1. introduction
This work is carried out focused on the fact that we are in a society in which cooperation between people is sought, in the same way in the business world it is seen that it is increasingly common to find alliances between companies, in order to join forces for research and development, sharing resources and learning from each other. We are realizing that we must form a work team, that our individual efforts may not have an impact on our companies, and that our business future may lie in this trend.
The ability with which we face problems on a daily basis determines their development. We are realizing that war is leading us nowhere, on the contrary we are generating a culture of mediation or negotiation as an alternative means to solve conflicts. So much so, that some authors classify this alternative as the key to human survival, giving as an example the work of environmental protection and the structuring of a prosperous economy, which has only been consolidated through cooperation between competing nations.
It should be understood that cooperation does not mean that there is no competition, but it is a method by which we can face our differences more constructively.
2. Prepare
We must realize that we are negotiating daily, that most of our time is spent trying to reach an agreement with others and with ourselves.
But first of all, let's give an approximation of what negotiation is:
With this premise, we can say that negotiation is the supreme way of making decisions in personal and professional life. Negotiations shape our lives.
3. Joint problem solving.
We can all be negotiators, although many of us do not like to negotiate, we see negotiation as a stressful confrontation, we are faced with an unpleasant option, if we are "soft" we end up giving in our position, and if we are "hard" we stress relationships and such Maybe we spoil them. There is an alternative: joint problem solving.
Joint problem solving focuses on interests, not positions. It begins by identifying the concerns, needs, fears and desires that motivate the positions found. Then the different options are looked for to satisfy those interests. The goal is to reach an agreement between the parties in an efficient and friendly manner. Joint problem solving can produce better results for both parties, thus saving time and energy because conflicting positions are eliminated and often leads to better working relationships and common benefits in the future.
4. Five obstacles to cooperation.
Usually there are obstacles in the way of the joint solution of the problem, in which we can easily fall and hinder the negotiation.
• Your reaction. The first obstacle is in ourselves, we are reaction machines. This usually just perpetuates the cycle of action and reaction, in which both parties lose out. The problem one faces in negotiations is not only the difficult behavior of the other party but the reaction of oneself, which could easily perpetuate that behavior.
• The emotions of others. The second obstacle is the negative emotions of the other party. They may show up out of anger and hostility to hide fear and lack of confidence, convinced that they are right and that you are wrong, they may refuse to listen.
• The position of the others. The obstacle in the way is the positional behavior of the other party: the habit of safeguarding themselves in one position and trying to give in to you. Remember that the joint solution is to address and attack the problem between the parties involved. This position is often taken by people who don't know any other way to negotiate. At your discretion. The only alternative for them is to give in, and they certainly do not intend to give in.
• The discontent of others. It occurs when the satisfactory solution found by you, for the other party is not the desired result. They may not see how it would benefit them, even if the solution meets their requirements. And if the idea is yours, they might reject it for that reason alone.
• The power of others. Ultimately, if the other party sees the negotiation as a win / lose matter, they will be determined to defeat you. Perhaps they are guided by the precept "what is mine is mine, and what is yours is negotiable"
5. The penetration strategy
Here are five steps to overcome each of the obstacles noted above, which we will call the penetration negotiation strategy.
Although it is true that one would like to reach the proposed goal in the simplest way, in real life it is shown that it is not the most feasible because there are always adverse factors that cause a deviation from our initial route towards the objective we want to achieve. With this strategy we want to make known how these deviations should be handled and how to predict them, these deviations are generated due to the resistance presented by the counterpart with whom we are negotiating and which is based on the obstacles seen above. For each of them there is a corresponding step in the strategy:
First step: Named Going up to the balcony. This strategy is intended to control the mental balance and the reactions that you may have, stay focused on achieving what you want. It is as if you had a panoramic view of the business in question.
Step Two: The second hurdle you must overcome is the other party's negative emotions - their defensiveness, fear, suspicion, and hostility. You must take an attitude of respect, be part of them, listening to them, acknowledging their points of view and their feelings, agreeing with them. In short, you must side with them.
Step 3: At this point the problem could be addressed together; But it is difficult to do when the other party lock themselves into your position and try to make you yield to you. In this part you must accept what they say and rethink it as an attempt to deal with the problem. Act as if they are partners with you sincerely interested in solving the problem. In conclusion, this step of the penetration strategy is to rethink.
Step Four: You must verify that the solution found is satisfactory for both parties, therefore you must find the path that leads to that solution, you need to bridge the gap between your interests and those of the other party. You must help the other side to save face and make the result look like their triumph. The fourth step is to build a golden bridge.
Step Five: This step is to use power to educate. Show them that they cannot win alone but only together with you. You have to harness that bargaining power to bring them back to the table and not to create controversies or useless and costly battles.
