We all have to negotiate every day. Be it with the boss, with partners or with employees, if you want to bring new innovations or changes into the company. Negotiations are inevitably part of the life of an entrepreneur and employee.
But how can one conduct such negotiations skilfully? As a future strategist and entrepreneur myself, I deal with this almost daily. Be it to bring two partners working together on an innovation on one line or with customers about my consulting rate or the costs of a seminar. The book “Getting to Yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in”** Roger Fischer, William Ury and Bruce Patton inspired me to rethink and change my negotiation strategy.
In their book, which is considered a standard work on negotiation, the authors present the method of fact-based negotiation. It focuses on deciding negotiations according to their meaning and substance rather than arguing or leaving the negotiating partner feeling uncomfortable.
Four conditions must be met:
- Treat people and their interests (the factual issues) separately from each other;
- concentrate on the interests of the participants and not on their positions;
- develop decision options (choices); and
- insist on objective assessment criteria
The principle is based on mutual benefit and works this out consistently. “Fact-based negotiation is hard on the subject, but soft on people”.
For more than 25 years, the “Getting to Yes: Negotiating an agreement without giving in”* has been considered one of the most effective negotiation techniques and in their book the authors have presented the methodology in a clear and practical way. A recommendation for everyone who is dissatisfied with their negotiations so far.
The book can be purchased here*
* If you buy something via an affiliate link, “Medialist – Innovation-Profiling” receives a commission from Amazon for the recommendation. The purchase price does not change by this.
Post picture: Random House
