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Negotiation

Business, Thought, and Management Articles --- Negotiation Skills --- Interests, Concerns of Opponents

Interests, Concerns of Opponents

The objective of negotiation is to induce opponents to act on your way. It is necessary to know their concerns and draw their interest, so as to induce them.

Interests, Concerns of Opponents

The objective of negotiation is to induce opponents to act on your way. It is necessary to know their concerns and draw their interest, so as to induce them.
People listen to the story that they are interested in or concerned about.
They may be interested in some idea beneficial for them. They might have high pride and respect the honor. Or, they might want the benefit in front of them at the expense of their honor.
They might be concerned about their company's stock price, cash flow, brand image. They may have their personal issues about their health, their family, or friends.
If you do not know what they are interested in or concerned about, you could hardly talk what they are interested in.
Make a research about their interests and concerns before negotiation.
Or, observe facial expressions and body movements of opponents during negotiation. You will find out what they would be interested in by waving a question or topic.
Once you could find out what they are interested in, you can focus topic on it and induce the negotiation favorable.

*Return to Negotiation Skills

Basics of Negotiation

Be Calm and Composed
The result of negotiation is mostly decided before it actually begins. It is important to make preparation before negotiation starts, and prepare the mind firmly. That make you calm and composed.
Interests, Concerns of Opponents
The objective of negotiation is to induce opponents to act on your way. It is necessary to know their concerns and draw their interest, so as to induce them.
Red Lines
During the negotiation, be careful that opponents do not notice and attack your red line that nonnegotiable. At the same time, find out the opponents' red lines. Those are the points to lead negotiation favorably.
Provide Options for Opponents
The target of negotiations is to gain favorable outcomes with satisfying opponents. It is effective to prepare options to provide for opponents so as to induce the negotiation favorable and let opponents feel comfortable.
Good Communication with Opponents
In order to promote successful negotiation it is very important to communicate well with the opponents. Good communication enable to find opponents' characters and interests, and make them to like you.
Make the Minutes and Send
It is strongly recommended to make minutes after you negotiated. Make the minutes by yourself, and send opponents and related people. It is beneficial for you to make minutes by yourself and send.
Agreement and Contract
Mutually agreed by negotiation, it is important that you and your opponents sign a contract and make it valid. Making contract means you and opponents regulate each other, and enter into a partnership for mutual benefits.

Negotiation Techniques

Compliment is Costless
During negotiations praise opponents as much as possible. Since compliment is costless, you can praise them endlessly. Praise, praise, praise, if you continue to praise endlessly, opponents will become happy.
Verbal Agreements
Negotiation is done by the conversation. With various discussions, a variety of verbal agreements are made during negotiation. Be aware that verbal agreements is just verbal after all.
Pride
Negotiation is a discussion to elicit favorable terms with each other. Throw away your pride, and stimulate the opponents' prides, so that you win favorable agreements as many as possible.
Be Calm, Sway Emotionally
During negotiation, you must be calm down and observe opponents carefully so as to make appropriate decisions real-time. At the same time it is important to sway opponents emotionally, by your sudden anger, laughter, and tears.
Surprise Negotiating Opponents
When people are surprised, their heads will panic for a moment. People who think calmly and judge properly until now are surprised by only one incident, they often are quickly becoming emotional, losing judgment, and rushing in one direction.

Negotiation and psychological Warfare

Use Characteristics of Opponent
Before negotiations begin, it is important to know the characteristics of the negotiating opponent. Each person has personality and characteristics. It is important to use the characteristics of the negotiating opponent in order to negotiate advantageously.
Read the Opponent Strategy
In order to proceed negotiating advantageously, it is very important to read the opponent's strategy while closely observing the movements of the opponent.
Not Swayed by Opponent Words
Many different conversations are held during negotiations. Some of the words the other person said at the time of the negotiations are trustworthy and some can not be trusted. It is risky to trust all the other words as they are.
Utilizing Personal Connections
Personal connections are helpful when negotiating. Creating a good network will not only help you directly when negotiating, but it will also support you indirectly.
Think form the Opponent Viewpoint
Negotiation is a psychological warfare with the opponent. To read the other's psyche, it is important that you think about them from the their point of view. What would you do if you were in the other 's position and how would you like to advance negotiations? By thinking from the other party's point of view, you can read the action of the opponent.

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