otherwise, a big quarrel is provided for you. Politely give the floor to other members of his own team, stop him in front of everyone if he starts making incorrect remarks. Such people, as a rule, do not like public condemnation, but prefer to bring discord on the sly.

Professional

These are the most valuable members of the team, no matter who they play for. They are objective, professional, and wish success in the negotiations. Usually they determine and ensure the success of the negotiations. Contact them often, without their help you can not do.

Chatterbox

Unlike the talkative, the talker, as a rule, has nothing to say and his verbosity is caused only by the desire to attract attention. Try to tactfully interrupt him, limit the time of his speeches.

He is not prepared for negotiations, does not own the material, did not find out anything about the personalities of the participants in the negotiations. It is easy to work with him. Since he does not have his own point of view, you can easily impose yours on him. All of the above is true if a person is really as simple-hearted as it seems. And if not? What surprises has he prepared for you?

Shy

Ask him simple questions, encourage and praise. Chat with him during the break, note his exceptional business qualities. His vote will be cast for you.

Silly

His behavior will be such that no matter what you do, no matter how you strive for success, he will definitely try to disrupt the negotiations. Please note that sometimes it is very beneficial to ask "stupid", at first glance, questions. Therefore, it is useful in the beginning to understand whether this person is so stupid, or is it just a mask that he uses for a purpose known to him. Which? For what? If the stupid behavior is due to the fear of losing, reassure him that you, too, are striving for the success of the negotiations. If he misunderstood something, explain it to him correctly, if he sees an enemy in you, disbelieve him.

Shrew

Usually they are quite ambitious people. Admire his knowledge, life experience, answer his stubbornness that this is exactly what you were talking about. Tell him bluntly that you adhere to the same point of view, only formulated differently. He will have nothing to say against this.

hippo

By all means avoids participation in the discussion. Engage him in the discussion persistently and actively when it comes to his specialty.

Haughty

Don't criticize him directly. It is better to answer diplomatically: "Yes, of course, but it would be better if ...". Yield to him in the details, diplomatically defend your line in the main. This is possible because you do not directly say "no", so it is difficult to find fault with you.

Sly

Like the chatty one, he likes to attract attention to himself, in his case - with tricky questions. Forward his questions to other contributors who are experts on the subject. If the question is private, offer to save time to discuss it during a break with specialists, because. it doesn't matter to the rest.

To be fair, it should be noted that each of us is a little actor, a little silent, a professional in some matters, and sometimes not averse to causing a quarrel. In its pure form, psychological types are quite rare, usually some mixture of many types, and the behavior will depend on the situation, mood and state of mind of the person at the moment. However, there is always a dominant moment, and as soon as you catch the signs of behavior listed above, immediately take measures to neutralize the possible negative influence of the character on the course of negotiations.

Beginning of negotiations, setting the agenda, goals of the meeting. Usually, the head of the host party addresses the audience with a short welcoming speech. He informs about the purpose of the meeting, suggests the procedure for conducting negotiations, regulations and other organizational issues. If the meeting takes place on "neutral" territory, then the leaders of both teams must agree in advance which of them will open the meeting and who will take the chair at what time.

4. Negotiation process

The negotiation process with the indication of the role participation of your team members prescribes strictly defined functions for each member of the team. Avoid quarrels and disputes within the team during the negotiation process! Postpone the solution of all the problems that have arisen for a break, during which, in a room closed from prying eyes, you can bring clarity to all issues without losing the face of your team, and as a result, your company.

You have already prepared the definition of ways out of difficult situations in advance in the process of preparing for negotiations. What unexpected situations may occur? Basically, this is new information, home-made, specially prepared for such an occasion. The most important thing in such cases, when completely new circumstances fall upon you, for which you are not ready, could not predict and take into account in preparation, is to maintain composure and equanimity. You and all members of your team should not give yourself away and show that you were taken by surprise, you did not take into account such a fact, you are not familiar with such data. What do you need to make the right decision? Of course, time! What to do in such situations?

