How much did they pay you to give up on your dreams? This is one of the best-known phrases from the movie Up in the Air, starring George Clooney, Anna Kendrick and Vera Farmiga. It gives a great example of one of the types of negotiation that works best: collaborative negotiation. In other words, where a win-win solution is found.
In the film, the character of Ryan, played by George Clooney, has to fire an employee, and through negotiation, shows him that bad news - such as being laid off - can be turned into an opportunity to keep fighting and achieve our dreams.
Negotiating is not always about winning. On the contrary, this concept refers to a process in which one or more parties agree on a series of measures and seek to reach an agreement that satisfies all their interests.
According to a survey conducted by PWC with more than a dozen successful companies, one of the aspects that those leaders interviewed deem to be most important in the new era is having the ability to work alongside people from different cultures with different ways of thinking. In other words, we live in a reality where collaboration is vital, and in order to collaborate, it is fundamental to create alliances and of course, negotiate.
Thus, negotiation skills are one of the qualities a business leader must possess, since these are essential for managing resources, teams of people and moments of crisis.
Firstly, it is important to note that everyone has their own negotiation style. However, it's also true that in general, the different types of negotiations can be categorised.
So, depending on the given context, some types of negotiation will prove more suitable, while - depending on which stage the negotiations have reached - more than one type might be used. Below, we outline the most common types of negotiation:
For example, with a rental agreement, if the tenant wants to lower the rent, they might propose an extension of the term, which benefits the landlord. In this way, both sides win and a relationship of trust is established by both parties.
For example: a company asks for a discount on a product or service from one of its suppliers and, in return, agrees to buy a larger volume. At that moment, there is a loss of profits for the supplier, yet over time, it gains in the number of sales.
For example, this is the case of an employer who has to negotiate working conditions with a group of various employees. In this scenario, the participation of a mediator might be useful.
Negotiation is used in many areas of our personal and professional life. We not only negotiate with clients, employees and suppliers, but also with our children, partners or even phone companies. Hence, it is vital to understand both the types of negotiation and the various stages of a negotiation process.
After all, negotiating is part of our daily lives, hence the importance of learning the different types of negotiations in order to identify which will be most effective for us. However, it should also be noted that a good negotiation requires mastery of other skills, such as empathy, assertiveness and communications. In this regard, lifelong learning is a key tool in acquiring such knowledge and abilities.
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