Positive Negotiating Tactics

There are many times that we, as people have to negotiate with another party to come to a mutual agreement on something that will benefit both parties. When negotiating sometimes we don’t come out with exactly what we want as an individual or company but most times you can agree with your opponent on something that will benefit both parties, or at least be fair. There are many techniques that you can use to help you get through a negotiation faster and sometimes in favoring your needs and wants. I interviewed an old teacher of mines, George Harnish, on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 at around 7:30pm over the phone.

Interviewing George Harnish, a Rockford Public Schools theater and TV production teacher, I find out that he negotiates all the time. Harnish was my teacher all the way through high school teaching many students the background of how to produce news television shows, and also producing many theater plays. I found out that he has to negotiate many things all the time in his field of work to get things done. Harnish tells me that most of his negotiations usually come from getting sponsors on different shows, and for the school wide news show that he produces on a daily basis.

Harnish and I talk about different techniques that he uses to get through negotiations appropriately and fast. We first go over mutual benefit, which he tells me that he usually starts by explaining how the opponent will benefit from the agreement. He tells me this usually works just because he makes sure he puts the other opponent first, which makes them feel like he cares more about what he can do for them. He also goes in and tells me that sometimes the opponent can easily try and get over on you and try to add a bunch of extra to the deal that would only benefit them. He always keeps and opened mind to things; but also he has to keep in mind “good thought, bad idea,” which is a saying that he still uses to this day. He says that usually when people randomly think of things that sound good but thinking more into it, may not come out well, and that’s what the opponent does sometimes to add to their benefiting end of the deal. Finally we go over the routine of using objective criteria, which is grabbing industry trends and facts that you can use to your advantage. He always uses objective criteria for everything, because “if you can’t prove anything, you have no backbone, no purpose, and no outcome.” Many times he can cut out so many extra things that come up, with having the facts already presented.

When negotiating we usually come to agreements, and with using some simple techniques you can get there easier, faster and with more of an advantage over your opponent.

Photos from:

http://aparaskevas.blogspot.com/2013/01/negotiating-management-contracts.html

http://mreatexas.com/tag/term/