PART II. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION

EFFECTIVE BUSINESS NEGOTIATIONS

PRE-READING

One of the most important skills anyone can hold in daily life is the ability to negotiate. In general terms, a negotiation is a resolution of conflict. We enter negotiations in order to start or continue a relationship and resolve an issue. Even before we accept our first jobs, or begin our careers, we all learn how to negotiate. For one person it begins with the negotiation of an allowance with a parent. For another it involves negotiating a television schedule with a sibling. Some people are naturally stronger negotiators, and are capable of getting their needs met more easily than others. Without the ability to negotiate, people break off relationships, quit jobs, or deliberately avoid conflict and uncomfortable situations.

In the world of business, negotiating skills are used for a variety of reasons, such as to negotiate a salary or a promotion, to secure a sale, or to form a new partnership. Here are a few examples of different types of negotiations in the business world:

Manager and Clerk: Negotiating a promotion

Employer and Potential Employee: Negotiating job benefits

Business Partner A and B: Making decisions about investments

Company A and Company B: Negotiating a merger

Customer and Client: Making a Sale

Question: Have you ever experienced a situation in your personal or professional life when you needed to use your negotiation skills? Do you think you’re a good negotiator?

READING

Text 1. Read and discuss the text about business negotiations.

Business Negotiation

Business negotiation is a process in which two sides reach a conclusion to a disagreement. Negotiation is a skill that can be learned and sharpened. Often, businesspeople rely on negotiation techniques they have developed during their everyday interactions. They can assure success by using tested business negotiation techniques.

Negotiation differs from argument. While arguments can occur during negotiations, arguments and negotiations differ on several points. Arguments usually involve emotion and devotion to a single point of view. During an argument, participants rarely listen to the other‘s points. At the end of an argument, each participant retains the belief that the other was wrong. By contrast, negotiation involves persuading others to see one's point of view. Good negotiators encourage others to change their minds about issues.

Negotiation also differs from discussion. Discussion involves reviewing points about topics, without need for reaching a conclusion. Discussions do not persuade people to change their points of view. Rather, discourse allows people to explore alternative points of view without coming to an agreement. Unlike discussion, negotiation has a purpose.

Compromise might be an end result of negotiation, but it is not a substitute for negotiation. Setting out on a negotiation with intentions to compromise is poor practice. Good negotiators should seem firm in their convictions and not be prepared to compromise immediately.

At the same time, negotiators should not entirely focus on getting their own way. Successful negotiators consider the needs of their opponents. Without that consideration, the stage is set for conflict.

Business negotiation involves persuading others, attempts to resolve differences and affects relationships. It follows certain rules, norms and conventions. There are many reasons to engage in negotiation. The motivating drivers can be logic, emotion, power or a desire to problem-solve.

There are two key concepts that should be implemented by business negotiators: winning relationships and satisfying needs.

To start, those involved should view negotiations as a chance to win relationships. Almost every negotiation occurs with an opponent with whom you will continue a relationship. Therefore, it is important to lay the groundwork for a lasting relationship during every negotiation. If representatives from other businesses believe they have lost negotiations, they will be tempted to get even or take revenge. Business negotiators should be careful to create a result in which both sides win something. Otherwise, the business relationship can sour, preventing future opportunities to interact.

Next, business negotiators have to think about satisfying needs. Every negotiation occurs because someone has a need to be met. In the planning stage, negotiators should figure out what their needs are. Recognizing their needs will drive the negotiation. In addition to their own needs, negotiators have to think about satisfying their opponents' needs. Again, in the planning stage, negotiators should figure out what their opponents need and recognize what they can offer them. One way of fulfilling the needs of both sides of the negotiation is to have two items on the table. One side can have its needs fulfilled with one item, and the other side can fulfill its needs by winning the other item.

Good business negotiators ask questions. Often, people are afraid that questions betray their ignorance. In reality, asking pointed questions demonstrates control. If one person asks questions while the other answers, the questioner actually directs the negotiation. Questions can yield information and opinions, and they test our understanding of what our opponent has said. They can also give a negotiator time to think, by asking the opponent to repeat points.

Another important business negotiation skill is listening. Negotiators often believe they are listening, while they are actually waiting for the other person to finish talking so they can have their say. Other times, they are formulating their own comments instead of listening well. In negotiation, it is particularly important to hear the other's points. The other party's words signal how he or she is thinking, and listening to those words can help you plan your own strategy.

To improve listening skills, business negotiators can try the following techniques:

• Taking copious notes, and writing down exactly what the opponent has said

• Repeating to yourself what the other has said, immediately after it has been said

• Frequently summarizing aloud and testing your understanding of what has been said

Business negotiations among people of different cultures are common. Those who do not take cultural differences into account risk losing negotiations and angering business associates. Cross-cultural negotiators should take the time to learn the cultural heritage of the other side, and pay adequate attention to details.

http: //www.questia.com/library/communication/business-and-organizational-communication/business-negotiation

Practice

I. Answer the questions on the text.

1. Does ‘negotiation’ mean the same that ‘argument’? Prove your point of view.

2. What is the difference between negotiation and discussion?

3. Should compromise be an end result of every negotiation?

4. Can you call a successful negotiator a person who entirely focuses on getting his/hers own way?

5. What are the motivating drivers to engage in negotiation?

6. Why is it important to create a result in which both sides win something?

7. When talking about ‘satisfying needs’ during negotiations, whose needs are meant: negotiator’s or opponent’s?

8. Why is it important for good business negotiators to ask questions?

9. What are basic listening skills for a negotiator?

10. Does a good negotiator take cultural differences into account?

II. Give the English for:

Деловые переговоры; достичь соглашения; навык, умение; спор, конфликт; убедить людей изменить свою точку зрения; заменитель чего-л.; сконцентрироваться на чем-л.; разрешить разногласия; ключевое понятие; заложить фундамент; проиграть переговоры; удовлетворить потребности; понимать, постигать; спланировать свою стратегию; переговоры между людьми разных культур.

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