Business meeting. Business negotiations: step-by-step instructions for organizing and conducting

Building constructive communications in business is one of the significant competitive advantages. What are the secrets of successful business negotiations? What is their structure and features of preparation for them?

Definition of business negotiations

Business negotiations, according to a common definition among Russian experts, are a procedure with the participation of two or more parties having the status commercial organizations, entrepreneurs or officials, the purpose of which is to resolve current or future issues of interaction in the aspect of partnership or find a compromise in a dispute. When communicating, companies or businessmen strive to make some joint decision. It is assumed that for each of the parties it should be considered optimal.

Business negotiations are carried out if a controversial issue cannot be resolved by available means. In turn, the need for their organization does not arise if management begins to resolve a controversial situation in advance, having studied, for example, legislative sources or already signed agreements.

Classification of negotiations

Russian experts identify the following main types of business negotiations.

• Firstly, these are communications within which the nuances associated with the extension of existing agreements on current terms are discussed.
• Secondly, these are negotiations, during which it is expected to discuss the conditions for continuing cooperation on new terms.
• Thirdly, these are communications between parties who have not previously entered into any agreements.
• Fourthly, business negotiations may involve the renewal of previously existing agreements.
• Fifthly, the topic of relevant communications may be related to the termination of existing agreements on terms acceptable to both parties.

Of course, types of business negotiations can be classified on other grounds. Some experts believe, for example, that this type of communication can be divided depending on the degree of importance of the key topic. For example, negotiations are classified into strategic, where issues that determine the further development of the entire business are resolved, and situational, where individual nuances of the adopted joint course are discussed. Some experts distinguish between individual and collective negotiations. The former involves communication between individual officials (for example, general directors), while the latter involves communication with the participation of the company’s collegial management bodies or with the involvement of employees.

Negotiation functions

Experts identify several functions that business negotiations perform. In particular, informational, which implies a mutual study of the opinions of the parties on a particular issue. The communicative function is also highlighted, within which entrepreneurs find new points of contact of interests or, if this is their first meeting, discover the most obvious prospects for interaction. There is a coordination function, which involves making auxiliary decisions in terms of the main cooperation strategy. There is a monitoring control, within which the parties find out how things are going with the partners’ fulfillment of their obligations as of a certain moment.

Stages of negotiations

Many experts tend to believe that business negotiations are a process that consists of large quantity constituent elements. It is assumed that the corresponding type of communication in business is carried out within several stages. Russian experts identify the following stages.

• Firstly, this is the preparatory stage. As part of it, the partners agree on the upcoming meeting, decide on its location, and form the list of participants. The key topic is determined and agreed upon. Negotiations must be focused.
• Secondly, this is the protocol stage. It begins when the partners meet in a place that they have agreed upon in advance. As a rule, the protocol stage includes mutual greetings of the parties and introduction procedures (if the partners met for the first time). It may seem that this stage is a formality. But in practice, as many experts note, the results of communication largely depend on how comfortable the protocol nuances are for the negotiating parties.
• Thirdly, this is the stage of information exchange, or as some experts call it, “survey”. The parties take turns expressing key points related to the topic. The desired position of the partners regarding the prospects for concluding an agreement, changes in the terms of the current contract, etc. is recorded.
• Fourthly, this is, in fact, decision making. The result of the negotiations is revealed. We'll look at what it might be a little later. It is possible to sign documents related to cooperation.

Based on the results of business negotiations, informal events can be organized - a banquet, a walk. In some cases, a press conference is expected.

The scheme we considered above, within which business negotiations are divided into stages, is quite general. Depending on the industry specifics of the business and the priority of communications, there may be several of them, and there may also be additional events.

Results of negotiations

Negotiation, one way or another, leads to some result. What could he be like? Experts identify three main types of negotiation results:

• finding a compromise;
• conclusion of asymmetric agreements;
• lack of agreement.

In the first scenario, it is assumed that business negotiations led to the determination of the terms of cooperation, and this satisfied both parties. There is an opinion that a compromise can also be considered a situation when the decision made did not suit either party to the same extent, but due to the need to conclude at least some kind of contract, the negotiators agreed to mutually uncomfortable conditions. This is possible, for example, in the case when the supplier of a certain product wants to get such and such an amount for it, at which the business will be clearly profitable, but the buyer can only pay, say, half as much.

Business negotiations can lead to decisions that some experts consider asymmetrical. What does it mean? The fact that one party, for some reason, managed to convince the other to sign an agreement on terms that were less comfortable for it. If in the example discussed above, the seller and the buyer found, albeit not an ideal, but still a compromise, then the scenario within the framework of an asymmetric solution may imply, for example, that the supplier of the product will fundamentally refuse to sell it to the counterparty at a lower price, and that, in turn, , this product is very necessary, and he agrees to the deal, deciding, say, to take out a loan.

Another possible scenario is the absence decision taken based on the results of communications. Some experts are not inclined to attribute it to the results of the negotiations. However, their opponents believe that it still exists, if only because now the partners know what to expect from the next negotiations and understand whether they are worth holding later. This kind of result, experts believe, can have informational value. For example, the buyer of a product will be aware of the minimum price at which he can purchase this or that product, know the strengths and weak sides supplier. In business, it often happens that refusing a deal during negotiations indirectly helps the entrepreneur find more comfortable terms of cooperation later. Thus, the formal absence of communication results can be a completely positive scenario for business.

Rules of Negotiation: Cultural Aspect

What are the rules of business negotiations? There are a lot of things about this theoretical concepts. Their specificity can be determined by a huge number of factors. Much depends, for example, on the mentality of the negotiators, dictated by nationality or citizenship. That is, business conversation and business negotiations according to the rules that are accepted in Western countries are not always compatible with the peculiarities of, for example, the Asian culture of communications in business. Russian entrepreneurs, according to some experts, are a little closer in mentality to people of Western thinking than to Eastern ones, but their mentality shows a closeness to both models.

It happens that people who are accustomed to a particular model of behavior successfully adapt to the mentality of their partner. Take, for example, the recent gas negotiations between the heads of Russia and Turkey - the parties managed to conclude a crucial agreement, although there was a possibility of differences in finding common ground. According to some experts, due to the difference in the business mentality of the two countries. Although there is no consensus on this matter, many analysts, in turn, believe that the business communication culture characteristic of Russians is generally compatible with the Turkish one and, perhaps, even more than with the Western one.

Thus, the etiquette of business negotiations, the aspects characterizing the preparation for them and the conditions for their conduct, can largely be dictated by the cultural specifics of the parties, certain traditions of business communication. At the same time, as some researchers note, business, especially in areas of strategic importance for countries around the world, is becoming increasingly global, and this can largely be seen in the erasing of cultural differences between partners from different countries. Perhaps, at some moments, a Japanese entrepreneur is not entirely comfortable adopting the “Western” model of behavior in negotiations with American colleagues, but he does this in order to maintain a constructive dialogue. In turn, his partner, an entrepreneur from the United States, will certainly try to be careful in communicating with his Japanese colleague and, if possible, comply with the traditional rules of business communication accepted in Japan.

Rules of negotiation: compromise scenario

Some Russian experts propose the following scenario, within the framework of which business negotiations are possible, subject to the adoption of the relevant principles of the majority modern cultures. If you follow them, then there is a chance that the comfort of a business partner of German or Korean origin will not be disturbed.

The first thing experts recommend focusing on is always listening to your interlocutor. This is welcomed both in Korea and in Russia, the USA, and Germany. You should not interrupt your partner’s speech, protest, or comment, even if you are sure that the speaker is mistaken in something.

The next rule is compliance with the principle of equality. In no modern country is it customary for one negotiator to in any way place himself above another. Even if we are talking about the obvious prospect of concluding that very asymmetrical deal, in which one of the parties may have no choice, the partner should not look down on it.

Negotiations in business should be carried out by avoiding evaluative theses directed at the personality of the interlocutor. Following this rule will ensure the same comfort for a partner from any country with a representative of which business negotiations are being conducted. Example: It is undesirable to say: “You are not competent enough in this matter.”

Mistakes in business negotiations

Having considered some of the basic recommendations of experts regarding conducting business negotiations, it will be useful to study the typical mistakes identified by researchers that entrepreneurs sometimes tend to make in the communication process. First of all, it should probably be noted that these will be actions that are the opposite of the recommendations described above. However, having understood the essence of the errors associated with the key nuances of communications that we have noted, it will be useful to also pay attention to the following points.

Business negotiations, as experts believe, should not be a tool for identifying a party that may be the bearer of a clearly correct point of view. If this really is the case, it will come to light naturally. The mistake of many entrepreneurs is to position themselves as a subject whose opinion there can be no alternative.

Another mistake that experts highlight is emphasized stubbornness. It is always possible to find a compromise using persuasion methods, but it is very difficult to do this using such straightforward tactics.

Experts say that an authoritarian style of business communication is unacceptable. Especially when it comes to transactions that are highly likely to be asymmetrical. It rarely happens that a supplier for a long time remained the only one. In a free market, it is usually possible to find alternative channels for obtaining the desired product. And if at some point in time the buyer was forced to accept less comfortable conditions and at the same time faced the authoritarianism of his partner, he will no longer want to purchase anything from him the second time.

Among the common mistakes characteristic of business negotiations is avoiding the main topic of discussion. Even if this happens by chance, for example, one partner decided to ask the other where he likes to travel, as a result of which the topic of dialogue shifted towards tourism. In this case, there is a possibility that one of the parties will suspect the other of intending to confuse, mislead, or induce trust. One way or another, time will be wasted. Going off topic can be particularly detrimental when collective bargaining is taking place. In such cases, each of the communication participants, in order not to feel out of place in the discussion, will want to speak on a topic not related to the main one.

What are the secrets of successful negotiations?

We examined the features of business negotiations in terms of ensuring compatibility of the parties' behavior patterns. It will also be useful to familiarize yourself with some principles that will help achieve the desired result based on the results of appropriate communications. What are the secrets of successful business negotiations noted by Russian experts?

Many researchers recommend placing emphasis in building communications on long-term relationships with a partner. The immediate result in business often means absolutely nothing. And possible concessions made by one side can be interpreted by the partner, first of all, as a readiness to build strategic relationships.

The next factor for successful negotiations that experts highlight is openness in communication. This applies not only to the manner of speech and wording. This means, first of all, openness in relation to the matter, to the interlocutor, the absence of fear of not pleasing the partner or expressing dissatisfaction with the objectively uncomfortable terms of the transaction. A much more constructive approach is one in which the party will express points that do not suit the party immediately after they are voiced in the dialogue, before the topic of the conversation changes or the negotiations are completed.

Experts recommend, whenever possible, focusing not so much on your own position, but on the interests of your partner. It will be useful if one partner shows the other that he is interested not only in the benefit for his company, which is obvious, but also in ensuring that the other party’s business benefits from this.

Researchers recommend that negotiating parties, when formulating proposals and theses for partners, think through their content in advance so that the partner has the opportunity to choose one of several options. This will increase the likelihood of finding a compromise. It is quite possible that one of the options will suit your partner more. It can be taken as the basis for developing the final decision.

Preparing for negotiations

Let's study such an aspect as preparing business negotiations. What should you pay attention to during its implementation? Some experts recommend sticking to the following scenario.

Within this scheme, researchers recommend taking into account the rule that the time spent preparing for negotiations should be commensurate with their expected duration. The point is that the key aspect of this scenario is the preliminary communication plan. It needs to be “rehearsed,” and therefore it will take time comparable to the time during which the negotiations will actually take place.

• The first point of the plan in question is determining the purpose of communication. Regardless of the scenario in which the other side is preparing for negotiations, we first answer the question of why we are going to communicate with partners as part of the planned meeting.
• The next point in our scenario is determining the desired result.
• Next according to the plan is to identify resources that will help achieve this very result. This could be, for example, this or that knowledge, the competence of certain specialists of the company. In the first case, our actions will be to find the necessary sources of information and become familiar with the relevant facts. In the second, we invite competent specialists with us, agreeing with them in advance on the key nuances of the upcoming negotiations.
• The next component of preparing to communicate with partners, which should be decided upon before the meeting, is the method of conveying information to him. It can be predominantly oral or include, for example, presentations on a projector, familiarization of partners with printed texts, video materials, etc. It is necessary to ensure in advance that the organization of business negotiations by the responsible party will include appropriate technical supplies.

Negotiations are essentially a process of exchange of opinions between two or more people, which is carried out with the aim of achieving a specific result. By and large, negotiations are present in the life of every person, because... We all, one way or another, have to negotiate something with someone from time to time. when hiring, concluding an important contract, meeting with potential business partners, selling a product or service to a client, family council, etc. and so on. - all these are negotiations.

But it is necessary to understand that negotiations, despite the fact that they are similar in essence, almost always take place in different conditions, i.e. for example, negotiations between two business partners correspond to one set of conditions, negotiations between a subordinate and a manager - others, negotiations between heads of state - others, etc.

However, the negotiation process itself always consists of three fundamental stages:

• Preparation of negotiations
• Negotiation process
• Reaching agreement

Stage one - preparation of negotiations

Preparing for negotiations is an extremely important stage, because it is on this that the foundation of the entire upcoming process is laid. Each element of preparation is of great importance and can affect the achievement of the objectives. Even if one intermediate stage (one of the stages of preparation for negotiations) was not given due attention, the preparation cannot be considered carried out effectively.

Preparation of negotiations consists of:

• Definitions of Negotiation Tools
• Establishing contact between participants
• Collection and analysis of data required for negotiations
• Drawing up a negotiation plan
• Creating an atmosphere of mutual trust

Determining Negotiation Tools

The stage of determining the means of negotiation is characterized by the fact that it implies the identification of a set of various approaches and/or negotiation procedures and the means that will be used for their implementation. In addition, elements are identified that have the ability to help resolve current problem, such as, for example, court, arbitration, mediators, etc. The means of negotiation are determined by all participants in the process, based on their own and/or common considerations.

MORE:You must understand by what means the result you want can be achieved: in addition to determining the negotiation strategy (we will talk about this in the next lesson), it could be any auxiliary materials, equipment, etc. Plus, they are often attracted additional specialists eg statisticians, subject matter professionals, consultants, judges, etc.

Establishing contact between participants

• Establishing contact between participants through Email, fax or telephone
• Identifying the desire of the parties to take part in negotiations and identify specific approaches to solving the problem (coordinate them)
• Establishing a relationship in which there will be a spirit to achieve similar goals, mutual respect and trust (often mutual sympathy), agreement; in addition, in the process of establishing contact between the participants, negotiation interaction develops
• Reaching an agreement that negotiations are mandatory
• Reaching an agreement that all interested parties (partners, management/subordinates, outside organizations, third parties, etc.) can join the negotiations

MORE:The name of this intermediate stage speaks for itself. An independent representative (or a representative of one party) must contact representatives of the opposing parties (or a representative of the other party) to find out whether the parties are ready to negotiate, how they plan to resolve the issues facing them, determine the terms of the negotiations, and also decide on whether participants will involve additional stakeholders/organizations, and who these individuals/organizations will be.