Thank for the information, praise the speaker for such an interesting argument, question, etc. Try to bring this issue out of the immediate discussion with the words "We will definitely return to it when discussing ... the message." In the first break, brainstorm, try to find a solution. If you need actual data, urgently contact your company, with the consulting company that prepared you for these negotiations, try to "calculate" a solution based on the data you have. Consider what changes in strategy these new circumstances will lead to. If you have really prepared these negotiations in good faith, you will be able to choose from alternative strategies one that will be fair under the new circumstances.

Your team's behavior during breaks depends on how the negotiations are going and how much time you and your team need to discuss, analyze the progress of the negotiations and possibly change the strategy. Avoid, however, spending all of your break time in the meeting room doing tasks that you were required to prepare at home. Such behavior will show that you are having difficulties, you are not ready to sign an agreement, you are unsociable, difficult partners. No matter how hard it is for you, never show it! Spend at least part of the time establishing friendly relations with partners, discuss with them the course of negotiations, ask them for their opinion on difficult issues, offer your solution, check how it will be accepted. This will greatly facilitate the orientation during the negotiations.

Conditions for completing negotiations are of two types - on reaching the goal or on the time limit. Of course, the first one is the most preferable. At the same time, be prepared that negotiations can continue until late at night if both teams do not have much time for this meeting and a strong motivation for success. If you are ready to give in on something, there are minor, insignificant questions, suggest to your partners to extend the negotiations for an hour or two in order to prepare the signing of the agreement. In fairness, it should be noted that negotiations that lead to an agreement as a result of a single meeting are an extremely rare occurrence in big business. Your desire for an agreement will definitely be positively perceived by your partners. If the negotiations are deadlocked, both teams need additional consultations, new information, it makes sense to offer to close the first round of negotiations, fixing in the Memorandum of Intentions (Memorandum of Understanding), signed by the leaders of both teams, all the agreements reached and the differences remaining for further discussion. This situation is quite natural and very common in the business world, especially in difficult negotiations.

Determination of conditions and place of the next round, if necessary, is discussed at the level of heads of delegations. If the first round took place on the territory of one of the partners, it makes sense to invite this team to continue negotiations in the company of the second party. Usually, the program of the visit includes a tour of the company, so it will be interesting for partners to get to know the company on the spot. If negotiations for some reason took place on “neutral” territory, this tradition can be continued further. However, negotiations on "neutral" territory are much more expensive for both companies.

Final dinner. All or almost all negotiations end with a joint dinner. Conversations in an informal setting, discussions that are very difficult to end, help to establish good working and friendly contacts. Therefore, whatever the outcome of the negotiations, your behavior at dinner should not be either aggressive or overly familiar. Dinner is part of the negotiation, i.e. work, and this work must also be done at the highest level. Use this opportunity to understand the goals and motives of your partners! During dinner, it is appropriate to exchange phone numbers with colleagues with whom you communicated most intensively and for whom you have developed a purely human sympathy, provide some information about yourself, ask to send materials that are necessary or not very (to maintain contacts), i.e. prepare yourself and your partners for the next negotiations.

5. Analysis of the preparation, process and results of negotiations

Analysis is, perhaps, the most pleasant part of the negotiations if you won them, and the most unpleasant in the opposite case. The analysis of negotiations is carried out by all members of the team and at this time “is given to all sisters in earrings”, since the purpose of the analysis is to find the reasons and determine the personal contribution of each participant to the success / failure of the negotiations. If you are a team leader, first of all, regardless of the result, thank your colleagues for their work in the negotiations. Negotiations are real. hard work, and your colleagues deserve kind words. If the negotiations were successful, ie. You have signed an agreement or entered a new round, be sure to congratulate your employees on a good job, express your approval, find words of encouragement for everyone. Remember, with this team you will continue to work! Compare all your forecasts of goals, strategies, psychological portraits of the partner team. Think about why you came to this conclusion, what motives guided you. What turned out to be true? Analyze your strategies in detail, what helped you, what considerations turned out to be wrong and why? If you invited a consulting company, determine its contribution to the success/failure of the negotiations, evaluate how effective and cost-effective this assistance was. The main question you should be asking for each of the above points is "Why?". Discuss the behavior and contributions of each member of your team in an open conversation. Since the game was a team game, the analysis should be open and objective. Do not allow any omissions, behind-the-scenes conversations! Only an honest analysis will be useful for the success of the next negotiations.

