Let’s Make A Deal
July 24, 2007 – 8:57 amNumerous books have been written about the art of successful negotiation since the 1970s when, Roger Fisher and William Ury published “Getting to YES” that introduced the win-win or mutual gains bargaining. The mutual gains approach has been effectively applied to community policing where the principles are framed as “problem solving”. Like so many business principles, the experts and academics tend to take a very simple concept and do their best to make it as complicated as possible. I wonder why that is – job security perhaps?
Actually, cops make really good negotiators as a result of their experience on the job. Even the most wet behind the ears rookie officer quickly learns that the domestic disturbance that they are trying to defuse did not start because the husband squeezed the toothpaste in the center of the tube. If an officer is going to be an effective mediator, he needs to develop the ability to wade through the symptoms and identify the problem. It is also a good idea to be armed with the right information when you arrive on the scene. Is there a history of domestic incidents at the address? Did the previous incidents involve physical violence? Are there guns in the residence? Finally, an officer has to develop the ability to quickly size-up the players and figure out how to satisfy their interests – or if it is possible to satisfy them. These are the very same abilities that a great negotiator must develop.
Regardless of what you are negotiating, the first step is to do your homework. Like they say in the financial world, the best predictor of future performance is past performance so do some research into your adversary’s past negotiating practices. Is money his primary motivator or is it all about ego? Are you dealing with a “win at all cost” negotiator or a person that likes to compromise and quickly cut a deal. Are you actually meeting with the decision-maker or are they going to try to utilize the “used car” method of having to get approval from the boss. In addition to the checking out the people with whom you will be meeting, do some research on the organization that they represent. Fire up Google and see what you can find.
The next step sounds easy but, depending on the nature of the negotiation, it may prove a little more challenging than you might think. Socrates’ guiding rule was, “Know Thyself” and this is good advice for you to follow if you are going to be successful as a negotiator. You have to do a little self analysis and try to figure out what you expect to get from the negotiation. I’m not talking about what you “would like to get” from the negotiation – I’m talking bottom line here. What do you absolutely have to get from this deal.
Once you figure out what you want from the deal, you need to determine what you are willing to put on the table. What are you willing give up in order to get what you want?
Once you have completed this thorough self analysis, the really hard part starts. Now you have to try to figure out what the other guy wants – not what he initially says he wants but what he really wants. You may get lucky and discover some clues during your initial research but your best tool will probably your communication skills. In order to assess your adversary and determine what it will take to close the deal, you must pay careful attention to both his spoken words and his body language. This can be easier said than done particularly if your adversary is a seasoned negotiator.
Finally, now that you have figured out what you want and what the other guy wants, all you have to do is create a win-win outcome so that everyone can walk away from the table happy – or at least not unhappy. Obviously, not every negotiation is go smoothly but following these five simple steps will serve as a good foundation for any negotiation, regardless of the sophistication of the deal.
If you found this article useful or would like to add something to the discussion, take a minute to click on the “Comments” link below and leave your comment.