Collection and analysis of data required for negotiations

The presented stage of preparation for negotiations involves:

• Definition, collection and analysis necessary information about persons, organizations and all details that have any relation to the subject of negotiations
• Checking the relevance of the information found and its compliance with the real state of affairs
• Maximize the likelihood of negative impact from information that is unavailable or unreliable
• Determining the main interests of each negotiator

MORE:At the stage of preparation of negotiations, it is imperative to collect all possible data about with whom negotiations will be conducted and which interested persons/organizations can or will take part in them. It is very important to collect a comprehensive amount of data so that unforeseen situations and confusion do not arise during the negotiation process. Among other things, the effectiveness and outcome of negotiations depend greatly on whether the parties understand each other's requirements, as well as their own.

Drawing up a negotiation plan

The presented stage of preparation for negotiations involves:

• Determining tactics and strategies that can help achieve the goal - to bring the negotiators to an agreement
• Determining tactics that best suit the situation and the characteristics of the most ambiguous (controversial) issues that will be raised during the negotiations
• Calculation of the necessary objective results

MORE:Undoubtedly, it is not possible to plan everything, but it is possible negotiations This includes, again, defining a strategy that will allow (based on the information collected about the opponent/opponents), tactical nuances that allow, if necessary, adjustments to the strategy, possible issues that will be raised, and determination of such points as the location of the negotiations, the exact number of participants, the start and end times of the negotiations, etc. .d., i.e. all organizational nuances. As a result, you should have a rough picture of the upcoming event.

Creating an atmosphere of mutual trust

The presented stage of preparation for negotiations involves:

• Taking measures to psychologically prepare negotiators for participation in the negotiation process (the main controversial issues are taken into account)
• Taking measures to prepare conditions for the perception and understanding of information and minimizing the impact of stereotypes
• Taking measures to create an atmosphere of recognition by negotiators that the issues in dispute are legitimate
• Taking steps to create a trusting atmosphere conducive to effective interaction

MORE:The most effective negotiations always take place in a friendly atmosphere, when all participants are ready to meet each other, listen to opposing opinions, take into account other people’s desires and needs, etc. It is for this purpose that it is necessary to carry out psychological training (often through the involvement of specialists in this field), create comfortable conditions for conducting negotiations, attract third-party specialists who, firstly, can establish that all the conditions of the negotiations are legal and complied with, and secondly secondly, they will regulate the negotiation process, preventing participants from violating the established rules.

Stage two - negotiations

The second stage of negotiations is the most important, because Here there is direct interaction between participants in the negotiation process. As in the case discussed above, all elements of the negotiation stage play a large role. The scheme proposed below is considered to be the most optimal, for which reason the intermediate stages should not be swapped.

So, the second stage consists of:

• Beginning of the negotiation process
• Identifying controversial issues and setting the agenda
• Determining the fundamental interests of participants
• Development of proposal options on which an agreement can be based

Beginning of the negotiation process

• Introduction (familiarity) of the negotiators with each other
• Exchange of opinions between participants, demonstrating readiness to receive opinions opposite side, sharing ideas, openly inviting considerations as they arise, demonstrating willingness and readiness to seek agreement in a peaceful environment
• Defining and building a general line of behavior
• Determining mutual expectations from the negotiation process
• Formation of participants' positions

MORE:On initial stage the responsible person must introduce all participants in the negotiations to those present and give a signal to begin the process. Participants have the right to express their ideas on the topic of the negotiation process, voice their positions, make adjustments and additions. Taking this information into account, the negotiation process will be carried out in the future.

Identifying controversial issues and setting the agenda

The presented stage of negotiations involves:

• Determining the area of ​​negotiations that includes the interests of the participants
• Determination of controversial issues subject to mandatory discussion
• Formulation of controversial issues subject to mandatory discussion
• Demonstration of the desire of the participants to develop an agreement on controversial issues (discussion should begin with controversial issues on which there is the least disagreement, i.e. on those issues on which agreement is more likely to be reached)
• The use of techniques for controversial issues, including obtaining additional information

MORE:Participants must decide among themselves that they are looking for a solution to the same problem, and also understand each other’s interests. The pace is set: additional issues are discussed on which the parties do not have a clear opinion, each party collects additional information through active listening, recording information, compiling lists of additional questions and from voicing.

Determining the fundamental interests of participants

The presented stage of negotiations involves:

• A detailed study of controversial issues (initially separately, and then comprehensively) to determine the needs, interests and fundamental positions of the participants in the negotiation process
• Participants disclosing their interests to each other in all details, thanks to which even other people’s interests can be perceived as their own

MORE:At this intermediate stage, the participants jointly delve deeper into the study of controversial issues of each side, clarify their details, ask each other additional questions, and clarify interests and needs. All this is done to minimize misunderstandings during the negotiation process, simplify the search for the most suitable solution to the problem for all participants and reach an agreement. Taking the information received as a basis, participants can not only understand each other’s deep interests, but also find new points of contact and creative options further actions.

Development of proposal options on which an agreement can be based

The presented stage of negotiations involves:

• The desire of participants to choose the most suitable option agreements from the existing array (if there is no such option, you need to define new options)
• Review of the needs of each participant (the purpose of the review is to bring all controversial issues to a common denominator)
• Drawing up criteria or proposal already current standards, defining the discussion of the agreement
• Formulating the principles of the agreement
• Sequential solution controversial issues (complex controversial issues are divided into small ones - those to which participants can answer faster and easier)
• Choosing a solution to the problem (options can be either proposed by each participant individually or developed jointly during negotiations)

MORE:Based on all the data obtained at the previous stages, having discussed all the details and subtleties of the main problem, the negotiators determine several options for the terms of the agreement, initially without taking any of them as a basis and without focusing on any of them. If necessary, a summary of the needs of each party and the criteria that should be taken into account to reach an agreement is drawn up, and uniform principles are formulated that should guide all participants without exception. If some questions are not analyzed well enough, they are analyzed again (if necessary, complex questions are divided into simple ones). Thus, an array of options for solving the problem is created, from which one will subsequently be selected that will satisfy all the conditions and suit all participants in the negotiations (unless, of course, we are talking about tough negotiations - we will talk about them in a separate chapter).

Stage three - reaching agreement

The consensus stage is the result of everything discussed above. At this stage, participants in the negotiation process come to a specific agreement that satisfies their interests.

This stage also consists of several intermediate ones, or rather:

• Agreement Option Definitions
• Final discussion of options for solving the problem
• Achieving formal agreement

Defining Agreement Options

• Detailed consideration of participants' interests
• Establishing a connection between the interests of the participants and the solutions to the problem that were found
• Assessing the effectiveness of each solution to the problem

MORE:The options for solving the problem and reaching an agreement obtained during the previous stage are summarized and then compared with the interests of each party. These options are then examined for effectiveness. For each option, questions are asked like: “Does this option satisfy Party A/Party B?”, “Does this option meet the interests of Party A/Party B?”, “How effective is this option in solving the problem?” etc. A short summary is then written for each option.

Final discussion of solutions to the problem

The presented stage of reaching agreement involves:

• Selecting one option from the available options for solving the problem (negotiators make concessions to each other)
• Creating the most effective and perfect option based on the selected
• Formulation of the final decision
• Development of a procedure for formalizing the main agreement

MORE:The most effective option is considered to be that option for solving the problem and reaching an agreement that best satisfies the interests of all parties. This option is selected from the general array. If it has shortcomings that require improvement, a new version is created on its basis, eliminating such shortcomings (this can be implemented through , focus groups, etc.). As soon as the final version is ready, the parties (or responsible persons) begin to develop a procedure for drawing up the main agreement: its form, the procedure for conclusion, the list of persons/organizations involved (if required), etc. are determined.

Reaching formal agreement

The presented stage of reaching agreement involves:

• Reaching agreement (consent can be either verbal or documented, including legally, for example, in the form of a contract, agreement, agreement, etc.)
• Participants discuss the process of fulfilling their obligations
• Development by participants of possible ways to overcome difficulties that may arise in the process of fulfilling their obligations
• Development by participants of a procedure for monitoring the fulfillment of their obligations
• Formalization of the agreement
• Development of enforcement mechanisms and obligations (fairness, impartiality, guarantees, etc.)

MORE:The result of all the above-mentioned main and intermediate stages should be the parties reaching a formal agreement. Negotiators verbally or documented (including with the involvement of relevant specialists) enter into an agreement, distribute rights and responsibilities, set deadlines for fulfilling their obligations (all this can be drawn up in the form of special questionnaires, checklists, etc.) , discuss additional issues, draw up a plan for implementing the planned tasks, etc. In addition, the participants must somehow determine the procedure for punishment (fines or other forms) for failure of one of their parties (both parties) to fulfill their obligations or violation of the terms of the agreement.

These are essentially the main stages of the negotiation process.

As we have already mentioned, in order to maximize the very probability of achieving success in negotiations, it is necessary to try to follow the algorithm we have considered, without excluding or changing its stages. Of course, you have every right to make your own additions and adjustments, because Some negotiations will never be completely identical to others, and therefore will have their own specificity and uniqueness. To put it somewhat differently, the result that you plan to achieve through negotiations requires an exceptional approach, expressed not only in the skillful handling of facts, arguments and available information, but also in the application.

And at the end of the first lesson, we would like to give you a few more recommendations - to introduce you to some rules for conducting effective negotiations and some rules for persuading negotiating partners.

Several rules for conducting effective negotiations

These few rules of negotiation will allow you to avoid the most common mistakes (we will talk about mistakes in more detail in the sixth lesson) and conduct negotiations in the most optimal and comfortable way for each of the parties.

To ensure your negotiations are always effective, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid statements that may diminish the personality of other participants. Try to adhere to the rules of etiquette, be polite, and communicate civilly. In cases where passions are running so high that you are close to losing control (especially tough negotiations), it is worth taking a break.
• Try to “read” your opponent’s thoughts in advance in order to be able to make statements that correspond to his train of thought. However, it is very important here not to hurt your opponent’s feelings.
• Never ignore or neglect the opinion of your interlocutor - take into account what he says
• It often happens that one negotiator, without explaining his goals, attacks the other with questions, trying to find out something. This line of behavior is not effective, because the responding participant feels pressured. For negotiations to go smoothly, you should define each other’s goals and objectives at the very beginning.
• If you were unable to determine the main thing in the negotiations the first time, and as a result you began to move away from the main topic, your opponent has the right to correct you or supplement your speech; you should take this as calmly as possible and try not to make such mistakes in the future
• Avoid paraphrasing what your opponent said, otherwise this may lead to a new prioritization, repetition of what the opponent does not consider important, or generalization; this can ultimately lead to misunderstandings and heightened passions
• Develop the idea - if your opponent for some reason did not indicate what he means directly, draw a consequence from his words yourself. When developing your thought, use the framework that your opponent has set, otherwise he may think that you are ignoring him. If you don’t understand anything your opponent said, be sure to clarify it.
• If at some stage of the negotiations you feel that you are starting to succumb to emotions, it will be quite normal if you voice it, but voice it not emotionally, but calmly and easily. Remember again: inability to negotiate will not lead to anything good.
• If at some stage you felt that your opponent was beginning to succumb to emotions, it would be quite acceptable if you voiced how he was perceived this moment you his condition
• As you conduct negotiations and discuss individual topics, summarize the interim results - this will promote mutual understanding, and will also serve as a beacon that will give a signal whenever and if the negotiations deviate away from the main topic

These are just some of the rules for effective negotiations. You are sure to meet others as you take this course.

Several rules for persuading your interlocutor

Several rules of persuasion, which we will now tell you about, can serve you well in any situation when you need to convince your partner that you are right or the weight of your arguments.

To be as persuasive as possible in the negotiation process, consider the following recommendations:

• Pay attention Special attention the order in which you present your arguments - their order directly affects your persuasiveness. The most optimal order of argumentation is the following: strong arguments - arguments of medium strength - the strongest arguments (which is what is commonly called a “trump card”)
• To get the right answer to a question that is important to you, make sure that this question comes in third place - initially ask two simple questions that will be not only easy but also pleasant for your opponent to answer, and then ask the main question
• Even if you feel superior to your opponent, you should not drive him into a corner - your opponent should be able to remain with his head held high.
• Remember that the status and image of the speaker are always reflected in his persuasiveness (this rule is also very effective when preparing for negotiations)
• No matter what the situation is, don't let yourself be painted into a corner - you should always try to maintain your own status (it's best to improve it, of course)
• No matter what your partner’s status is (higher or lower than yours), never try to lower it (this can negatively affect both your opponent’s reputation and your own)
• The attitude towards the opponent’s arguments should not be condescending (as happens when negotiating with a pleasant partner) or with prejudice (as happens when negotiating with an unpleasant partner) - it should always be adequate, just like the reaction to arguments
• It is best to start negotiations for the purpose of persuasion with those on which you and your opponent agree, and only then move on to topics on which there are differences of opinion
• Try to show empathy - enter a state in which you will empathize with your opponent (read more about empathy)
• Refrain from any words and actions (including inaction) that could lead to a conflict situation.
• Keep track of yours (to prevent your opponent from “reading” you - finding out internal state, mood, etc.), as well as postures, gestures and facial expressions of the opponent (to be able to “read” him)
• Argue your position and point of view so that your opponent feels that there is something in your arguments that corresponds to his own interests

Naturally, these rules that help convince people are not the only ones of their kind. In fact, this topic is very broad, and various techniques beliefs are devoted to a lot of various materials, for which reason, in addition to the presented course, we recommend that you read our articles on the topic and, as well as the book by Robert Dilts “”.

In our next lesson we will talk about negotiation strategies, as well as the ethics of the negotiation process, global negotiation conditions and some other equally important things related to negotiations.

Test your knowledge

If you want to test your knowledge on the topic of this lesson, you can take a short test consisting of several questions. For each question, only 1 option can be correct. After you select one of the options, the system automatically moves on to the next question. The points you receive are affected by the correctness of your answers and the time spent on completion. Please note that the questions are different each time and the options are mixed.

Communication is an important form of human interaction. Managers spend an average of 80% of their working time on various types of communication. Almost all business problems are in one way or another related to communication - the process of transmitting ideas, thoughts and feelings, bringing them to the understanding of other people. The effectiveness of negotiations depends on how well the communication is structured; degree of mutual understanding with partners, clients and employees; satisfaction of the organization's employees with their work; moral and mental climate in the team; relationships with other organizations and government agencies. For a modern manager, a person who must work with people, the ability to communicate is vital, it is the most important skill that a manager should have.