What matters is not what I said, but what others heard.

6. Communication, types of communication

In the process of negotiations, you will have to use the power of all types of communication with a partner in order to achieve your goals. Communication means understanding and mutual understanding and means not only what we say, but rather how we say it and to whom. Learn to respect your negotiating partners. Don't forget that everyone has their own strengths which can be helpful to the success of the negotiations. Find these strengths in yourself and in your partners. Don't waste time and effort trying to change your partner, accept him for who he is. Try to find common motives, similar points of view. Prepare each speech carefully, emphasizing key points and important points so that they immediately catch the eye.

The following factors influence communication:

education, profession, life experience,
momentary sensations, ideas, prejudices, biases, impulses,
relationship between partners
speech and demeanor, body language,
appearance,
the time of day and the general atmosphere of the negotiations (friendly, clear distrust, neutral).

Therefore, if these factors are taken into account (friendly atmosphere, pleasant manners, correct behavior of partners, etc., see above), then communication with partners can be fruitful and the goal of negotiations can be achieved. When communicating of any kind, be it business or purely personal, various techniques are used to help achieve understanding and reflect the personal and behavioral characteristics of a person.

Address your partner by last name if he is a foreigner, by his first name and patronymic if he is a compatriot, i.e. Given the difference in cultures, express your respect.

Speak clearly and distinctly. By this you show that you are fluent in the material, you are in excellent shape, i.e. create your image of the winner. It's hard not to side with such a self-confident person.

Watch your voice. Lower your intonation towards the end of the sentence, speak in a tone of conviction. The barely audible whisper of a timid person creates an impression of insecurity and leads to a negative impression, even if the speech was impeccable in meaning.

Smile in place. A good smile - as a mimic expression of affection and goodwill, makes a good impression. However, this should be used in moderation and appropriately. Excess is always harmful.

Maintain eye contact. When making eye contact with your partners, do not look away, which gives the impression of uncertainty and deceit. Let your eyes speak, learn to read other people's eyes. Take care of yourself, do not stare at the interlocutor, let your eyes shine and radiate positive energy. It's hard to resist an open smile and shining eyes.

Take small breaks. This will give more meaning to what has been said.

Sometimes it is helpful to repeat key phrases that best explain the purpose of the speech.

The art of presentation will come in handy when you have to present your company in a relatively short time, usually 25-30 minutes, New Product, the problem under discussion, offer terms of cooperation, etc. Regardless of the subject, the rules of presentation are almost always the same.

1. Count the number of slides, based on the attention rate of 1.5-2 minutes per slide. Thus, if 30 minutes are allotted for your report, and 20 minutes for the subsequent discussion, then you will need no more than 25 slides for this presentation, including a slide cover with the title of the report, a couple of slides that may be required in the discussion (you always know the controversial places of your speech and you can approximately predict questions), the final slide with conclusions, generalizations and recommendations.

2. Think over the structure of the presentation. Choose no more than 3-4 topics of discussion from which the purpose of the presentation should be visible. For example, if you are proposing to merge two companies into one, you can build the following lines of persuasion: a decrease in the market share of both companies, financial difficulties of one of the companies, a developed network of branches, the ability to choose the cheapest suppliers. By developing each of the lines sequentially, you will almost automatically get a set of arguments for the final slide.

