Cold Calling

In our everyday lives, we come into contact with a variety of different situations that demand a response. In many cases, we require the cooperation or consent of another individual to achieve a desired outcome. In some cases, this can be difficult to achieve. This can be the case if it involves doing something against an established policy or against a persons will. To win favor, negotiation becomes necessary. The act of negotiating is involves working through the issues that confront the situation to achieve a desired outcome.

In any negotiation, there may be three situations. First, you win and the other person looses. Second, the other person wins and you loose. And third is the situation where both the parties win and are satisfied with the outcome. The third situation is a little difficult to achieve but is the best scenario in any negotiation. Negotiation skills can call for compromise or the highly persuasive ability to get someone to see the benefits of the proposed outcome.

In the first and second situation, the potential exists for one of the parties to leave unsatisfied. In the cases of an error, usually the losing party trades off. However, if the outcome results in dissatisfaction for one or more parties, unless the transaction is a once off situation, it is likely the outcome will firmly remain in the mind of the losing party. This can have adverse consequences for future business dealings. Finding the middle ground is always a better solution and part and parcel of successful negotiating.

Tips on Negotiating

Ultimately, the best available option is to try and achieve a win-win situation. This situation will leave both parties satisfied and create a stronger relationship for future business dealings. It is important to consider that there may be several separate parts of the process that comprise the whole. Understanding each separate part and putting it into the context of the negotiation will allow you to view the issues from the other person's perspective. There are trade offs involved. Once all the issues are on the table, both parties can respect each others needs and try to work to solutions that create a win/win scenario for each party. Working only from a selfish perspective is unlikely to be productive if the other party feels that his position is not being considered. Flexibility is of utmost importance. Adopting a flexible approach allows both parties the opportunity to work out a harmonious solution.

Negotiating is an art that is best learnt on the job. Because each situation is different, different negotiation techniques need to be used to suit the circumstances. Knowledge, skills and experience improve with time.

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