The order of the steps is important since the previous one is the firm basis for the next step and additionally they must be present at all times of the negotiation.
You must be aware that there is no magic formula that guarantees that you will succeed in all negotiations, but with patience, persistence and penetration strategy, you can have the best chance of getting what you want, even the most difficult negotiations.
The secret to successful negotiations is simple: prepare, prepare and prepare. Before each meeting, prepare yourself, after the meeting, evaluate your progress, adapt your strategy and prepare again.
Negotiations can be won or lost beforehand, before starting the talks, depending on the quality of the preparation. Those who think they can "improvise" are wrong. Even if they reach a deal, they may miss out on profit opportunities that might be discovered in the preparation.
The more difficult the negotiation, the more intensively you must prepare. You cannot afford not to. Allow time for preparation even if it means taking time away from negotiation.
6. Map the path to the agreement
There are five important points on the road to an agreement: Interests, options for satisfying those interests, rules for resolving differences fairly, alternatives for negotiation, and proposals for agreement.
• Interests
Normally, negotiation begins when the position of one party conflicts with the other. In order to reach a mutually satisfactory agreement, you have to start by figuring out the interests of both parties.
Decipher your own interests. It is important that you evaluate your interests so that you do not make a very common mistake: swapping an important interest for a less important one. You can discover your own interests by asking a simple question: "Why? Why do I want that? What problem am I trying to solve? If the end goal is not clear, it may not be reached.
Decipher their interests. Understanding their interests is just as important as your own. Negotiation is a two-way street, one cannot satisfy your interests if you don't satisfy the interests of the other party. The most important personal skill in negotiation is the ability to put yourself in the place of others.
• Options
One option is a possible deal or part of a deal. The purpose of identifying the interests of each party is to see if one can come up with creative options to satisfy them. A common mistake in negotiation is to insist on a single solution, your original position. The biggest limitation is to think that other solutions will not work, it is better to separate the functions, first invent and then evaluate, no matter how crazy your idea is, that may be the solution.
• Rules
Successful negotiators avoid a fight of wishes by transforming the selection process into a joint search for a just and mutually satisfactory solution. They rely heavily on fair rules and independent of the wishes of either party. An independent standard is a yardstick that allows one to determine what is a fair solution. The great merit of the rules is that, instead of yielding one part to the other at a certain point, both can yield to what seems fair.
• Alternatives
A very classic mistake is to study the alternatives at the moment when a negotiation goes astray. Knowing what your alternatives are can determine your success in meeting their interests.
The purpose of any negotiation is to satisfy your interests, the agreement is only a means to achieve it.
Your MAPAN is your bargain alternative. It is your best course of action to satisfy your interests without the consent of the other party. If you have a viable alternative, you have an advantage in the negotiation. The better your MAPAN, the more power you will have.
Identify your MAPAN. The following questions must be answered in search of MAPAN: What can you do in isolation to satisfy your interests? What can you do directly to the other party so that she respects your interests? How can you introduce a third person in the situation to support their interests ?, the previous questions give answers to three alternatives proposed to make up MAPAN, a "bargain" alternative, an "interactive" alternative, and a "third person" alternative respectively.
Promote your MAPAN. Definitely there is no defined MAPAN and it must be developed solidly, that it is really a negotiation alternative and not a change of interests.
Decide if you should negotiate. Maybe your MAP is better than any arrangement you can make with the other person. The negotiation process is not cost-free, it can be time and effort consuming, and in the meantime your other alternatives may fade, so you should carefully consider your decision to negotiate. Remember that you can easily overestimate the value of your MAPAN. Knowing in advance that your own alternative is not attractive should motivate you to work hard to reach the agreement.
Identify the MAP of them. Knowing the other party's MAPAN can be just as important as knowing your own. That helps you get a sense of the challenge you face: developing an agreement that is superior to the other party's best alternative. With this, two errors are avoided: that of underestimating and that of overestimating that alternative.
• Proposals
A proposal is a possible agreement that you are willing to accept. Of course, there may be more than one possible agreement that satisfies these criteria. Without a doubt, it is useful to keep three proposals in mind:
Vacuum something big. Many of us tend to set modest goals for ourselves, fearing "failing." Unfortunately, low aspirations tend to be predictable by their very nature.
Develop a withdrawal. Often one may not achieve everything one wants. It is therefore helpful to have an alternative in which your basic interests would be satisfied enough to be reasonably content.
Come up with a stop sign. The third proposal should be based directly on your evaluation of your own MAPAN. This proposal will work as a stoppage signal reminding you that you are in danger of accepting a deal worse for you than your MAPAN.