3. Choice of presentation style. At present there is such an abundance software that the problem is not to find the program, but to choose the right one from the available selection. In this case, you should be guided by the following considerations: the program should be universal and work stably on your type of computer, be suitable for both slide shows and work with a beamer, have all the possibilities for preparing a presentation - all types of presentations (graphs, diagrams of all kinds, toning, connections, arrows, different colors, languages and fonts, etc.). At the same time, uniformity should be consistently adhered to. For example, if you chose a black and white presentation to enhance the effect, you should not dilute it with color slides. Fonts for headings should be the same on all slides, explanatory text can be written in a different font, but all slides should stick to one font for one type of information.

4. The presentation language must be concise. First, write everything you would like to say, choose the most important, discard the rest. In the most important, abbreviate first at the sentence level, then at the word level. After that, you will have the quintessence of your message. Example: "There are a number of reasons that led the Roman Empire to a crisis. The main ones can be considered complete anarchy, corruption of all echelons of power, inability to manage remote provinces and the invasion of barbarians." After processing, the meaning of this message can be expressed as follows:

5. Prepare a presentation plan. A presentation of any kind is opened by a title page with the name of the report, the name of the company, it is possible with a logo. The title of the report should not call for conflict with the audience! The second sheet should represent the purpose of the presentation. It should be clear from it which issues are brought up for discussion (understand, investigate, consider, etc.), and which ones are left out of its scope. This will help to avoid irrelevant questions in the discussion. The third slide should be devoted to the history of the issue. This is especially important for people who are present at such a report for the first time and do not know the background. On the fourth slide, show the map of your report, starting from the title page and ending with the conclusion slide. After that, reserve one slide for conclusions and conclusions and distribute the remaining number of slides (about 20) to the selected topics. The number of slides for each topic does not have to be the same, but is determined by the importance and informative load of the topic. Do not duplicate information on different slides. If necessary, go back to the slide where you already mentioned this fact.

6. When preparing individual slides on a topic, the following rules should be followed: the number of information objects - arguments, new provisions or calculations should not exceed three per slide. Usually these provisions are located at the bottom of the sheet in order of importance after the reasons that led to such a conclusion, conclusion, argument, calculation were given in the upper part. You can bring the three main positions of the slide in sequence, highlighting them especially in font, color, shape, etc. Then after each statement should be followed by its justification.

Technical equipment. You must be able to use a projector, beamer, and other technical means that you will need during a report / presentation without loss of time and face. If you are participating in negotiations on the territory of a partner, let us know in advance what technical means of presentations you will need. Although in this case it is more reliable to prepare your performance on your own beamer. Just in case, it's good to have a duplicate presentation, suitable for both projector and beamer demonstration. Just print the slides from the beamer on transparencies. Technique usually fails at the most crucial moment.

The art of persuasion is based on understanding the motivation of a partner, feedback, the general atmosphere of the negotiations.

Understanding your partner's motivation. Most of the negotiation processes that require decision-making (purchase, issues related to the price of goods, etc.) are so-called emotionally driven processes. At the same time, the personality, relatively speaking, of the "seller", plays a decisive role in the process of persuasion. These emotional and personal sympathies - antipathies arise and are fixed at an unconscious level as a result of past positive or negative life experience. Our relationship to the "seller" is transferred almost automatically to the "goods" he offers. Therefore, it is obvious that an amiable and accommodating "salesman" will achieve more than an indifferent or simply impolite one. If you act as a "buyer", then you must take into account the emotional influence of the "seller" and separate his personal charm from the quality characteristics of the proposed product. Each person has conscious and unconscious motives for making a decision. What is important to one may not be of any interest to another. Motives determine needs. Needs shape goals and behavior. The art of persuasion and negotiation lies in identifying the needs of a partner and the possibility of satisfying them.

Ask targeted negotiation questions to uncover your partner's motivations and needs.

It is necessary not only to be able to say, but also to hear what is said. You can listen and not hear.

Feedback

The basis of the foundations of any communication is feedback, when your statement is analyzed and, on the basis of this, an answer is given to your statement. Communication without feedback resembles a conversation with a TV - and you see the interlocutor, and he says something, and you say something, but there is no dialogue, because. everyone talks about their own. In order for feedback to work well, the following guidelines should be followed:

do not hesitate to ask questions if you do not fully understand something or doubt whether you have understood correctly,
repeat and respond positively to those statements with which you agree,
NEVER SAY NO, even if you disagree with your partner.

