How to Negotiate

Name: How to Negotiate
Author: Michael D. Ford

Be able to walk into a negotiation with confidence

Preview the first lesson free — get full access to all 6 lessons.

Course: On-Demand

(upbeat music) Let's discuss how to negotiate, covering the four key principles of negotiation. Using persuasion and bargaining techniques, how to set the terms, the traits you can embody to be a successful negotiator, and the common pitfalls you'll want to avoid. The first principle of negotiation is to separate the people from the problem. You can be tough on the issues while still being polite to those involved. This can be accomplished by respecting others as individuals, communicating clearly, prioritizing your business relationship and not assuming anything. A little bit of kindness can go a long way in negotiations. Recognize that like you, the other party is just doing their job and it's not personal for them either. The probability of success increases when each party views the other as humans and not just job titles or the companies they represent. The second principle is to focus on interests, not positions. Focusing on a position leads to inflexibility. Interests suggests a direction to move in, what is important and why. The third principle is to be inventive and come up with a variety of options. This could suggest either a wide ZOPA on a distributive issue or it could refer to the trade offs on integrative issues. Offering choices provides more opportunities to reach an agreement or engage in a give and take process. Flexibility and creativity will serve the negotiator well. The fourth and final principle of negotiation is to establish objective criterion. Something is objective when it is based on facts rather than the subjectivity of opinions. This means we can quantify and measure attributes. An example would be a short lead time for delivery. In other words, the time it takes from an ordered product to arrive at its destination from a supplier to a customer or from one business to another business. If we were to suggest a requirement that short lead time must be good, what exactly does good mean? This is subject to individual interpretation. An objective measurement would be to state that the short lead time is defined as three days from order placement or it might be however much time to takes for the business to offload prior deliveries of inventory. Objectivity provides clarity. (upbeat music)

Intermediate Provider : Michael D. Ford 6 Lessons · 9m in Arabic, German, English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Chinese

Course Description

We all want to come out of negotiations with an agreement that benefits ourselves and the other party, but how exactly do you accomplish that? What’s the best way to work through a negotiation? This course will walk you through effective methods of negotiation. You’ll learn the four key principles of negotiation, persuasion and bargaining techniques, how to set the negotiation’s terms, the characteristics you need to embody to be an effective negotiator, and we’ll identify common pitfalls to avoid.

What You'll Learn

Identify the four key principles of negotiation
Apply persuasion and bargaining techniques to reach beneficial agreements
Set the terms of a negotiation effectively
Embody the characteristics of an effective negotiator
Recognize common negotiation pitfalls to avoid

Key Takeaways

Effective negotiation aims for an agreement that benefits both yourself and the other party.
There are four key principles that underpin successful negotiation.
Persuasion and bargaining techniques are central methods for working through a negotiation.
Effective negotiators share certain identifiable characteristics, and there are common pitfalls to avoid.

Frequently Asked Questions

What will this course teach me?

It walks you through effective methods of negotiation, including the four key principles of negotiation, persuasion and bargaining techniques, how to set the negotiation's terms, the characteristics needed to be an effective negotiator, and common pitfalls to avoid.

What topics are covered in the lessons?

The lessons cover the Four Key Principles, Persuasion Techniques, Bargaining Techniques, Setting the Terms, Characteristics of Effective Negotiators, and Common Pitfalls.

What skills will I gain from this course?

The course builds skills in negotiation, bargaining, business negotiation, negotiation strategies, negotiation training, and price negotiation.

Who is this course for?

It is for anyone who wants to come out of negotiations with an agreement that benefits both themselves and the other party and learn the best way to work through a negotiation.

Professional Certifications and Continuing Education Units (CEUs)

Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM®)

Professional Development Credits (PDCs): 0.25

Certification Program Categories:

Leadership & NavigationBusiness AcumenConsultationGlobal MindsetEthical PracticeRelationship ManagementAnalytical AptitudeCommunicationDiversity, Equity & Inclusion

KnowledgeCity is approved by SHRM as a Recertification General Provider to offer SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP professional development credits (PDCs). By taking the courses approved by SHRM, KnowledgeCity can award SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for HR knowledge and competency programs related to the SHRM Body of Applied Skills and Knowledge™ (the SHRM BASK™).