In his final parliamentary summary for 2010 the Australian Federal Opposition Leader, Mr Abbott, said, “I should acknowledge that the Prime Minster has been a ferocious competitor this year and I should congratulate her on her success. She may not have won the election handsomely but she certainly won the negotiation, and that takes considerable skill.”
We agree that to be highly effective, negotiation requires considerable skill, which includes the ability to systematically prepare. By undertaking systematic
preparation you can increase the control of stakeholder interactions and be better able to anticipate and respond to changing circumstances.
Self-coaching tips
- Know the outcomes, who is involved and the decision making criteria
- Separate the outcome from how it will be achieved
- Identify the intrinsic needs of the individuals involved
- Locate shared interests to build rapport and frame discussions
- To raise your awareness of how mutual gain can be achieved, consider the perspectives of all stakeholders