Business communication is the process of establishing and developing contacts between people, generated by the needs of joint activities; exchange of information that is significant for the participants in communication. (In business communication, the subject of communication is a business, a certain type of activity associated with the production of a product).

Subjects of communication are employees of the organization, managers.

Features of business communication:

1. A partner in business communication acts as a person significant to the subject;

2. Communicating people are distinguished by mutual understanding in matters of business;

The main task of business communication is productive cooperation.

Negotiations are a means, a relationship between people, designed to reach an agreement when both parties have coinciding or opposing interests.

Business negotiations are discussions with the aim of concluding an agreement between someone on some issue.

Negotiation model:

1. Preparation of negotiations.

Before starting negotiations, it is necessary to have a developed model:

Have a clear idea of ​​the subject of negotiations and the problem being discussed. The initiative in negotiations will be with the one who knows and understands the problem better;

Be sure to draw up a rough program and scenario for the course of negotiations;

Outline moments of your intransigence, as well as problems where you can give in if a deadlock in negotiations unexpectedly arises;

Determine for yourself the upper and lower levels of compromise on issues that, in your opinion, will cause the most heated discussion.

2. Negotiations.

In management practice, the following basic methods are used when conducting business negotiations:

Variation method (used in preparation for complex negotiations);

Integration method (designed to convince the partner of the need to evaluate the issues of negotiations taking into account public relations and the resulting needs for the development of cooperation);

Balancing method;

Compromise method (negotiators must show a willingness to compromise: in case of divergent interests of the partner, an agreement should be achieved step by step)

3. Solving the problem (completion of negotiations).

The above methods of negotiation are of a general nature. There are a number of techniques, methods and principles that detail and specify their application.

1) Meeting and making contact.

2) Attracting the attention of the negotiators (the beginning of the business part of the negotiations).

3) Transfer of information.

4) Detailed justification of proposals (argumentation).

Completion of negotiations. If the progress of the negotiations was positive, then at their final stage it is necessary to summarize, briefly repeat the main points that were touched upon during the negotiations, and, most importantly, the characteristics of those positive points on which the parties agreed.

4. Analysis of the results of business negotiations.

Conditions for effective negotiations:

1. Both parties must have an interest in the subject of negotiations;

2. They must have sufficient authority to make final decisions;

3. Partners must have sufficient competence, necessary knowledge regarding the subject of negotiations;

4. Be able to take into account the subjective and objective interests of the other party as fully as possible and make compromises;

5. Negotiating partners must trust each other to a certain extent.

Questions for consolidation:

1. The connection between communication and the work of a manager.

2. Define business communication.

3. Define negotiation.

4. List the stages of business negotiations. Give them a brief description.

5. What conditions for effective negotiations do you know?

Please indicate one correct answer:

1. On average, what percentage of working time do managers spend on various types of communication?

2. Subjects of communication are...

A) employees of the organization

B) leaders of the organization

B) equipment

D) suppliers

3. Negotiations are...

A) an important form of human interaction

B) a means, a relationship between people, intended to reach an agreement when both parties have coinciding or opposing interests

B) discussion with the aim of concluding an agreement between someone on any issue

D) the process of transmitting ideas, thoughts and feelings, bringing them to the understanding of other people

Business negotiations are not only an area of ​​business expansion, but also the most important part of an organization’s PR activities, forming and effectively maintaining its image. Successful and professional negotiations expand the positive information field about the company and help attract the attention of potential clients and partners to it.

Unfortunately, the role of business negotiations in modern domestic entrepreneurship is not yet high. It is also obvious that in the business community there is a growing awareness of the importance of negotiations in the development of any business and an understanding of the role and importance of improving the culture of negotiations.

Any negotiation is a process of implementing effective interpersonal communications, it is the use of acquired skills of communicative rhetoric, adjusted for the personality of the partner. The most important component of the negotiation process is communication between the parties and their effective interpersonal communication. The communication skills of negotiators, the ability to communicate, make contact and carry on a conversation, largely determine their overall success.

The communicative aspect of negotiations is decisive and therefore the negotiation process is considered as component speech communication (primarily dialogue, argumentation), as the ability to effectively use speech influence to achieve set goals.

The communicative competence of negotiators is thus considered as the ability to maintain verbal stability and confidence in any situation, mastery of interpersonal communication techniques, the basis of which is the theory and practice of dialogue, the art of conversation, and mastery of argumentation in business.

In the theory of business negotiations, we highlight the following topics: styles, methods and types of speech communications; techniques for effective interpersonal communication; the role of spatial and visual organization of negotiations; methods for assessing the motivations, expectations and concerns of participants in the negotiation process; methods of persuasive influence; predicting the level of trust of a partner; basic principles of building partner trust; defining a negotiation strategy; prevention of conflict situations and methods for their correction; strategy of “soft” and “hard” positions in negotiations; the art of systemic dialogue; determining the meaning of nonverbal information; the role and functions of speech and business etiquette.

Mastering the art of negotiation important role practice plays. For this reason, the course of lectures pays special attention to the analysis of methods, skills, and techniques of negotiation.

The actual workshop on business negotiations is focused on modern technologies their implementation, based on the interpretation of practical situations, basic techniques for determining goals and identifying the interests of a partner, methods for finding an alternative, skills for establishing contact with partners, choosing the optimal model of options for listening to the interlocutor; determining the basic models for organizing and conducting negotiations, the basic rules and formulas for conducting business communication; methods of effective business communications based on the desire to jointly search for solutions to problems, ways to protect against manipulation (how and what questions to answer, principles of evasion); practical skills of verbal communication, how and under what conditions to make concessions; choice of tactics of emotional and rational pressure; creating constructive relationships in negotiations; predicting misunderstanding and level of trust; overcoming communication and communication barriers; principles of establishing contact and skills of conducting official telephone conversations; psychological techniques: how to separate the personality from the problem; ethical framework for business relationships; diplomacy of a business dispute, modeling the situation of business negotiations.

Negotiations are essential tool to resolve business relationships or conflicts. The very intention to negotiate in any situation, and especially in a conflict situation, is worth a lot, and the task is not to miss the chance and take advantage of the parties’ desire to solve problems.

Negotiations as one of the types of creating and maintaining a dialogue with business partners can be carried out with the aim of:

Establishing business relationships;
clarifying the positions of the parties on one or more issues;
exchange of information;
settlement of relations;
deepening mutual understanding;
reaching new agreements;
signing agreements.

First of all, the subject of negotiations must be clearly understood and specified, and the desired goals that the parties strive to achieve must be clearly defined.

If one of the parties believes that it is capable of independently and effectively solving its problems, there is little basis for negotiations. Unless the other side can be convinced that a joint solution to its problems will be more effective. Negotiations will not take place even if the legal framework fully allows all the issues that have arisen to be resolved.

Finally, the parties must show a desire to jointly search for solutions and achieve their goals. This, naturally, implies the willingness of both contracting parties to make mutual concessions and understanding of each other’s interests.

Coincidence of interests or too great a divergence of interests make negotiations meaningless. Negotiations are more likely to succeed when your interests and the other party's interests are equal and divergent.

Thus, a situation of mixed interests is necessary. Only in this case we are dealing with interdependent negotiations. The more the parties depend on the success of negotiations, the higher the likelihood of their successful completion. The higher the degree of interdependence, the less likely negotiators are to take advantage of unilateral actions.

Moreover, we should not forget that participation in negotiations itself creates a situation that allows the parties to build new relationships, regardless of the conditions that existed before they began.

All this indicates that negotiations aimed at reaching agreements are a multifaceted process and include several stages:

Preparation for negotiations (including identifying the problem that needs to be solved);
identifying needs and goals;
selection of material and facts;
identifying the interests of the parties;
determination of the zone of intersection of interests ("solution zone");
determination of objective criteria;
formation of proposals and their options;
strategic planning;
tactical planning;
maneuvers and persuasion system;
putting forward alternatives;
analysis of the results of agreements and agreements reached and monitoring their implementation.

Conducting business negotiations

A business conversation often consists of negotiations, the specificity of which is their location in the interval between the two poles of relations: “cooperation” - “struggle”. During negotiations, the parties show a desire to cooperate, but through a struggle of opinions and interests. The more common the goals of the parties and the more interdependent the parties, the greater the need for a cooperative relationship. If one side seeks to gain benefits at the expense of the other, then a relationship of struggle arises, often leading to the breakdown of negotiations. Too much passion for one’s own interests, as well as too much one-sided trust and hypertrophied cooperation are ineffective. Thus, business negotiations are a balancing act between these two poles.

Business negotiations include at least three stages:

The first stage is preparatory. Often this stage is missed in the hope of one’s experience and intuition.

In the process of preparing for a conversation, especially important, on which the successful operation of the enterprise depends, it is necessary to draw up a conversation plan, which should reflect the following points:

Can I do without this conversation?
What is the main goal I set for myself in the conversation?
Was my interlocutor surprised when I asked him to meet?
Is my interlocutor ready to discuss the proposed topic?
Am I confident that the conversation will have a favorable outcome for me?
Is the interlocutor sure of the same thing?
What do I want to understand for myself?
What questions will I ask?
What questions might my interlocutor ask me?
What techniques do I use to influence my interlocutor in a conversation?
How will I behave if my interlocutor:
He will agree with me in everything;
will resolutely object and switch to a raised tone;
will not respond to my arguments;
will show distrust of my words;
will he try to hide his disbelief?
What outcome will suit (or not suit) me, him, both of us?

Thinking through these and other questions will give you confidence in business conversations.

The second stage is conducting a conversation. Starting it:

State your first question so that it is short, interesting, but not controversial;
strive for extreme brevity in your presentation of thoughts;
justify your judgments;
do not use words with double meanings.

Asking questions. It has been noticed that to maintain a conversation it is better to ask questions than to pronounce monologues. By asking a question, you show that you want to participate in communication and strive to ensure its further flow and deepening. This reassures the other person that you are interested in him and want to establish a positive relationship with him.

Neglecting questions opens the way to guesswork and all kinds of speculative constructions, attributing to people certain qualities, motives of behavior, and in accordance with this we begin to adjust our behavior, which can lead to ineffective communication, and often to conflicts.

Make sure your questions contain the words “what,” “who,” “where,” “by what means,” “why,” “when,” “how.” This will allow you to cover the entire problem situation for its analysis and eliminate monosyllabic answers “yes” and “no”.

The productivity of a business conversation is ensured by informational, mirror and relay questions. Information questions can be open or closed.

Open questions are structured in such a way that they elicit a meaningful answer (thought, judgment, statement of facts, positions, etc.). If a question is designed to answer only “yes” or “no” or contains the answer itself (a rhetorical question), it is called “closed”. This question is asked in order to obtain the consent (refusal) of the interlocutor; there is an element of coercion in it. For example: “Do you really think you did your best?” The person asking such a question only wants to confirm his suspicion. Otherwise he would have asked an open question: “What did you do?” The first question closes the dialogue, causing hidden irritation in the interlocutor and an internal refusal to continue the conversation.

To expand the scope of open dialogue and ensure its continuity, you can use a mirror question. It consists of repeating, with a questioning intonation, part of the statement uttered by the interlocutor so that he sees his statement with new side. A mirror question allows (without contradicting the interlocutor or refuting his statements) to give a new meaning to the conversation. This gives a better result than asking the question “why?” an infinite number of times, which causes a defensive reaction, excuses, searches for imaginary reasons, ultimately leading to conflict.

However, the mirror question must be used with caution and very tactfully, since it is aimed at obtaining information from the unsaid.

Relay questions are designed to add dynamics to the dialogue. They show the ability to listen and grasp their partner's cues on the fly. At the same time, they force him to open up even more, to express himself differently and beyond what is said.

It is important at the second stage to treat each other's thoughts and ideas favorably and at the same time critically, since it is at this stage that the future solution to the problem begins to be determined.

If your interlocutor objects to your arguments:

Listen to several objections at once;
do not rush to answer until you understand their essence;
check if you are talking to your interlocutor about different things;
find out whether the objections are really caused by different points of view or, perhaps, the formulation of the question was different;
try to give the interlocutor a different interpretation of the facts he gives, help him look at them differently, identify an unaccounted for possibility; after all, almost all events have more than one interpretation;
do not respond to objections in a categorical tone; this will help your interlocutor and you find an answer to your own objections.

Look at yourself from the outside and quickly answer the questions:

Did my mood, unrelated to the content of the conversation, influence the nature of the conversation?
Did I show dissatisfaction with the conversation through my facial expressions and posture?
Am I distracted during a conversation?

Try to express your reaction to the interlocutor’s words with a nod of your head, short remarks: “Okay,” “I understand,” “That’s interesting,” etc., thereby indicating that you understood the interlocutor’s thoughts and that mental contact with the interlocutor is maintained.

The third stage is an analysis of the past conversation, during which you need to get answers to the following questions:

Did you follow the main line of the conversation consistently?
Did you impose your arguments on your interlocutor when developing a solution?
Were your comments and objections justified?
Did you manage to be tactful throughout the conversation, without prejudice against the interlocutor?
Were you able to achieve maximum usefulness of the conversation and benefit for the business?

This will help you find weak spots in the conversation, understand the reason for your mistakes and the mistakes of your interlocutor, which will help you conduct your next business conversation more successfully if this conversation was not as successful as you would like.

At this stage, you should critically evaluate the information received, for which you need to ask yourself at least three questions:

1. Are there facts confirming the information received? How sufficient and accurate are they?
2. Are the supporting facts relevant? A situation may arise where the stated or implied evidence has little logical connection to the conclusion. It is necessary to think about the basis on which the conclusion drawn (inference) follows from the given facts.
3. Is there information that challenges the logical conclusion of the factual statements? There may be unaccounted information that affects the validity of your conclusion.

Organization of business negotiations

Success in achieving your goals and the impression of the seriousness of the company, i.e., largely depend on the level of organization of business negotiations. its image in business circles.

To conduct business negotiations, a protocol group of 2-3 employees is created in medium-sized companies; in large companies, special protocol departments are formed; in small companies, similar functions are often entrusted to the assistant and secretary of the general director of the company. For business meetings, a special spacious, well-furnished room with a large round or oval table is allocated for simultaneous negotiations by a group of partners of up to 10 people. On large companies It is advisable to have several meeting rooms for groups of different sizes.

Meeting rooms must be equipped with intra-company communications, a fax machine allowing access to international communication lines, and a company computer network terminal. Next to the meeting rooms, it is advisable to have separate rooms with a refrigerator for drinks and electrical appliances for making tea and coffee.