It would be more efficient and diplomatic to say: “We understand your proposals for price / new product / purchase of new equipment, etc., however, we propose to take into account the fact that:”. At the same time, your speech will sound like a proposal for cooperation, and not a direct refusal to consider alternative proposals.

If you are speaking at negotiations, meetings, etc. as a member of a team, never say "I", always use the pronoun "WE". This will reflect the point of view of all participants, and will give weight to your presentation. You can speak in the first person if, and only if, you are participating in the exchange meeting as a representative of some part of your company. However, in this case, it must be emphasized that this is the opinion of your team: “On behalf of the production department, I want to state that we completely reject the new collective agreement as not taking into account the interests of workers.”

The general atmosphere of the negotiations.

In addition to the special and psychological preparation of your team members, you must help them cope with emotions, learn to behave correctly and with dignity, but not arrogantly and defiantly. The atmosphere of the negotiations should be friendly and constructive, since you are all here to conclude one or another agreement. If such an agreement did not promise benefits to both parties, no one would waste time negotiating. This means that each member of your team must do everything to make the negotiations successful.

Discussion.

Correct and constructive behavior in the process of discussion largely determines the success of the team in the negotiations. During the discussion there is no place for aggression, irony, or demonstration of a sense of superiority. If it is your responsibility to analyze the message you have listened to and ask questions, listen carefully to the speaker. If you have questions along the way, write them down on paper so you can ask them as the discussion progresses. If you do not want to be interrupted during your presentation, also behave respectfully towards the speaker. During the report, watch your face, your emotions should remain with you, no matter what statements you hear. All questions must be asked in a correct, comprehensive form that does not allow for ambiguous interpretation. After you have received a response, thank the responder. If the question is asked to you, also thank for the question. Questions can be conditionally divided into the following groups: a substantive question, if the questioner really knows what and why he wants to ask, questions to attract attention and questions asked to test your reaction and awareness (“political” questions). It is easy for you to answer the first group of questions, because they are within the scope of your professional competence. If the question is really interesting and the questioner comes across as knowledgeable, invite them in for further discussion during the break. Communication with a specialist will also be useful for you. You can easily recognize a question for the sake of a question by its unprofessionalism and shallow understanding of the subject. In this case, patiently but briefly answer, give a link where the questioner can get more information. "Political" questions in the negotiations are aimed at obtaining more information than you may have, from your answer / non-response to understand what underlying motives your report may hide. In this case, it is recommended to stick to the official version of your company on this issue, not to succumb to provocation, to show off more awareness of the company's affairs than you are prescribed by your role in the negotiations.

The following three qualities will help you successfully speak in a discussion - professionalism, correctness and foresight.

Working out a compromise is one of the key aspects of negotiations. Agree that it is difficult to imagine that two different teams, often from different cultures, will come to the negotiations with the same goals. Therefore, someone will have to give in on some issues, i.e. agree to a compromise. At the same time, it is necessary to share that one side always offers a compromise, and the other has to agree with it. It is not necessary that a compromise will be offered by the team whose position on this issue is weaker. Therefore, you need to be ready to accept and offer a compromise. In the process of preparation, you have already worked out the provisions of the minimum program, which include possible concessions that you can make. Compare your minimum program with the goals stated by your partners. How different are they, what can and should be fought for, in which case the struggle will be meaningless? After such an analysis, you will be able to adjust both your goals and your strategies in the interests of the agreement, i.e. You are ready to compromise. When should a compromise be offered? If you see that the solution proposed by the partners contains all the basic requirements of your party and the difference lies in such details that you can agree with. If the offer of partners reflects the provisions of your minimum program, and you tried and made sure that you have no way to achieve better conditions. You have reached an agreement on the main issues on your terms, it is possible that the partners may ask for time for additional consultations, which may mean a delay or refusal to negotiate. In this case, it is also useful to quickly agree with not the most important aspects of the contract on the terms of the partners.

