Tough negotiations are those in which the participant or participants use prohibited tactics and tricks in business communication, manipulate others, and try to achieve maximum benefits at minimum cost. Of course, this is prohibited only by the internal ethical considerations of opponents, and therefore it is used in the business world almost everywhere and constantly. For success in business, it is important to be able to conduct such negotiations yourself, as well as to be able to respond to the attacks of the other side.
Instruction manual
one
In business negotiations, participants can speak in an equal position, and more often in a weak or strong position. It is clear that one who communicates from a position of strength is unlikely to make concessions, he simply does not need it, he is already winning. But with a weak own position or with equal relations, it is important to determine in advance that desired result, the outcome of negotiations, the goal that is planned to be achieved. Such preparation for negotiations allows you to touch on many aspects - from priority tasks that need to be addressed, and strengths and weaknesses of your position to comfortable clothes and shoes to maintain self-confidence.
2
Another step in preparing for a tough confrontation in the negotiation process should be to determine what can be sacrificed to achieve a result. Simply put, you need to decide what can be changed in the initial proposal of the company, and what is not subject to the slightest discussion. In order for this tactic to succeed, you need to identify the most clear boundaries for what is paramount and what is not so important.
3
During tough negotiations, you need to choose one of the strategies: defensive or offensive. This largely depends on the strength of the position of a particular negotiator. If the position is weak, a defensive strategy is often chosen, which implies the absence of the person making the final decision in the negotiation process. This allows you to postpone the resolution of the issue and the possible signing of documents and gain time. With an attacking strategy, on the contrary, the company should be represented by a person who takes instant and possibly correct decisions. In such a strategy, a huge role is played by the conflict situation. If the opponent starts to lose his temper, most likely he can make a mistake, which can then be used to his advantage.
4
Some negotiators are of the opinion that first you need to try to translate negotiations into a peaceful direction - to make them softer. One of the surest options for this is openness to the opponent. You can talk on neutral topics, find intersection points, ask for help in some little things, and then clearly state your position. If you show flexibility in some issues, it is possible that the opponent will show flexibility in others, so it will be possible to reach a compromise solution, and negotiations will cease to be tough. Even if the decision on the negotiations is negative, do not affect the personality of the opponent, it is better to refer to some abstract circumstances that do not allow reaching an agreement.
5
In certain situations, one of the parties to the negotiations may seem to be trying to pressure, manipulate or catch on her. Of course, the best solution in this situation would be the completion of negotiations, but this is not always realistic. It is important to learn to recognize such moments and confront them. At many negotiation training sessions, participants are taught both these tactics themselves and their ability to resist them.
6
One of the first conditions that you should not agree to is a meeting on someone else’s territory. In this case, often the “outsider” feels uncomfortable, even if his position is stronger. It is believed that one who goes to negotiate with another needs more positive outcome. If negotiations cannot be conducted at your office, it is better to choose a neutral territory.
7
In negotiations, it is important to withstand pauses. If the interlocutor suddenly falls silent, do not fill in the silence so as not to be in a situation where all the arguments have already been given, and the opponent has not even begun to speak. In such a situation, you can ask a question, albeit neutral, but provoking the answer of another negotiator. But in a situation where the opponent begins to divert the conversation to the side by means of such an answer, it is better to firmly stop these attempts.
eight
Also, during negotiations, some managers use tricks in the form of shifting responsibility, ask leading questions and questions without a choice, or refer to a phrase such as "everyone has been doing this for a long time, " "everyone knows, " etc. It is important to distinguish between positions: each of you has its own problems and the problems of the opposite side for the most part do not concern anyone. In general, when a participant begins to feel as if under threat, when even the body sends signals that he wants to leave the negotiating table (for example, itching or twitching of his leg), it is better to say out loud that such unfair measures will not establish any adequate cooperation.