Nowadays it is not customary to receive guests in management offices, and sitting at the head of the table with the letter “T” is generally considered the height of indecency. For the protocol reception of guests in the work rooms, it can be installed corner sofa with a low table. During the meeting, all internal and external telephones must be blocked.

Negotiation technology is a creative process, it is difficult to describe it as a given. Just as there are no people alike, there are no similar negotiations. Moreover, there is no universal algorithm for success in negotiations. According to many experts, the subject of negotiations does not have a significant impact on the technology of their conduct.

The course of negotiations is significantly influenced by the relationship between the positions of the contracting parties: if the position of one of the parties is too and clearly weak, then the negotiation tactics of the other party will obviously be chosen either openly “hard” in style, or “soft” in form, but essentially firm and consistent.

The main types and methods of negotiations retain their importance over time, their structure, rules, techniques for handling objections and business etiquette change.

Negotiation technology is largely influenced by mentality, national styles, methods and techniques of business communication, and the culture of speech behavior in society as a whole. This is why, for example, American methods of negotiation do little to optimize negotiations in the domestic business environment.

For the most part, a set of ready-made recipes written for a different cultural, legal and business tradition is not suitable for negotiations in the post-Soviet space in the conditions of the formation of market relations.

The formation of modern domestic negotiation rules was influenced by several factors. IN Soviet time business negotiations in their direct meaning (conclusion of business agreements, business alliances, etc.) were rarely used to solve intra-economic problems. All issues, including production ones, were resolved in the appropriate authorities and then sent down to the conflicting parties for execution.

Negotiations are naturally divided into “standard” and “non-standard”. “Standard” negotiations, repeated in a particular market with high frequency. Participating partners are aware of the main circumstances surrounding business contacts, the basic principles of business reasoning, and the availability of standard contract texts corresponding to this type of transaction. The purpose of such negotiations is to agree on certain details that are determined by changes in the market, when mainly two contracting parties (customer - contractor) are involved. “Non-standard” negotiations conducted in a new situation of business interaction, having a complex set of issues and factors influencing their outcome, relevant for their solution, including the cost of the project under discussion. Distinctive feature Such negotiations are multi-stage, depending on the number of possible intermediaries: customer - intermediary - intermediary - performer.

Rules of business negotiations

The rules for conducting business negotiations are the same for everyone; they allow us to achieve our business goals, since they provide the opportunity to speak the same language with all participants in the negotiations.

Important rules for conducting business negotiations are:

Gathering information is an important stage in thorough preparation for a business meeting, this includes elaborating the content and solving organizational issues. Information about the company, its success in the business field, volume of operations, financial position, reputation, etc. is very valuable. It is also useful to draw up psychological portraits of the participants in the negotiations themselves. It is very important to understand the true motivation and goals of the other party.
- It is mandatory to draw up a negotiation plan, as well as a strategy for resolving conflict situations if they arise. In the process of negotiations, achieving the goal of the transaction is not the only successful option for the implementation of events; along the way, you can establish excellent business relationship with the negotiators, find new and alternative ways to achieve the goals.
- Environment control. By choosing the negotiation style, conditions, and duration, you can achieve your goals. Thus, to establish friendly relations, a meeting in a calm place and a favorable atmosphere is suitable, but in order to put pressure on the opponent, it is worth bringing a lawyer with you with a ready-made contract. Practice shows that in negotiations the party that organizes the meeting achieves greater success.
- Never immediately reject the ideas and thoughts proposed by your opponent, write them down, and also summarize the main thing, because it often happens that people remember different things and interpret them in their own way, so if possible, take the initiative and then read the recorded information to your interlocutor.

The rules for conducting business negotiations dictate the need to discuss light issues at the beginning of negotiations, which sets a favorable tone for their further conduct.

During the negotiations themselves, participants often follow three approaches:

The first is associated with the confrontation between the parties, when each of them considers it an indispensable need to win at any cost,
the second is the opposite of the first, the negotiators take friendly positions to achieve goals,
the third is the Harvard method, based on reasonable compromises, an alternative view of the problem and the search for a mutually beneficial solution.

The rules of business negotiations also suggest that whoever owns the more information, who has a better plan and a higher degree of negotiation skill.

Business negotiations are a process of interaction between parties aimed at reaching agreements that suit all parties.

Conducting business negotiations includes the following main stages:

Preparation. In most cases, the success of negotiations depends on preparation for negotiations. We are talking about both forming the composition of participants in the process and elaborating the content of the negotiations. The rules of negotiations say that they must be planned so that they last no more than two hours. The first decline in activity at such events begins after 35 minutes. Preparation of business negotiations includes a full analysis of the situation, formation of a set of negotiation style, development possible options solutions, preparation of materials for each of the possible proposals for the partner. When preparing for negotiations, choose one of the options to win over your partner: 1) a scheme, when the conversation is based on formal similarity (“we graduated from the same institute,” “we were born in the same city,” etc.), 2) a scheme, when sympathy is built on common spiritual values: “you and I protect the interests of various companies, but we are lawyers and we have our own code.” To be able to implement any of these schemes, you need preliminary preparation at the level of collecting maximum information about the interlocutor (you can penetrate the person social networks, assess your range of interests, find out where you studied, marital status, etc.). You need to write down several scenarios for yourself so that when the opportunity arises, you can incorporate them into the conversation.
Negotiation process. It consists of clarifying the interests and positions of all parties, discussing with arguments and justifications, and obtaining certain agreements. According to the rules of negotiation, controversial issues are discussed with an emphasis on the logical justification of their points of view on both sides. At the discussion stage, you need to defend your own position to the maximum. Do not neglect existing working rules of negotiation.
The rule of three yeses. The principle works according to the rule of answering three questions. Questions need to be formulated in such a way that the interlocutor answers “yes” to them. Usually the first two questions are not significant, but the third is important to you. The questions must be logically connected. You also need to take into account that the psychology of a modern businessman is distinguished by the fact that he does not like to be led, so the conversation can get out of control even on the second question.
The "we" rule. It consists in the fact that the conversation must be carried out in the direction of unification with the interlocutor. Use the wording “we understand”, “we see”, etc. more often. the interlocutor unconsciously begins to identify the opposing companies as a single whole, and accordingly, he begins to resolve issues in such a way as to take into account the interests of all.
Recording of agreements reached. After the negotiations, it is necessary to record the agreements reached, as well as discuss further ways of developing business negotiations. Clarify whether the opponent is ready to return to them later and, if so, when. By doing this, you are preparing the fields for new, perhaps more productive, negotiations.

There are two main methods of negotiation:

Bargaining method. With this scheme, the parties take certain, extremely favorable conditions for themselves, and then begin to concede in a certain sequence. Initially, each of the parties deliberately overstates its positions and, during the negotiations, they successively sort out who is ready for what concessions. This method of negotiation is characterized by unpredictability of results, high time costs and possible deterioration of relations between partners.
Principled position method. This method of negotiation comes down to the fact that the partners do not bargain over who can make what concessions. They jointly look for negotiation points where the interests of both parties would coincide. And where they do not coincide, they are guided by justice.

Features of business negotiations

The purpose of business communication is to organize a joint work process or improve its quality. This distinguishes business negotiations from other types of communication. The second obvious difference is the formality of business contacts. Communication in an official environment requires compliance with clearly established norms, compliance with the role that everyone gets within the hierarchy. Interaction at work is almost always forced, obligatory for the fulfillment of tasks facing its participants.

Your role in business negotiations depends on the situation and the interaction style you and your interlocutors choose, here are the most common ones:

1. Authoritarian style. In this case, one of the negotiating parties, usually the one with the highest hierarchical position, openly demonstrates its advantage and strictly dictates its position. This style is appropriate in our time on the part of law enforcement agencies when it comes to compliance with the law. Monopolists, representatives of government at all levels, and managers often show authoritarianism towards their subordinates. However, experience shows that suppression in business negotiations is for the most part inappropriate and can only be used in certain situations that require it:
when the rights of one of the parties are grossly violated,
when disagreement with an authoritarian position may result in harm to society/a third party,
when it is necessary to punish the offending employee (reprimand, issue a warning), etc.
2. Democratic style. In this case, the conversation takes place on equal terms, the position of each of the parties to the negotiations is considered and listened to, the partners strive for mutual consideration of interests, for a compromise solution. A democratic style is possible if all participants in the communication process are ready to adhere to its rules, which is why it is more common in the intellectual sphere.
3. Problem-target style. Such communication is dictated by the current situation and requires mobility, flexibility, and search for non-standard solutions from its participants. It is necessary to adjust the requests of each party so as to preserve their interests and at the same time fit into changing conditions.

The stages of business negotiations are standard in most situations:

1. The preparatory stage (if present) allows you to discuss the issue in a semi-formal setting and come to preliminary agreements.
2. The initial positioning stage involves an open, reasoned presentation by the parties of their opinions and intentions.
3. The search stage is associated with a joint discussion of the issue and the search for the final solution.
4. The final stage is decision making.

Sometimes business negotiations can reach a dead end, which forces the parties to either abandon the resolution or enter a new round of negotiations with the development of other solutions.

The following types of business negotiations are distinguished:

Official negotiations are strictly regulated and require keeping minutes and signing documents.
Informal business negotiations are close to casual conversation and most often do not involve making legally binding decisions.
External negotiations are communication with business partners and clients.
Internal – interaction between employees of the enterprise.

Forms of business communication are quite diverse. Firstly, it can be oral or correspondence. Secondly, business communication can take a monologue form: greeting speech, advertising message, report - or imply communication between several persons. In the latter case, we can talk about a business conversation, business negotiations (the result is the conclusion of a formal agreement), discussion, meeting, conference, interview with a journalist, telephone conversation, etc.

Features of business negotiations are determined by the originality national culture. Thus, the French are characterized by a tough style of negotiation, close to authoritarian, but when meeting with the Japanese one cannot be assertive in defending one’s position. Negotiations with the Germans should begin strictly at the agreed time, questions and proposals should be formulated clearly, and at the same time look brand new. With Americans it is better not to go into unnecessary formalities and get to the point as quickly as possible.

In order not to reduce negotiations to a conflict or deadlock, you need to carefully study in advance the norms of behavior of business people in the culture of the country with whose delegation you are planning a meeting.

Business conversations and negotiations

In political, entrepreneurial, commercial and other areas of activity, business conversations and negotiations play an important role. Not only individual researchers, but also special centers study the ethics and psychology of negotiation processes, and negotiation techniques are included in training programs for specialists in various fields. Business conversations and negotiations are carried out in verbal form (English verbal - verbal, oral). This requires participants in communication not only to be literate, but also to follow ethics verbal communication. In addition, what gestures and facial expressions we use to accompany speech (non-verbal communication) plays an important role. Knowledge of non-verbal aspects of communication acquires particular importance when conducting negotiation processes with foreign partners representing other cultures and religions.

Business conversation involves the exchange of opinions and information and does not imply the conclusion of contracts or the development of binding decisions. It can be independent, precede negotiations or be an integral part of them.

Negotiations are more formal, specific in nature and, as a rule, involve the signing of documents defining the mutual obligations of the parties (agreements, contracts, etc.). The main elements of preparation for negotiations: determining the subject (problems) of negotiations, searching for partners to solve them, understanding your interests and the interests of partners, developing a plan and program for negotiations, selecting specialists for the delegation, resolving organizational issues and registration necessary materials documents, drawings, tables, diagrams, samples of offered products, etc. The course of negotiations fits into the following scheme: beginning of a conversation, exchange of information, argumentation and counter-argumentation, development and decision-making, completion of negotiations.

The first stage of the negotiation process can be an introductory meeting (conversation), during which the subject of negotiations is clarified, organizational issues are resolved, or a meeting of experts that precedes negotiations with the participation of leaders and members of delegations. The success of negotiations as a whole largely depends on the results of such preliminary contacts. Six basic rules for establishing relations between partners in preliminary negotiations and recommendations for their implementation, offered by American experts, deserve attention.

These rules, by the way, retain their significance during negotiations:

1. Rationality. It is necessary to behave with restraint. Uncontrolled emotions negatively affect the negotiation process and the ability to make reasonable decisions.
2. Understanding. Inattention to the partner's point of view limits the possibility of developing mutually acceptable solutions.
3. Communication. If your partners do not show much interest, still try to consult with them. This will help maintain and improve relationships.
4. Credibility. False information weakens the strength of argumentation and also adversely affects reputation.
5. Avoid a mentoring tone. It is unacceptable to lecture your partner. The main method is persuasion.
6. Acceptance. Try to accept the other side and be open to learning something new from your partner.

The most optimal days for negotiations are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. The most favorable time of the day is half an hour after lunch, when thoughts about food do not distract from solving business issues. A favorable environment for negotiations can be created, depending on the circumstances, in your office, a partner’s representative office or on a neutral territory (conference room, hotel room suitable for negotiations, restaurant hall, etc.). The success of negotiations is largely determined by the ability to ask questions and receive comprehensive answers to them. Questions are used to control the progress of negotiations and clarify the opponent's point of view. Asking the right questions helps you make the decision you want. There are the following types of questions. Information questions are designed to collect information that is necessary to form an idea about something.

Test questions are important to use during any conversation to find out whether your partner understands you. Examples test questions: “What do you think about this?”, “Do you think the same as me?” Directing questions are necessary when you do not want to allow the interlocutor to force you into an undesirable direction of the conversation. With the help of such questions, you can take control of the negotiations and direct them in the direction you want.

Provocative questions allow you to establish what your partner really wants and whether he understands the situation correctly. To provoke means to challenge, to incite. These questions can start like this: “Are you sure that you can...?”, “Do you really think that...?”

Alternative questions provide the interlocutor with a choice. The number of options, however, should not exceed three. Such questions require a quick answer. Moreover, the word “or” is most often the main component of the question: “Which discussion period suits you best, Monday, Wednesday or Thursday?”

Confirmatory questions are asked to reach mutual understanding. If your partner agreed with you five times, then he will also give a positive answer to the decisive sixth question. Examples: “Are you of the same opinion that...?”, “Surely you are happy that...?”.

Counter questions are aimed at gradually narrowing the conversation and leading the negotiating partner to a final decision. It is considered impolite to answer a question with a question, but counter-questioning is a skillful psychological technique. correct use which can provide significant benefits.

Introductory questions are designed to identify the interlocutor's opinion on the issue under consideration. This open questions, requiring a detailed answer. For example: “What effect are you hoping for when making this decision?”

Orientation questions are asked to determine whether your partner continues to adhere to previously expressed opinions. For example: “What is your opinion on this point?”, “What conclusions did you come to?”

Unipolar questions involve the interlocutor repeating your question as a sign that he understands what is being said. At the same time, you make sure that the question is understood correctly, and the answerer gets time to think about the answer.