Way out of an unfavorable situation in communication.

Unfavorable situations in the course of negotiations are: marking time, i.e. endless and fruitless discussion of the same issues, numerous pauses, postponement of negotiations. The following are the reasons that may be responsible for the failure of negotiations:

negotiation strategy has not been worked out,
the psychological portraits of the negotiators were not studied and then used,
the help of colleagues from other departments, which could be useful in negotiations, was not used,
the composition of the negotiators was not properly prepared,
the negotiators were not psychologically prepared.

What to do if the negotiations have reached an impasse, irritation and aggression are growing in the hall, both teams are tired, have lost their bearings? In this case, the chairman should take stock of the preliminary results and announce on which issues there is consensus and on which differences of opinion, what has already been achieved and what remains to be worked on, i.e. assign a task to both teams. After that, it is recommended to announce an additional break for half an hour. During this time, both teams should exchange views in an informal atmosphere, find out what fundamental issues should be resolved, what needs to be done for this, what reasons prevent the conclusion of an agreement. In such an environment, one should not retire to the meeting room of one of the teams, there is no longer any use in this. At the moment, the interaction between teams is more important than the interaction within the team. One team will not succeed. This requires the combined efforts of all members of both teams.

7. School of good manners

Negotiations, i.e. direct communication with people, like nothing else, reveal and emphasize your strengths and weaknesses. Remember, with what feeling did you go to the negotiations? If you don't have that experience yet, try to imagine that you have to participate in an important meeting tomorrow. What will be your feelings? First, excitement, some nervousness, readiness for battle, nascent aggressiveness. I must say right away that this is a completely normal human reaction to the task of winning. Now imagine that your partners come with the same feelings, which is also normal, people are people everywhere. Do you think a company of aggressive neurasthenics can work out an agreement? Of course not! Aggression gives rise to aggression, and nervousness causes disrespect for a person who does not have the strength to cope with his emotions and anxiety for the fate of the negotiations, i.e. response nervousness. What to do in such a situation? Firstly, prepare for the meeting, secondly, be imbued with respect for partners (this contract / deal / sale is beneficial for your company), and thirdly, start respecting yourself. Conscientious preparation, self-respect, decent appearance will give you a sense of self-confidence, a sense of dignity. Remember what successes you have already achieved, for which you can be respected, support yourself morally. A person who behaves with dignity will not behave aggressively or arrogantly defiantly towards partners. Moreover, it can be said that aggressiveness is an attempt to cover up fear and cowardice, self-doubt, a defensive reaction of the individual to the danger that both partners and the negotiations themselves can carry.

A person who respects himself respects others. He is consistently polite and tactful. His behavior is simple, and his manners testify to a good upbringing. A well-mannered person will first offer coffee to his partner, and then take it to himself. A tactful person will not pester a half-familiar person with questions about the salary or criticize the country where he was invited. A very simple rule will help to avoid mistakes in behavior: never do to another what would be unpleasant for you!

You have arrived abroad. Remember that you represent your country, your company here. And the attitude towards those of your compatriots who will come after you depends on how you behave. If you meet with a negative attitude towards yourself, do not rush to scold the owners. Maybe you were unlucky and before you they had to deal with your ill-bred compatriot. During informal communication, you will definitely be asked questions about the internal situation, culture, and recent events in the country and the world. Before answering such questions, ask yourself: “Would you do business with a company operating in such a volatile environment?” Of course not! It's money thrown away! Conclusion: Your assessments should be balanced, moderately positive. You should not embellish the reality, but the tone of your statements should be optimistic if you want to sign a contract with foreign partners. Otherwise, no one will deal with you. When traveling to another country, you should always remember that you are visiting there. Avoid criticizing culture, religion, people. Yes, there are cultural differences, but who said that your culture, religion, life position is the most correct? The most innocuous topics for conversation will be universal problems, problems of the family, children, education, home, everything that unites all peoples. If you love a good joke, first think about how it will be received by the audience. Many topics of jokes and anecdotes, from which the entire adult population of one country laughs, cause bewilderment at best, and sometimes open rejection of representatives of another country. Show a sense of tact, and self-preservation, do not joke in an unfamiliar environment, if you are not sure that this is a joke of good form and will be understood correctly by all those present.