These three proposals are concrete illustrations of the kind of outputs that would satisfy the interests of the negotiation, they should not be taken as inflexible positions since we cannot know with certainty that the other party will accept their proposals.
• Prepare
Preparation is easier when you discuss the matter with someone else. Others bring new perspectives, force you to deal with difficult points that you might otherwise avoid, and provide moral encouragement.
7. Conclusion
There are times when there seems to be no way out of the negotiations. It is necessary to change position and see the problem from another angle to find an alternative solution.
The penetration strategy can be that alternative. With it, you can go up to the balcony and see your difficult negotiation from a new perspective. You make a penetration when you neutralize your opponent's resistance, indirectly approaching and acting contrary to his expectations. You must emphasize respect for the other person, you must not pressure to achieve negotiation, you must persuade. Instead of changing the other person's thinking through pressure, you change the environment in which they make decisions. Let the opponent draw her own conclusions and choose. Your goal is not to beat you but to earn you.
To meet this goal, you must resist human and natural temptations and do the opposite of what you want to do. You should suspend your reaction when you feel like backing up, you should listen when you feel like answering, ask when you feel like giving the answer to your opponent, reconcile differences when you feel like asserting your point of view, educate when you feel like answering. attack.
Penetration negotiation is difficult. Successful negotiators are patient and persistent. Progress usually comes gradually. Every little penetration can lead to a bigger one. In the end, even seemingly impossible negotiations can lead to an equally satisfying deal for both parties.
8. The five steps of penetration in negotiations.
The basic principles are the same for whatever negotiation is taking place. In summary, the five steps of penetration negotiation are:
1. Go up to the balcony. The first thing you should do is not to control your opponent's reactions but your own. When your opponent refuses to accept something or launches an attack, you can be stunned and give in, or you can fight back. Therefore, slow down your reaction as you identify the game. Then take the time to think. Take that time to clearly establish your interests and your MAPAN (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Settlement). Keep an eye on your prize throughout the negotiation. Instead of losing your temper or seeking revenge, focus on getting what you want. Don't react: Go up to the balcony.
2. Get on your opponent's side. In order to negotiate, a favorable atmosphere must be created. Neutralize the anger, fear, hostility of your opponent. What he expects is that you attack or resist. So do the opposite: listen to him, acknowledge his point of view, and agree whenever possible. Also acknowledge his authority and competence. Don't argue: side with him.
3. Rethink. The next challenge is to change the game. When your opponent takes an uncompromising position, you may be tempted to reject it, but generally all that will do is make him hold on to your position more. Direct your opponent's attention to the challenge of satisfying the interests of both. Reframe everything he says, always thinking about solving the problem. Ask questions aimed at doing this: Why do you want that? What if we do…? What would you do if you were in my shoes? Instead of trying to teach your opponent, let the problem teach you. Also rethink the tactics that he uses, surrounding the stone walls, deflecting the attacks and exposing the tricks. Don't reject: Reframe.
4. Build a bridge of gold. Finally, you are ready to negotiate. However, your opponent may not want to go a step further, not being convinced of the benefits of the deal. You may be tempted to push and insist, but that may just create more resistance. Then do the opposite: take it in the direction you want. Imagine that you are a mediator who must make things easier for them to say yes. Involve him in the process, incorporating his ideas into the negotiation. Try to identify and satisfy your opponent's interests, particularly the basic needs he has as a human being. Help him save face and make the result look like a victory to him. Go slow to move fast. Don't push: build a bridge of gold.
5. Use power to educate. If your opponent insists on digging in and on the belief that he can win without negotiating, it is your duty to make him see otherwise. Make it difficult for him to no. You could threaten and use force, but these measures are usually counterproductive, if you corner your opponent, he will probably defend himself with all his might, and will bring more resources against you. What you should do is educate him about the costs of not reaching an agreement. Ask test questions aimed at revealing reality and demonstrate your MAPAN. Use it only if necessary and minimize your opponent's resistance by controlling his impulses and making him see that what you are looking for is the satisfaction of both and not a victory. Make sure your opponent knows that the golden bridge is always at his disposal. Don't attack:use power to educate.
9. From adversaries to partners.
It takes two to fight, but it only takes one person to unravel a tangled situation. In you is the power to solve even the most difficult relationships. The greatest power you have is to change the game by going from a face-to-face encounter to shoulder-to-shoulder cooperation in solving problems. The biggest barriers to getting in the way are: your natural reactions, your opponent's hostile emotions, your stubborn positions, your strong dissatisfaction, and your power games. You can overcome those barriers by applying penetration trading strategies. You don't have to take no for an answer.
That is precisely the objective of the penetration strategy: to eliminate the adversary by making him a partner in the negotiation.
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