Negotiation-opening questions are essential for effective and engaged discussion. Negotiating partners immediately develop a state of positive expectation. For example: “If I offer you a way to quickly solve a problem... without risking anything, will you be interested?”

Closing questions are aimed at a speedy positive conclusion of the negotiations. In this case, it is best to first ask one or two confirming questions, accompanied by a friendly smile: “Was I able to convince you of the benefits of this offer?”, “Are you convinced how simply everything is solved?”. And then, without an additional transition, you can ask a question concluding the negotiations: “Which time of implementation of this proposal suits you better, May or June?”

Successful business conversations and negotiations largely depend on partners’ compliance with such ethical standards and principles as accuracy, honesty, correctness and tact, the ability to listen (attention to other people’s opinions), and specificity.

Accuracy. One of the most important ethical standards inherent in a business person. The terms of the agreement must be observed to the minute. Any delay indicates your unreliability in business.

Honesty. It includes not only fidelity to accepted obligations, but also openness in communication with a partner, direct business answers to his questions.

Correctness and tact. Does not exclude persistence and energy in negotiations while maintaining correctness. Factors that interfere with the flow of the conversation should be avoided: irritation, mutual attacks, incorrect statements, etc.

The ability to listen. Listen carefully and with concentration. Don't interrupt the speaker.

Specificity. The conversation should be specific, not abstract, and include facts, figures and necessary details. Concepts and categories must be agreed upon and understandable to partners. The speech must be supported by diagrams and documents.

And lastly, a negative outcome of a business conversation or negotiation is not a reason for harshness or coldness at the end of the negotiation process. The farewell should be such that, with a view to the future, it allows you to maintain contact and business ties.

Preparation of business negotiations

The success of negotiations depends entirely on how well you prepare for them. Before starting negotiations, it is necessary to have a developed model:

Have a clear idea of ​​the subject of negotiations and the problem being discussed. The initiative in negotiations will be with the one who knows and understands the problem better;
- be sure to draw up a rough program and scenario for the course of negotiations. Depending on the difficulty of the negotiations, there may be several projects;
- outline moments of your intransigence, as well as problems where you can give in if a deadlock in negotiations unexpectedly arises;
- determine for yourself the upper and lower levels of compromise on issues that, in your opinion, will cause the most heated discussion.

The implementation of this model is possible if the following issues are studied during the preparation of negotiations:

1) the purpose of the negotiations;
2) negotiation partner;
3) subject of negotiations;
4) the situation and conditions of negotiations;
5) those present at the negotiations;
6) organization of negotiations.

This is the first stage of the negotiation process, and the future of both the negotiations themselves and the decisions taken at them largely depends on how it is carried out. Experienced managers believe that the success of all future activities primarily depends on this.

At this stage it is necessary:

Work out procedural issues (where and when is the best time to conduct negotiations, what kind of atmosphere is expected during negotiations, is good relations with a partner important in the future, etc.);
- collect the necessary information (conduct a diagnosis of the state of affairs, determine the strengths and weaknesses of the proposed positions, predict the balance of power, find out who will negotiate and the interests of which group they represent);
- clearly formulate the purpose of participation in negotiations (in reality, any negotiations are carried out in order to achieve results that would be the most desirable and acceptable).

Thus, preparation for negotiations involves work in two directions: preparation of organizational issues and content. Organizational issues include such issues as the formation of a delegation, determining the place and time of the meeting, the agenda of each meeting, agreement with interested individuals and organizations on issues affecting them.

The date of negotiations is determined in advance, taking into account their duration. In this case, you should take into account upcoming business trips and vacations, family events of partners, as well as days of the week (the most convenient are Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday). The meeting place is also determined in advance. It should be borne in mind that visiting a partner’s apartment and holding negotiations on his territory is a sign of respect for him. But it is more profitable to negotiate on your own territory.

When arranging a meeting (by phone or in writing), do not go through more than seven steps at a time: greeting, introduction, acknowledgment, purpose, date and place, thank you.

It is also important to determine the composition of the delegation. The responsible person signing the agreement must be present at the negotiations. The group must include specialists and experts in negotiation issues. Each member of the delegation plays a role in the negotiation process. Some conduct negotiations, others prepare various certificates on the subject of negotiations, others analyze the information received during negotiations, give it an expert assessment, look for ways out of difficult situations, and direct the further course of the conversation. The key to successful negotiations is consistency and coherence in the work of the group, and confusion or failure in the organization will be immediately used by the partners.

A) analysis of the problem and formation of a common approach to negotiations;
b) identifying possible solutions and preparing proposals that meet one’s own position.

First of all, when preparing for negotiations, the main problem that will form the basis of the negotiations is analyzed. What is its essence? Are there other ways to solve it that require less cost and effort? What goal are both sides achieving? At the same time, the most important element of preparation for negotiations is the identification of possible solutions. They must be found and assessed before the negotiation process itself begins. To do this, you should conduct a preliminary “screening” of the maximum possible number of solution options: some of them will be acceptable for one side, some for the other. The preparation phase involves evaluating these options depending on their degree of acceptability.

In the preparation process, it is necessary to think through the argumentation of possible proposals that correspond to one or another solution option. Even a very good idea, without being put into a clear, constructive form, can die. Therefore, the wording of proposals should be quite simple and unambiguous.

At the preparatory stage, it is important not to “drown” in the problems, facts, and issues that the negotiators face. A number of methods have been developed to facilitate the substantive side of preparation for negotiations.

One of them is compiling balance sheets. Various decision options are written down on a piece of paper and against each of them - possible positive and negative aspects of its adoption. This takes into account how the partner currently perceives the situation, as well as how it is desirable for him to perceive and evaluate the problem. This provides a clear picture of possible options for solving a problem and the consequences associated with their adoption.

Another method that makes the preparation process easier is brainstorming. Unlike the previous method, it is aimed not at assessing existing solution options, but at generating new ones. Brainstorming involves collective preparation for negotiations. Each participant offers, if possible, maximum number options that should not be discussed immediately: no criticism, even if the idea seems “crazy.” This is necessary in order not to limit the creative freedom of the participants: fear of critical comments may lead to the “hiding” of very promising solutions.

If, when preparing for negotiations, it is decided to use both methods, then it is more advisable to start with brainstorming. It gives a kind of impetus for further work.

Types of business negotiations

They can be formal (round table, participants in formal suits, a secretary with aromatic coffee). They end with the mandatory signing of the protocol and other important papers. Business negotiations with a partner (or several) can be informal - without protocol, in a semi-friendly atmosphere.

Business negotiations are also divided into internal (when only members of their team are present) and external (customers, partners, or competitors are present) - members of a third-party organization.

Negotiations in business vary greatly in terms of psychological mood and goals to be achieved. They can be partnering and confrontational. In the second case, the negotiator’s goal is an unambiguous victory, and no concessions to himself.

In the first case, business negotiations may end in a mutual agreement. Both parties work on this result, analyzing and proposing the best solutions. There are no losers here, unlike the second method - confrontation.

There is another interesting method developed by Harvard graduates and professors. This is a principled negotiation method. He envisages the path of the famous carrot and stick, alternating between firmness of position and concessions. The main goal is the essence of the issue (its achievement), and not the principle of mutual concessions or no concessions. A tough position, considering first of all the essence of the issue.

To properly conduct business negotiations, you should think everything through carefully. You need to ask yourself a number of questions:

What is the purpose of business negotiations?
- What are your interests?
- What are you willing to compromise on, and what - under no circumstances.

In this case, you need to take into account constructive methods of business negotiations:

Common area of ​​decision (responsibility) - the opinions of all participants in the negotiations are expected to be voiced; you need to find something that is interesting and necessary for everyone;
identifying a compromise (what all parties are willing to accept);
zone of agreement (general or partial agreement as a result of negotiations).

If the problem cannot be solved in all its points, it should be divided into its components. And decide in parts. Those issues on which such an agreement is not reached are removed from the agenda or transferred to the next business negotiations.

Team or individuals

A business conversation or business negotiations can take place both between teams and between individual specialists. In the first case, experts in different fields can be brought together. This gives the negotiations a multilateral character and allows issues to be resolved comprehensively.

And yet, responsibility for the result lies with a certain person (or several). A problem in team negotiations can be differences of opinion between members of the same group. Agreement will take longer than with a one-man approach.

If business negotiations are conducted between two people, there is a high probability that they will come to an agreement faster than with a collective approach. Responsibility also lies with the individual negotiator.

Experienced negotiators use psychological techniques and manipulation when they are on their territory. This is an advantage over the other side. Its representatives feel more vulnerable when they are on someone else's “playing field”.

In business negotiations, the design of the room matters, the way the participants are seated - everything that directly affects the course of the meeting. And that means its result. Negotiations on one's own territory are considered ideal. You can manipulate the emotions of your opponents and organize a meeting in such a way as to make one or another impression about yourself without even saying a word.

Experts distinguish three stages of business negotiations (in fact, of course, there are more of them):

1. Mutual agreement of points of view, clarification of concepts, detailing of the positions of all parties.
2. Discussion of the possibility of all parties to the negotiations to accept certain points and reach agreement. Justification of the arguments.
3. Achieving agreement on all positions and developing points on which agreement is reached or not reached.

It is important to understand that not all of these stages strictly follow one another - they may alternate, or some item may not be used at all.

There are quite a few styles of business negotiations, and their elements can be combined. But three of them are still highlighted as basic:

Each of these styles is suitable for different types business negotiations and are combined with various methods of conducting them.

Authoritarian style is a tough position of the negotiator without taking into account the opinions and interests of other participants. Monopolistic companies often adhere to this style in relation to small firms. Or representatives of law and order in relation to persons violating it.

However, often this style does not lead to the desired result, especially if the other side also rigidly adheres to its position. Therefore, it may be inappropriate when both participants in business negotiations are in approximately the same psychological and financial positions.

Democratic style of business negotiations - both parties take into account each other’s opinions and try to work as partners. In this case, a compromise solution is achieved in most cases. This style is more common in a creative, intellectual environment. General rules This approach is mandatory for everyone, they try not to violate them.

The target style of business negotiations is activity, flexibility, quick reaction “on the fly” - this is what distinguishes this approach. Brainstorming sessions often take place in this style, and this is how creative groups operate. The interests of each side are adjusted quickly; mobility is the main quality of negotiators.

After business negotiations in any style, the golden rule is to analyze all points and behavior of both parties. This will allow you to adjust the methods, approaches and styles of business negotiations in order to be even more effective next time.

Stages of business negotiations

Conducting business negotiations involves several stages. It all starts with a very important and responsible process - preparation for business negotiations. This is usually done by a group of people whose task is to find out and analyze not only their own goals, means, capabilities, etc., but also the position of the opposite side. Depending on this, the necessary documents are prepared, figures are presented, reports are collected, and an analysis of certain possibilities is carried out. When the preparation is completed, the parties agree on a meeting. The meeting itself is also divided into several stages.

At the first stage, the parties get to know each other, greet each other, try to create a friendly working atmosphere, in general, set the tone. A good, friendly start is the key to business negotiations being as productive as possible.

At the second stage, the parties move on to presenting information - voice their goals, identify interests, demonstrate opportunities, etc.

At the third stage, it is customary to convincingly prove your point of view and defend your own benefits. In essence, the participants prove to each other that their proposals are better and will help to more successfully implement their plans.

There are many techniques, rules, tricks, etc., on how to defend your positions as much as possible. But at the same time, we must not forget that rudeness, impartial statements and other maneuvers in the same spirit can harm the business.

The fourth stage of business negotiations is conventionally considered the phase when opponents proceed to refutations. That is, whenever possible, negotiators provide evidence that certain arguments, justifications of the other side were not complete, not entirely correct, and the like.

In the “heat of battle,” however, we should not forget that the main goal of this phase is not to destroy the enemy morally by accusing him of lies and forgery, but to push him to the opinion that if you do it your way, it will be better for everyone.

At the last, fifth stage, the negotiating parties must come to an agreement... or not.

A positive result of business negotiations, in fact, is not considered to be a decision “to do everything as I said,” but an agreement that allows one to achieve the best option for cooperation with the least concessions on one’s part.

That is, you will still have to make concessions, but it is important to choose correctly what to make concessions on (this issue is thought through at the preparation stage) and, of course, remain as correct as possible during the process (this issue is regulated by business etiquette).

Based on the results of business negotiations, an important final stage is carried out. It is customary to discuss the agreements reached here. And also make “curtses” towards the interlocutors: praise personal qualities, evaluate the work previously carried out, recognize the atmosphere as friendly, the work as fruitful, the participants as real professionals with whom it is a pleasure to deal.

If the desired result was not achieved, analysis is still necessary. In this case, they thank the interlocutors, voice issues on which mutual understanding was reached, compliment their business qualities, etc. In general, they try to end the communication in such a way that this potential partner is not lost forever and keeps in mind that perhaps in the future they will want to discuss the terms of another cooperation with him. Based on the results of business negotiations, it is also necessary to draw up relevant documents, which can be presented immediately or after an agreed time. After the opposite party leaves, a conversation is usually held within the group of negotiators. Here the results are summed up, mistakes in business negotiations are clarified, weak and strengths enemy for the future.

This, of course, is a very simplified scheme for conducting business negotiations. For the success of the event, it is important to take into account many nuances, have knowledge of psychology and negotiation tactics, and have the necessary business qualities and training.

Based on this, each businessman builds his own scheme and applies his own methods. One thing remains unchanged in any case: maximum correctness, respect for representatives of the other party and the willingness to come to an agreement, and not force the enemy to unconditionally accept your point of view, play an important role in business negotiations.

Business negotiations with partners

Considering business negotiations in a psychological context, the following stages that influence their success should be noted:

Preparing for negotiations.
Direct negotiations.
Formulating the purpose of the negotiations.

At this stage, you need to specifically decide what you want to achieve from the upcoming meeting and clearly formulate this goal for yourself. For clearer specification and clarity, it is advisable to state the purpose of the negotiations in writing. However, during the negotiation process, you should not unambiguously and rigidly adhere to the set goal; let the situation develop naturally and perhaps it will take an unexpected and more beneficial direction for you.

Preparation for negotiations can be divided into the following points:

1. Solving organizational issues. Among the organizational issues in this context, it is necessary to note the choice of place for negotiations. The greatest advantage for you is a meeting on “your territory”, or, in extreme cases, on “neutral”. Of course, agreeing on the location of the upcoming meeting can already be considered as independent negotiations and act in accordance with the strategy outlined here.
2. Processing information previously received about the partner in order to develop appropriate behavior. A positive result of negotiations is the achievement of agreement on any issue. Well known psychological technique- “get your partner to say yes three times and you will be closer to success.” Collecting and processing information about a partner is aimed at identifying points of agreement and contradiction, as well as identifying the partner’s strengths and weaknesses in order to be able to control the situation. If possible, determine your partner’s opinion on the following issues: politics, religion, hobbies, basic life principles, family relationships, etc. If in any area views that are completely opposite to yours are revealed, try to temporarily penetrate and agree with these ideas and at least achieve your neutral attitude towards these issues. Find out about his reputation in circles relevant to your question and draw conclusions about what you can expect from a partner. From the internal psychological characteristics, it can be useful to identify the system of its perception: visual, auditory, kinesthetic. The strongest and weakest channels of perception.
3. Psychological modeling of negotiations. Now, having understood from the previous paragraph who the meeting will be with, we can model various options for the development of the meeting. You can offer several options for modeling negotiations: written, on two chairs and with an assistant.