8. Everything in a person should be perfect or dress code

It should be emphasized that the business world is the least influenced by fashion, and in any negotiations, a dark gray or dark blue suit with a modern cut will be very appropriate. Light suits, despite the summer heat, should not be worn. The conference room usually has air conditioning. All kinds of club or captain's jackets with shiny metal buttons are prohibited. For formal events, it is not recommended to wear a jacket and a shirt of different colors. The shirt must be long-sleeved, the cuffs protrude a couple of centimeters from under the sleeve of the jacket. The color of the shirt should first of all match the suit. White shirts will always be appropriate, as well as plain light blue, light beige, and other light colors. A small discreet strip or a barely noticeable cell, a fabric with a weak production is allowed. Black shirts and all saturated colors are strictly prohibited: red, yellow, green, purple, etc. The fabric must be thin, and the shirt should not look like sports or leisure wear. All types of jeans, including designer clothes, are not suitable for business! Check if all buttons are in place. These harmful little things appear at the very last moment! The tie should match the color of the shirt and not disturb the shirt-suit ensemble, sharp colors, non-traditional shapes, bright patterns on the tie are not allowed. A bow tie is worn at evening events, at a concert, at the opera, usually under a special dress shirt with a specially shaped collar. After you have chosen your costume, make sure that your clothes do not smell. Take advantage of dry cleaning services or, at worst, air and dry your clothes in the sun. If this does not help, change the suit, there should be no smell.

Shoes are best to choose black, it is ideal for all costumes. Socks in this case should also be black, thin, long enough, tightly fitting the leg, with an elastic band. All clothes must be perfectly clean and ironed, and shoes freshly polished.

Refresh your hair in advance, the head should look well-groomed, remove the hair on the neck, they clearly indicate that you have not been to the hairdresser for a long time. If the daily shower has not yet become a habit for you, make an exception on the day of negotiations, take a refreshing shower, it will invigorate you and fill you with strength before a responsible meeting. Use deodorant and a good cologne in very moderation. Don't forget to take a look at your hands. You will shake hands, take documents, a cup of coffee, and all the flaws in your hands will instantly be visible to everyone present. Take care of your hands. You must give the impression of a solid, self-confident person.

For women, the requirements for dress code in business are also quite strict. We recommend dark-colored suits made of thin, preferably wrinkle-resistant (you will have to alternate sessions with breaks) fabric, a blouse also with long sleeves in calm, discreet tones. The suit can be both with a skirt and trousers. When choosing a skirt, be guided by the fact that it should not wrinkle, and it was comfortable to sit in it without causing bewilderment of the neighbors. Jewelry and bijouterie of good taste are allowed, but in minimum sizes. For women in business, thin skin-colored tights, regardless of the season, are always a must! Shoes are best chosen in neutral black or matching the color of your suit. For such cases, standard boats with a low stable heel are best suited. Remember, you will have to sit and stand a lot, i.e. load your legs. Black tights, platform shoes, bright colors, cheap, vulgar costume jewelry or an abundance of massive gold jewelry are strictly prohibited. Special mention should be made of decorative cosmetics. It should, of course, be present, but no one should guess about it. This is a great art, how to look like a beautiful woman, it is better to master it in advance. Let the hairstyle remain at your discretion, and let it decorate you. It is not recommended to use perfume, it is better to use a few drops of eau de toilette. Don't forget your manicure, your hands should also look well-groomed, but don't use red or other bright nail polish. You just have to spend some time looking good. But your efforts will pay off a hundredfold - a good appearance gives a person a sense of self-confidence, which you will really need in negotiations.