Written modeling

Take a blank sheet of paper. Visualize your partner in your mind and write down what you want to tell him. Then imagine what he could answer you and write it down on the next line. Continue until you reach complete agreement with your imaginary partner on at least the topic of the upcoming negotiations, and at best on all the topics mentioned in the previous paragraph.

Two chairs

Place two chairs, one opposite the other, take one chair, and imagine your upcoming partner on the opposite one. Tell him the first thing that comes to your mind, and as soon as you feel that you have nothing more to say, or that your partner may object to you, move to another chair and answer on behalf of your partner. Success rates are the same as for written modeling.

Simulation with an assistant

Choose an assistant (at best, someone who is familiar with your partner or similar to him in psychological parameters) and perform a kind of performance of the upcoming meeting. Let the assistant come up with all sorts of objections and refusals, and you, in turn, find a way out of the situations created by the assistant to win for yourself. The signal for the end of the workout is your complete feeling of control over the situation, a feeling of success or victory.

If you know that more than one opponent will be involved in a negotiation, be sure to include all possible meeting participants in your modeling process.

After the simulation, you should clearly note to yourself that the simulation is completed, and try to completely switch your attention to performing your normal activities or take a walk, relax with friends, etc.

Direct negotiations

As mentioned above, the goal of negotiations is to achieve your partner's agreement with your proposal. Psychological factors of agreement include a feeling of comfort, trust and interest in you and your proposal. In this regard, the presentation of your proposal must be structured with an emphasis on the benefits that your partner can receive from it, and only after that move on to what you need.

To create a comfortable and trusting relationship in the communication process, first of all, you should pay attention to the distance between the interlocutors. If you get too close to your partner, he may feel like you are encroaching on his territory; on the contrary, if you move too far away, he may lose interest in you. Keep in mind that this comfortable distance can vary significantly from person to person. Also, your partner’s attitude towards you may change depending on the direction in which you are towards him (left, right, face to face). For example, in the reception area, the visitor’s place is usually located in the leader’s comfort and strength zone (it can be chosen when the office is first arranged or developed during the work process). If you take this place, then the owner of the office will have undeniable advantages before you, and besides, you will be one of the thousands passing before his eyes. Next, you can highlight a zone of vulnerability; in that zone, your partner will experience discomfort and inconvenience in front of you, which is also undesirable for the success of negotiations (but can be useful if you are being “pressed”). The best option is to take a position in which your partner feels comfortable and feels the novelty of the situation, that is, a zone different from his zones of strength and vulnerability. The location of these zones can also vary significantly from person to person.

The next factor of comfort and understanding is speaking the partner’s language. During the conversation, try to use the same perceptual system as your partner. If he is a visualist, it is necessary to look into his eyes more often and in conversation use words related to this system of perception (look, see, form, imagine), actively use drawings, diagrams; When communicating with an auditory learner, try not to allow long pauses in the conversation, keywords This channel of perception includes words like talk, explain, listen, loud, sound, etc. To be more understandable for the kinesthete, try to take the same posture and gestures as his, use the opportunity of physical touch. To clearly clarify some questions, use available objects. In conversation, use more words like feel, feel, light, etc. If you notice that your partner is “pushing” and you are losing control of the situation, then in this case it may be useful to change your channel of perception to the least developed channel of your partner. Also, in all cases, a change of posture, a “random” switch of attention, is useful, for example, you heard some sound in the corridor or saw an interesting object.

To monitor the correctness of your actions, use observation of your partner's nonverbal signals. A natural or slightly “elevated” posture and the direction of the whole body, or the tips of the legs and arms, indicates interest and agreement with you. Wandering your gaze over surrounding objects, tapping your fingers, or playing with some object means a lack of interest in the topic of conversation. Crossing your arms or legs (if the toe of your upper leg is not pointing in your direction) indicates disagreement with you. Tugging, shaking off clothes, tapping your foot on the floor, or suddenly switching to doing some “non-essential” things not related to the negotiations means a desire to quickly finish the current topic. The expression on his face can also tell a lot about his partner’s condition (but consideration of this issue is beyond the scope of this article). Depending on the type of non-verbal signal from your partner, take appropriate measures to direct the negotiations in the right direction. Finger tapping can be stopped by asking someone to hand over an object. Crossed arms and legs - a change in your location, and the partner will be forced to change his position so as not to lose you from sight. If your partner wants to finish the current topic, you should move on to a question that is more pleasant for him, and then try to return to it in a different semantic context.

And finally, it should be noted an important secret to the success of communication. If in front of you is a person of the opposite sex, then first of all you should remember that this is a woman or a man, but signs of attention should be shown very carefully and naturally.

At first glance, the information presented in this article may seem voluminous and difficult to master, but as the great commander Alexander Suvorov said, “Hard in training, easy in battle,” and after a long painstaking study, many observations and tests, the day will come when, after the next negotiations you can say in the words of the famous Roman emperor Julius Caesar - “I came, I saw, I conquered.”

Etiquette of business negotiations

Business in our time is built not only on an economic basis, but also on an ethical one. Just as it is unacceptable to violate generally accepted rules of entrepreneurship in commerce, it is also unacceptable to violate the rules of business etiquette. It is following the rules of business etiquette and ethics of business communication that is the key to success in business. In other words, compliance with the rules of business etiquette and business ethics is one of the necessary elements. Nowadays, we increasingly have to face conflict situations in production, business and more high level- V government institutions, international relations. Therefore, it is relevant to develop a culture of official communication, which includes a number of general points - the rules of official etiquette. Failure to comply with these rules leads to unpleasant consequences. Thus, the inability to conduct a work conversation, the inability to behave sociably with colleagues at work, in addition to wasting the time of many people, brings a lot of unpleasant moments.

To avoid these excesses, it is enough in the service to observe, although formal, but completely mandatory requirements: polite tone of address, laconism of presentation, show tact, sociability, naturalness, goodwill.

When conflicts arise, it is increasingly necessary to resort to negotiations in order to resolve differences. American experts Robert Fisher and William Urey, authors of the best-selling book in the field of negotiations “The Path to Agreement, or Negotiations Without Defeats,” published in the early 80s and going through 16 editions, translated in more than 30 countries around the world, identify three approaches (strategies ) to negotiations: soft, hard and principled, arguing that the most effective is a principled approach.

Soft method. A person who is gentle in character wants to avoid personal conflict and is willing to make concessions in order to reach an agreement. He wants an amicable outcome, but the matter most often ends with him remaining offended and feeling slighted.

Hard method. A tough negotiator views every situation as a contest of wills in which the side that takes the extreme position and persists in its position will gain more. He wants to win, but he often ends up causing an equally tough situation that exhausts him and his resources, as well as ruining his relationship with the other party. The Principled Negotiation Method is a third way of negotiating that involves a position that is not based on weakness or strength, but rather combines both.

The principled approach, in contrast to hard and soft, is aimed primarily at cooperation and a joint search for new solutions to the problem. The approach from a position of strength, as the practice of negotiations has shown, is flawed, because can lead to a break in relationships or obtaining only a one-time gain. A soft approach aimed at quickly concluding an agreement to the detriment of one’s interests can also lead to immediate gains, but in the long term it turns out to be unworkable because if the relationship is maintained, the positions of the parties are lost. And only an approach based on cooperation and the search for a mutually acceptable agreement allows both parties to achieve a result in which there will be no winners and losers, both sides will benefit. This approach, according to Fisher and Urey, involves being soft with people and hard with the problem. In other words, instead of getting angry, blaming each other, or agreeing with the first proposal, the parties explore the problem and interests of each party (the needs, fears, desires that make up the motivation of the negotiating partner).

It should be remembered that the negotiator is, first of all, a person. The fundamental reality of negotiations, which is easily forgotten in the process of international and business contacts, is the fact that we are not dealing with abstract ideas of the “other side”, but with people. Your partners at the negotiating table have emotions, deep commitment to certain values, different life views, moreover, they are unpredictable, just like you, by the way.

Each participant in the negotiations strives to reach an agreement that would satisfy the vital interests, and for this purpose they are being conducted. Relationships are usually tied to the problem. The main consequence of the human factor in negotiations is that there is a tendency for the relationship between the parties to discuss the merits of the matter. Sometimes remarks made to highlight a problem are taken as a personal insult, which leads to conflict. But the solution to the essence of the issue and support good relations do not have to be goals that conflict with each other if the parties decide to take both aspects into account.

Whether a deal is struck or a dispute is settled, the disagreements that arise are determined by the discrepancy between the train of thought of one partner and the train of thought of the other.

Understanding another person's point of view does not mean immediately agreeing with it. But if you better understand his way of thinking, you can move on to reconsider your own views. This helps to narrow down the area of ​​conflict and also to move forward in your own interest, which is newly stimulated by the knowledge gained. You can't infer people's intentions based on your own fears. Suspicion often stems from prejudice and interferes with reaching agreement. You also cannot shift your own blame onto someone else.

In negotiations, especially if they have reached a dead end, emotions can be more important than the discussion itself. In this case, the parties are more ready to fight than to cooperate in developing an agreement regarding common problem. Emotions on one side cause emotions on the other. Fear can cause anger, and anger can cause fear. Emotions can quickly lead negotiations to a dead end, or even stop them altogether. Therefore, it is very important to manage, first of all, your emotions and monitor the emotions of your partners.

The difference between positions and interests in negotiations is that a position is something that is decided upon, while interests are something that causes a decision to be made. The main problem in negotiations is not the conflicting positions, but the conflict between the needs, desires, concerns and fears of each party. Interests motivate people's behavior, they are the silent force amid the noise of positions. Behind the opposing positions, along with contradictions, there are shared and acceptable interests. Differences in interests can be resolved by reaching agreement.

One of the best ways to discover the other party's interests is to put yourself in the other party's shoes and determine what solution they think you should offer, and then ask yourself why they didn't make that decision themselves.

In almost all negotiations, each party has not one, but many interests. The strongest interests are basic human needs: security, economic condition, vitality. In order to identify the various interests of each of the parties, their presentation on paper can be of great help; this will help to arrange the interests in a certain order.

The likelihood of success in negotiations increases if problems are discussed openly and specific details are listed. In order for your interests to impress your opponents, you need to justify their legitimacy. You need to convince your opponents that if they were you, they would feel the same way. For example: “Do you have children? How would you feel if trucks were speeding down your street at 100 km/h?

People listen better if they feel understood. They tend to believe that those who understand are knowledgeable and sympathetic people whose opinions are worth listening to. Therefore, if you want the other party to respect your interests, start by making them aware that your interests are respected. You will better satisfy your interests if you talk about what you want to achieve, rather than about what you had. It will be easier to achieve your goals in negotiations if you are firm in protecting your interests, but soft in your relationships with people.

You need to separate people from the problem, listen to them with respect, show them courtesy, and emphasize your efforts to understand their needs. Firmly defending your interests in negotiations does not mean that you fail to understand your opponents' point of view. Quite the opposite. You can't expect the other party to listen to your interests and discuss your options if you don't take their interests into account and show that you are open to their suggestions.

Global economic relations oblige business people to know the rules good manners and other countries. Here, violation of the rules of etiquette can even lead to the severance of business ties and result in the loss of sales markets. The rules of business etiquette change over time, some of them have now lost their binding nature, for example, elements of behavior towards a woman. Until recently, it was believed that a man must definitely pay the bill at a restaurant if he is dining in the company of a woman, open the doors for her, and let her in when exiting the elevator. Today such rules are not mandatory. Modern business etiquette recommends that the person closest to the door exit the elevator first. The woman puts on her coat herself, but if she has difficulty doing this, the man is obliged to help her.

Just being polite and friendly is not enough. In business etiquette, general principles take on a specific coloring, which is expressed in the following basic rules:

1) Be punctual in everything.

Lateness of any employee interferes with work, in addition, they indicate that such a person cannot be relied on. For a business person, it is very important to be able to calculate the time required to complete a particular task. In addition, it always turns out that your work takes longer than you expected; and most importantly, once you finally get down to work, there will always be something else that needs to be done earlier. It's also a good idea to keep in mind that if things are going too well, something is about to happen. From all this we can draw a simple conclusion: it is necessary to allocate time to complete tasks with a reserve, taking into account the problems that may arise.

2) Don't say too much.

Any employee is obliged to keep the secrets of his organization; this rule applies to all matters of a company or institution: from personnel to technology.

It is impossible to conduct business successfully without taking into account the opinions and interests of partners, clients, and customers. Often the reasons for failure in business are the manifestation of selfishness, fixation on one’s own interests, the desire to harm competitors, even colleagues, in order to advance within one’s own enterprise. Always strive to listen patiently to your interlocutor, learn to respect and understand other people’s opinions, get rid of intolerance to dissent. Never humiliate your opponent, keep in mind that sooner or later you will encounter a person who will be forced to do the same to you.

4) Dress appropriately.

The main thing is to dress appropriately for your surroundings at work, without standing out from the contingent of workers at your level. Your clothes should show your taste.

5) Speak and write correctly.

Everything you say and write must be presented correctly. A person’s ability to speak competently influences his overall image. Your chances of concluding a particular contract often depend on your ability to communicate. In order to succeed, a business person must also master the art of rhetoric, that is, the skill of eloquence. It is very important to monitor your diction - pronunciation and intonation. Never use slang words or offensive expressions in business communications; learn to listen to others and at the same time show that you are interested.

Forms of business negotiations

The form of business negotiations is largely determined by factors such as:

Purpose of negotiations: establishing the truth (dispute, discussion); identifying opinions, establishing differences in opinions, identifying the degree of inconsistency of opinions (“round table”), creating conditions for the emergence, promulgation, and recording of new ideas and proposals (“brainstorming”); formation of problem situations, the degree of validity of the participants’ attitude towards projects and proposals (team business game);
- types of business conversation (bilateral, multilateral);
- the chosen method of achieving the goal (argument, constructive conversation);
- relationships between interlocutors, for example, a conversation “manager - subordinate” (discussion of a task or report, instructing conversation); negotiations between partners (persuasive or constructive conversation); business conversations between colleagues (coordination, discussion of joint actions, constructive conversation).

The most common forms of negotiations can be characterized as follows.

Constructive conversation - mutual exchange opinions, during which the interlocutors take into account concepts, facts, considerations, proposals that contribute to solving the problem, regardless of their authorship.

Instructive conversation - transfer of information to unilaterally, for example, in the form of instructions or instructions in order to force the interlocutor to use the proposed methods or means of achieving a goal.

Persuasive conversation is a way to persuade your interlocutor to your opinion by using exclusively arguments, facts, evidence, and logical reasoning. Conversation for round table"- a type of persuasive conversation, an exchange of opinions between independent partners.

Message - information transmitted to another person or other persons.

A statement is an official message, often expressing the applicant’s attitude to an event, phenomenon, fact, or opinion of other persons.

A dispute is a verbal competition, a discussion in which each interlocutor defends his opinion.

Controversy is a concept close to argument, defending one’s opinion using rhetorical means.

Discussion is a type of dispute in which the main means of defending a position on any issue are arguments, evidence, facts, and research results.

Types of dispute also include:

Dispute - a public dispute on a scientific or socially significant topic;
- debate and debate - a collective discussion of any issues in order to find out the truth, develop a common opinion or make a decision.

The relationships between employees in an organization in the vast majority of cases determine the form of business conversation. It is quite difficult to change and even obscure this dependence. An example would be an overheard conversation between a director and an employee of an enterprise.

Purpose of business negotiations

Negotiations mean meetings between representatives of different companies to consider business issues.

Depending on the issues at hand, negotiations may have the following objectives:

Company presentation. The goals of such a presentation are: creating the company’s image among the business community, creating or recreating a favorable image of the company, advertising the company’s name. In essence, such a presentation is part advertising campaign organizations.

Presentation of a business project. The purpose of this type of presentation is to inform people about a project, determine feedback to the project, and search for those interested in supporting the development and implementation of the project. This type of presentation is the most demanding in terms of presentation form, content and preparation (see below), since it involves convincing the audience of the need to develop or implement the project.

Report on completed work. The goal is to familiarize and provide a certain narrow group of people with the results of the work. Such a presentation is less demanding in terms of following certain preparation rules and may well be spontaneous if the necessary data is at hand and is kept in perfect order.

Discussion of the future work plan. This presentation is similar to the previous type of presentation, only the object here is the future work of an organization or individual. Its goals may be: informing a certain circle of people about the planned work, a description of the planned work in order to confirm the object of the presentation critical analysis and change.

Product presentation. The goals of such a presentation are clear: creating knowledge about a new brand, product or service in the target market, introducing consumers to new product features, store schedules, etc., achieving brand preference, etc.

In progress business communications people are often forced to enter into various partnerships to achieve common goals and solve production and other problems. Negotiations are always present in people's professional lives. Business negotiations conducted within the business sphere have a rather narrow task - to reach an agreement on the mutually beneficial exchange of resources, joint investment of resources, distribution of profits received from joint activities, etc.

Turning to specialized literature, we find the following definition of business negotiations: “the main means of agreed decision-making in the process of communication between interested parties. Business negotiations always have a specific goal and are aimed at concluding agreements, deals, contracts.” Negotiations are also always aimed at not only finding a mutually acceptable solution, but also avoiding extreme forms of conflict. This feature is also reflected in the definition given by O. Ernst: “negotiations are intended mainly to “bargain” an agreement that meets the interests of both parties and achieve results, through a mutual exchange of views (in the form of various proposals for solving the problems brought up for discussion). which would suit all participants in the negotiations.”

As stated above, the main purpose of negotiations is to achieve a certain goal. However, this is not the only function of negotiations. Let's list other functions. If, for example, the parties are interested in exchanging points of view and opinions, but consider any further actions to be premature or inappropriate, such a function of negotiations as information may appear.

The communicative function of negotiations is associated with the establishment of new relationships and connections. At the same time, information is also exchanged, so we can talk about a single information and communication function. It necessarily manifests itself in any negotiations, regardless of their type and nature.

The functions of control, regulation, and coordination of actions are also important. Usually they are implemented only in the case of a long-standing partnership and well-established connections.

Depending on the type of interaction that occurs between the parties, there are two approaches to negotiations: confrontational and partnership.

The basis of the confrontational approach is the belief that the goal of negotiations is victory, and failure to achieve complete victory means defeat. The confrontational approach to negotiations resembles a confrontation between the parties, and the table at which they are conducted is a kind of battlefield, where the negotiators are “warriors”, their main task is to “tug of war” like “who-versus-whom”. The degree of such confrontation varies: from the desire to “bargain” as much as possible to attempts not only to get the maximum possible, but also to prevent partners from realizing their interests.

The partnership approach, on the contrary, is implemented through a joint analysis of problems with a partner and the search for a mutually acceptable solution, in which both participants benefit. However, the gain does not have to be equal.

It seems irrational to talk about which of these approaches is more effective, since the method of negotiating should always be chosen based on the current state of affairs and depending on the issue being discussed and the desired result. The right choice of approach to negotiations determines their successful outcome. Depending on what behavioral strategy the participants choose for themselves, the negotiation tactics also change: In response to criticism, you can either reasonably explain your point of view (this will allow you, this promises you) (partnership approach), or aggressively go on the offensive ( you see it in a distorted light!) (confrontational); either to lecture (you should listen to me better, you should look at these documents again) or to state (this aspect is new to me).

Each negotiation necessarily includes three stages: preparation for the negotiations, the actual process of conducting them and, finally, analysis of the results of the negotiations.

Before the start of negotiations, their goals and objectives must be formulated, the range of issues that will be brought up for discussion must be outlined, and questions for the partners must be prepared. Already at the preparation stage, the process of establishing a working relationship with a partner occurs.

The negotiation process itself, in turn, is divided into three stages: mutual clarification of the interests, points of view, concepts and positions of the participants; their discussion (putting forward arguments in support of one’s views, proposals, their justification); coordination of positions and development of agreements. The order in which these stages are carried out does not play a significant role. However, in general, consistency in solving these problems must be maintained, otherwise the negotiations could either be seriously delayed or break down.

During negotiations, their participants can use special techniques and tactics to win over the interlocutor and convince him that he is right.

We will briefly consider the main ones:

1. Technique for finding a common solution area. After all participants have expressed their opinions and interests, it is necessary to compare them with their own and find some common ground.
2. Acceptance of compromise. If there are still disagreements, all negotiators can make concessions and reach a mutually beneficial solution.
3. Technique of dividing a problem into separate components. It is possible to reach at least partial agreement if the entire problem is difficult to solve.
4. Some partners can also use so-called “dirty tricks”: putting a partner in a hopeless situation, presenting ultimatum demands, bluffing, threats and other techniques that allow influencing a partner with the help of heavy psychological impact.

It is also important to remember that the reputation of each interlocutor plays an important role in the negotiation process. That is, it will be much easier for a participant with an impeccable reputation in his professional field to benefit from negotiations than for someone whose reputation has any dark spots.

So, business negotiations are an effective tool with which you can solve many commercial and production tasks. A person who has a keen understanding of the principles of negotiation, appropriately applies the necessary techniques, and chooses the right tactics for conducting negotiations will most likely be able to direct negotiations in the right direction and present the situation in a favorable light, and, as a result, obtain the necessary results.

Business telephone conversations

When two business people meet, everything is simple. They shook hands, smiled, and chatted. When you see the interlocutor in front of you, talking to him is much easier. But it also happens that the opponent is at a great distance from us, we have never even seen him in person. We are talking about telephone conversations. According to statistics, business people spend from four to twenty-five percent of their working time on the phone. It's comfortable. You can make a quick decision; you don’t have to go anywhere or send a letter. The telephone is ideal for obtaining information and consultations. However, in a telephone conversation, your only weapon is your voice and speech. True, you are deprived of the opportunity to track the reaction of your interlocutor by gestures or gaze. In addition, telephone conversations tend to be more time-limited than face-to-face meetings. But this type of conversation also has a lot of advantages. After all, the interlocutor does not see either you, your suit, or your office. He judges by the timbre of the voice and intonation. And now everything is in your hands! Or vocal cords...

Preparation comes first!

We are preparing the phone. There is no place for improvisation in telephone negotiations. Everything must be prepared in advance. And first of all - a telephone set. Even if the interlocutor is friendly in advance, poor communication quality will quickly ruin his mood. A self-respecting person will not shout over the noise, squeaking and squealing on the phone. Please use decent lines.

We are making a memo. Now turn to the topic of negotiations. It has already been said above that they require serious and painstaking preparation. And the presence of a telephone as an intermediary does not change anything. Quite the contrary. In a personal meeting, you can allow yourself a couple of interjections, a few sentences that are not relevant to the matter. On the phone you need to speak quickly, clearly and only to the point. You can’t let your thoughts wander, otherwise your interlocutor will very quickly get tired of your buzzing on the phone. And he also has things to do, he is also in a hurry somewhere... Make it a rule - before every conversation, make up a reminder for yourself: what you need to say and what you should never say. Your speech should be “polished” in advance!

Let's vote. Without a confident voice and clear diction, you don’t even have to answer the phone. Therefore, take the trouble to practice your pronunciation in advance and achieve confident intonation. Calmness, confidence, and solidity in your voice are a guarantee of success.

Getting a job, say, at the Helpline, is not as easy as it might seem. After all, a lot depends on intonation. They will first check the “intonation pattern” of the candidate’s speech. Is there a hint of irritation or disdain? Sometimes our speech seems absolutely normal to us, but those around us hear something... In the “Helpline” people are trained in a special way. They try to select those with voices with a pleasant timbre and those with clear diction.

Getting ready for failure. In our crazy times, people sometimes don’t have a minute to have a very important conversation. Psychologically prepare for the fact that the interlocutor does not have time to talk now. Immediately arrange for another time. You must also be prepared for objections, which, as you know, arise during any conversation.

10 seconds that will save 10 minutes

And yet, before calling a specific person, ask yourself again whether you need this and what benefits these negotiations will bring. Are you convinced that the call is really necessary?

Before you pick up the phone, follow these simple steps:

1. Once again, clearly imagine everything you are going to say.
2. Think about the future interlocutor and what he would like to hear.
3. Compose a short message in your head in advance to dictate if the interlocutor is not there and the secretary or answering machine answers you.
4. Place all necessary documents on the table.
5. Prepare paper and pen.
6. Write a short summary of the most important names and facts.
7. Before picking up the phone, relax and take a few deep breaths.
8. Mentally imagine your future interlocutor.
9. Think about something pleasant.
10. Try to call only when your interlocutor is not busy and has time to talk.

How to write a memo

No matter what you say, a conversation aid is important. How many times have you found yourself in a stupid situation: the number was dialed, but everything you were going to say suddenly flew out of your head. And now the arguments are no longer so logical, and the interlocutor takes the initiative from you. After all, it only takes one minute to remember! Write down literally one sentence for each point of conversation. Number them. Write clearly, you won’t have time to sort through your scribbles. And only after making a clear plan, call without fear.

By the way, a separate point in the memo should be: “What exactly do I want to achieve.” Do you need to make an appointment? Or about the supply of equipment? And did you manage to achieve what you wanted? Check the memo and end the conversation. Business does not tolerate idle chatter... Remember: everything that can be said outside the phone should be said outside the phone. Using the device, you can arrange a meeting and make quick, clear and precise arguments. Make your interlocutor come to this meeting and take the bait on your offer. The goal is one: to arouse interest. Here's another reason to think things through ahead of time. But the main thing is that no one needs long conversations, just like unclear and vague deadlines.

By the way, the memo can also serve as a kind of condensed outline of the conversation. Such a detailed reminder is needed if the conversation ahead is complex and sensitive. For example, you need to apologize to someone. You will feel much more confident if all the “necessary” words and expressions are already before your eyes. This means you won’t get confused or become nervous. Which in itself promises the success of your mission.

By the way, it wouldn’t hurt to put a blank sheet of paper next to the memo. Sometimes it is simply necessary to record essential points and details during a conversation. Don't trust your own memory too much. There are already a hundred things to do in your poor head, why stress yourself over a telephone conversation? Put its essence on paper and forget about it with a clear conscience.

Confidence is the key to success!

An unsure voice is a guarantee of failure when talking on the phone. When meeting in person, hesitant notes can be masked with a smile, gestures, or something else. Only a voice can be heard on the phone. And the lack of confidence here is like death. But confident people can sometimes achieve significant success.

Another case that we talk about during trainings. It was about residency. Junior researchers were waiting for an exam in a foreign language. But for some reason the administration was in no hurry. It was necessary to negotiate with the department of another institute, but they simply did not need the extra workload. Then Alexander, a junior researcher like everyone else, decided to call this department himself. He had a pleasant, confident voice and knew how to play with intonations. “Hello, you’re getting a call from a research institute... Here future professors are waiting for an exam... Yes, at any time... Who’s talking? Alexander Ivanovich." That department agreed without hesitation, only the right paper asked. The fact is that the person “at the other end of the line” mistook Alexander for at least the director of the research institute. He didn’t even feel comfortable asking who exactly was talking to him. This is what confidence in your voice means! And the residents passed the exam on a clearly scheduled date.

That is why it is necessary to pump up yourself with confidence before a conversation. Even the most relaxed person feels a little uncomfortable before telephone conversations. What if they don’t listen to him? What if they hang up after a couple of minutes? Of course, such thoughts do not increase self-confidence. So charge yourself with faith in your strength! Before the call, joke, tell an anecdote, laugh, laugh. And put a reminder in front of your eyes. You always feel much more confident with text.

Get ready for battle! Sit comfortably so that your diaphragm is free. There is no need to curl up in your chair; it is better to sit back and relax. Your voice is your weapon, so breathing should be as free as possible. Some people find it more convenient to stand while talking. For someone to walk, it creates a kind of rhythm. It is best to conduct the experiment in advance. Try to determine how you “speak” better: lying down, sitting or standing.

Learn to monitor your breathing, speak only as you exhale

And remember: voice is power! People tend to attribute advantages or disadvantages to other people according to their first impression. Hearing a ringing melodious voice, we see before us a young and beautiful girl. Velvety bass creates the impression of a “voluminous”, confident boss. The whole problem is that very often the voice and appearance have nothing in common.

One of the visitors to our trainings told how she arranged negotiations with the director of a large company. Before that, they talked on the phone for a long time. She was struck by his deep and pleasant baritone; in his voice there was a sense of confidence and possession of all the blessings of life. She was so interested that she decided to attend the negotiations in person. Seeing a stately, broad-shouldered middle-aged man, she walked towards him, smiling. And she was amazed to hear his high, shrill voice. The owner of the familiar baritone turned out to be a short, bald man, almost lost in the crowd of the delegation...

Voice, manner of speaking, diction, pronunciation are extremely important. Let's remember Bernard Shaw's play Pygmalion. How did the hero of the play manage to make a lady from a simple flower girl? Changing her pronunciation, diction and manner of expression.

Phone traps

What pitfalls await those who decide to conduct serious business negotiations over the phone?

Device trap. Poor technique will ruin even the most brilliant speech. Cleanliness of telephone lines is paramount. Otherwise, your interlocutor will only have an ear ache.

Text trap. I repeat once again: you can’t go anywhere without a reminder! 99% - preparation, 1% - improvisation. You need pre-written text! Moreover, when you speak on the phone, you should pay more attention to HOW you speak. WHAT to tell you should be written down on a piece of paper and be in front of your eyes.

Diction trap. Poor diction will obscure the meaning of statements. So, if you have problems with speech, it makes sense to use some other way of negotiating.

The failure trap. It is also worth preparing for refusals in advance. And know what exactly you will say in this or that case.

The trap of intonation. Irritation, uncertainty, boredom in the voice are always very noticeable. Please be kind enough to achieve the perfect intonation pattern. Who would talk to a bore who drags out every word? The interlocutor will not want to sleep by the phone or slowly sink into depression, he simply will not communicate with you.

Answering a business call correctly is, by the way, also an art. Which, alas, many business people do not own.

You just need to remember a few rules:

You should pick up the phone immediately after the first ring. If you have a visitor, are writing a letter, or are busy doing something else, it is perfectly acceptable to answer after the phone rings two or three times. But it’s better not to delay. Remember: it is in your best interest to answer every call. What if there is a person on the other end with the most advantageous business proposal?
If you have difficulty hearing, do not shout into the phone. It’s you who can’t hear the caller well, not the caller who hears you. Ask him to speak louder, ask how he hears you.
“Yes”, “Hello”, “Listen” - all these options for starting a conversation in the business world are, to say the least, inappropriate. When you pick up the phone, you need to introduce yourself: say the name of the company and your last name. If the subscriber has the wrong number, the error will immediately become clear and you won’t have to waste time on unnecessary conversations.
Never answer rudely. You don't know who is on the other end of the line. But whoever it is, he doesn’t care much that you just had a fight with your boss or failed the annual report and you’re in a bad mood...
If they call your colleague who is not there, you should not abruptly reject the caller. After all, he needs to get through, he will call in an hour or two. Isn’t it better to politely ask who it is and what to say to your colleague?
Learn to “receive telephone messages.” By the way, there are special forms for recording telephone messages. It indicates who called, when they called and what they wanted to say.
Never say “no” on the phone. Look for positive language. Forget the phrases “I don’t know” or “I can’t.” You work here, it's your responsibility to know. And if it is impossible to fulfill the client’s wishes, instead of a direct refusal, you can always offer an alternative option. If you need to step away from the phone for a couple of minutes, tell the other person honestly how long you'll be leaving and ask if they can wait. The usual “I’ll just be a second” won’t work here.
Don't talk to anonymous people. If the interlocutor; I forgot to identify myself, politely ask who he is and where he is from. Otherwise, you risk making a lot of mistakes when accepting an order or providing information to him.
The person who called ends the conversation. To impatiently “round off” your interlocutor is, to say the least, bad form. Perhaps the interlocutor still has questions, and you have already hung up...
At the end of the conversation, assure the interlocutor that you are always happy to call and meet with him. Thank him if he helped you or told you good news. Wish you all the best and say goodbye.

Business negotiation strategy

There are two main negotiation strategies:

1) positional bargaining, focused on a confrontational type of behavior;
2) negotiations based on mutual consideration of interests, which presupposes a partnership type of behavior of the parties.

Each of the identified strategies has its own specifics. Positional bargaining is a negotiation strategy in which the parties are confrontational and argue about specific positions. Positions indicate what the parties want to achieve during the negotiations, and interests indicate why the parties want to achieve what they say. If positions are clearly formulated by the participants, then it is much more difficult to discover the interests behind a particular position.

Features of negotiations based on positional bargaining:

Negotiators strive to realize their own goals to the fullest extent possible, caring little about how satisfied their opponents will be with the results of the negotiations;
- negotiations are conducted on the basis of the initially put forward extreme positions that the parties seek to defend;
- the differences between the parties are emphasized, and the similarities, even if they exist, are often rejected;
- the actions of the participants are aimed primarily at each other, and not at solving the problem;
- the parties seek to hide or distort information about their true intentions and goals;
- the prospect of failure of negotiations may push the parties towards a certain rapprochement and attempts to develop a compromise agreement, but joint actions in this case are forced;
- as a result, an agreement is often reached that satisfies each party in to a lesser extent what it could be.

There are two styles of positional trading:

The rigid style of positional bargaining involves the desire to firmly adhere to the chosen position with possible minimal concessions;
The soft style of positional bargaining is focused on negotiating through mutual concessions in order to reach an agreement.

The main disadvantages of positional trading:

Leads to unreasonable agreements that, to one degree or another, do not meet the interests of the parties;
- not effective, since during negotiations the cost of reaching agreements and the time spent on them increases, and the risk that an agreement will not be reached at all increases;
- threatens the continuation of relations between the participants in the negotiations, since they consider each other almost enemies;
- Positional bargaining can aggravate the situation if there are more than two parties involved in the negotiations, and the greater the number of parties involved in the negotiations, the more serious the disadvantages inherent in this strategy become.

Advantages of positional trading:

Refusing to bargain may mean refusing to negotiate at all. However, when choosing a positional bargaining strategy, the parties must clearly understand what results the negotiations can lead to;
- used in situations where we are talking about a one-time interaction, and the parties do not seek to establish long-term relationships.

Negotiations based on mutual consideration of interests represent a negotiation strategy in which the mutual desire of the parties to develop a solution maximally satisfies the interests of each of them. With this negotiating strategy, neither party receives advantages and the negotiators consider the agreements reached as a fair and most acceptable solution to the problem, in addition, the parties can establish long-term relationships.

Features of negotiations based on mutual consideration of interests:

Participants jointly analyze the problem and jointly search for options for solving it, demonstrating to the other side that they are its partner and not an adversary;
attention is concentrated not on positions, but on the interests of the parties, which involves their identification, search common interests, explaining one’s own interests and their significance to the opponent, recognizing the interests of the other party as part of the problem being solved;
negotiators are focused on finding mutually beneficial solutions to the problem, which requires not narrowing the gap between positions in search of the only the right decision, but to increase the number of possible options, separate the search for options from their evaluation, find out which option the other side prefers;
the parties strive to use objective criteria, which allows them to develop a reasonable agreement, and therefore must openly discuss the problem and mutual arguments, and must succumb to possible pressure;
in the process of negotiations, people and controversial issues are separated, which presupposes a clear delineation of the relationship between opponents and the problem itself, the ability to put oneself in the opponent’s place and try to understand his point of view, coordination of agreements with the principles of the parties, persistence in the desire to deal with the problem and respectful attitude towards people;
the agreement reached should take into account the interests of all participants in the negotiations as much as possible.

Disadvantages of a negotiation strategy based on mutual consideration of interests:

The choice of this strategy cannot be made unilaterally, since its main meaning is to focus on cooperation, which can only be mutual;
the use of this negotiation strategy in conflict conditions becomes problematic because it is very difficult for the conflicting parties, once at the negotiating table, to immediately move from confrontation and confrontation to partnership;
this strategy cannot be considered optimal in cases where negotiations are conducted over a limited resource that the participants claim to own. In this case, mutually exclusive interests most likely require solving the problem on the basis of a compromise, when dividing the subject of disagreement equally is perceived by the parties as the most fair solution.

Advantages of negotiations based on mutual consideration of interests:

Neither side gains an advantage, and negotiators view the available agreements as the optimal and most acceptable solution to the problem. This allows you to positively assess the prospects for post-negotiation relations;
an agreement that allows maximum satisfaction of the interests of the negotiations assumes that the parties will strive to comply with the agreements reached.

In the negotiation process, one of the the most important moments is the choice of negotiation tactics, which allows you to achieve your goal and is directly implemented using certain tactics.

Techniques used in positional trading:

Waiting. It is used to force the interlocutor to express his opinion first, and then, depending on the information received, formulate his own point of view.

Placing false accents in one’s own position. It consists of expressing extreme interest in resolving some minor issue, and then removing the requirements for this item. Such actions look like a concession, which causes a reciprocal concession from the negotiator.

Excessive demands. The parties begin negotiations by putting forward greatly exaggerated demands, the fulfillment of which they do not expect. The parties then retreat to more realistic demands through concessions. But at the same time they seek real concessions from the opposite side.

"Stick" arguments. As an argument, they appeal to higher values ​​and interests, starting with statements like: “Do you understand what you are trying to do?!” They are used in cases where one of the negotiators has difficulty with counterargumentation or wants to psychologically suppress the opponent.

"Salami". Information is provided to the interlocutor in very small parts. This move is used to obtain as much information as possible from the interlocutor or to delay negotiations.

"Intentional deception." Used either to achieve or avoid any consequences and represents:

Communication of knowingly false information;
lack of authority to make decisions on various issues;
distortion of information;
lack of intention to fulfill the terms of the agreement.

Double interpretation. When developing the final document, one of the parties “puts” into it wording with double meaning. Later, this technique allows you to interpret the agreement in your own interests.

Making demands at the last minute. This technique is used at the end of negotiations, when all that remains is to conclude an agreement. In such a situation, one of the participants puts forward new demands, hoping that his opponent will agree to concessions to maintain the achieved result.

Putting forward increasing demands. If one of the participants in the negotiation process agrees with the proposals being made, the other participant can put forward more and more new demands.

Pressure on the opponent. It is used to obtain concessions from him and force him to agree with the proposed solution. For this use:

Show of force;
an indication of the possibility of terminating negotiations;
presentation of an ultimatum;
warning about consequences unpleasant for the interlocutor.

Techniques used in negotiations based on mutual consideration of interests.

Taking controversial issues “out of bounds”. It is used if difficulties arise in reaching an agreement on the entire range of problems. Controversial issues are not considered, which allows partial agreements to be reached.

Dividing the problem into individual components. The problem is divided into separate parts, on which mutual agreement is gradually achieved. Detailing when solving a problem helps to achieve a positive result more quickly.

Gradual increase in the complexity of the issues discussed. The discussion begins with issues that cause minimal disagreement, and then the participants in the negotiation process move on to more complex issues. Using this technique allows you to avoid active opposition from the parties from the very beginning of negotiations and create a favorable atmosphere.

“One cuts, the other chooses.” The technique is based on the principle of fairness of division: one is given the right to divide (disputed property, powers, territory, functions, etc.), and the other is given the right to choose one of two parts.

The meaning of the technique: the first, fearing to receive a smaller share, will try to divide as accurately as possible.

Emphasizing commonality. Aspects that unite opponents:

Interdependence of interests of opponents;
interest in a positive outcome of negotiations;
desire to avoid material and moral losses;
making a profit as a result of concluding a contract;
the existence of long-term relationships between the negotiators.

A well-thought-out negotiation tactic is a long-term vision of the problem, a detailed account of arguments and facts, and the reactions of the other side at all stages and stages of this process.

Business negotiations are a special type of communication between businessmen, which is strictly regulated by unspoken rules of ethics. The main goal of the negotiations is to find a mutually beneficial cooperation option for both parties.

Successful negotiations are a guarantee of concluding a profitable deal and the possibility of long-term cooperation. As a rule, business partners rarely negotiate on equal terms: one of them is more interested in cooperation and is ready to make concessions.

Features and rules for conducting business negotiations with partners

Business meetings and communications with business partners are of two types:

1. Formal negotiations require strict adherence to the formal requirements of both parties. Such meetings are held in the office of one of the participants, the progress of the conversation is carefully recorded by the secretary, and time for discussion is limited. The result of official negotiations is the signing of partnership documents.
2. Informal negotiations are meetings in an informal setting, reminiscent of friendly communication between close acquaintances. It is worth noting that the specifics of Russian business involve resolving strategic issues mainly through informal negotiations. A relaxed atmosphere helps business partners relax and build trust in each other.

Organization of business negotiations

Before starting negotiations, it is necessary to find out the interests of the business partner, his strengths and weak spots. Depending on this information, a strategy for establishing contact with partners and a negotiation plan are built.

All employees who participate in a future meeting must be prepared for the position of partners and provided with information about controversial and prohibited issues for discussion. The goal of comprehensive preparation of all negotiation participants is to establish a trusting and respectful attitude towards the business partner.

Depending on the specifics of the partnership and the goals of the future meeting, negotiations can be held in the conference room of the office of one of the parties, or in a neutral environment (restaurant, cafe).

Methods of conducting business negotiations

Depending on the purpose of the meeting and the relationship between business partners, the negotiation method is chosen.

The variational method involves modeling an ideal situation for both parties, which is then supplemented with real ones. external factors. After this, it is formed best option, the objections and wishes of both parties are taken into account. The result of the negotiations is a decision that includes the interests of business partners.

The method of finding a compromise involves brainstorming between the meeting participants to determine new terms of the agreement to replace those already formulated.

Methods of balancing and integration involve appealing to the mutual benefit of partners and actively working with the arguments of the interlocutors. It is worth noting that in popular scientific literature these two methods are known as “aggressive negotiations” due to the emotional involvement of both parties in the process.

Stages of business negotiations, conversations, meetings

Typically, business negotiations are divided into three main stages:

1. The preparatory stage involves resolving organizational issues related to the meeting, choosing a place and time that suits all participants. After this, initial contact is established between the negotiating parties and the necessary information is collected.
2. The negotiation stage includes a detailed discussion of existing demands and controversial issues, demonstrating mutual respect between the parties and formulating mutually beneficial proposals. As a rule, prepared compromise solutions are changed after constructive communication between the parties.
3. The stage of reaching a common decision leads the parties to a formal agreement and involves a transition to active action. For example, the supply of industrial equipment on terms beneficial to both parties.

Preparation for business negotiations and meetings

The main task of preparing for negotiations is to develop an effective approach to the meeting that will allow you to gain maximum benefit from the conditions offered by the partner.

The confrontational approach represents the rigid position of one side “this is the only way and nothing else.” This method works when the conditions of both parties are unequal, when the partner agrees to compromise in order to continue cooperation.

The partnership approach is more common in modern business and involves being sensitive to the needs of the other party to the meeting.

Conducting business negotiations at exhibitions

Professional exhibitions involve informal negotiations in a relaxed atmosphere. Any form of communication at an exhibition allows you to solve several problems at once:

• receive or transmit necessary information;
• find new business partners;
• talk about the company's achievements.

Modern exhibition complexes are equipped with spacious conference rooms for comfortable meetings.