WHAT TO KNOW

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Preparation

According to a study by the Harvard Law School's Program on Negotiation, published on their daily blog on January 1st 2024, two questions must be asked and answered before starting a negotiation: "What do I want ?" and "What is my alternative to reaching an agreement?" This best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) serves as a kind of "plan B" that you should always keep in mind. It sets the limit you should never cross. "What do I want?" sets a target, while "the alternative" sets a limit point. This is why preparation is crucial, you should aim to reach an agreement before the first "hello" and handshakes in the meeting room. It's essential because going unprepared to a negotiation is like taking an exam without studying, you can try, but you will definitely fail or not succeed well enough. So, the first step is to prepare yourself. Ask yourself questions, talk to the mirror, play the role-playing game, and anticipate.

Culture

Having a deep understanding of the cultural differences between you and your counterpart is not essential to succeed in a negotiation, but if you possess it, you will surely perform astonishingly. However, having just a little understanding is already a huge step because you can't truly understand the world if you don't visit it, just as you can't fully grasp a town's cultural festival if you haven't lived there for a while. It's a fact, there are as many negotiation styles as there are people on Earth, and you will never be able to understand everyone. However, you can figure out how people live, because negotiation is not about understanding it's about observations and experimentations.

If you show interest in the person in front of you, they will also show interest in you. But you are the one in control, just playing a game. The opportunity here is to emotionally connect with the person you are negotiating with and catch them off guard. This is where you gain an advantage, where you can be two steps ahead. So, it is said : "show interest and be genuinely attentive. You have to bring that spark that others don't have."

Your opponent needs to think, "This person understands me, respects my culture, and shows interest in it. I should give them a chance and accept this contract, it can only be a good opportunity for both of us." So, learn languages and cultivate a global networking perspective.

Persuasion

Robert Cialdini, an American psychologist and expert in social psychology, is the famous author of the book "Influence: The Psychology of Persuasion." In his book, he demonstrated that six principles come into play when trying to persuade others: reciprocity, commitment, social proof, authority, liking, and scarcity. It's not only about becoming purely altruistic to succeed, but showing people that you understand them even if you don't initially, will lead to succedd. Stay confident that you will eventually understand them, and by then, you will have already won the negotiation.

Brent Simpson and Robb Willer, in their book "Social Psychology Quarterly," show that altruists are the ones who perform best in most negotiations due to their deep sense of empathy. Those people are like open books, and as long as the other party doesn't have malicious intentions, both parties are likely to agree on a win-win situation. Therefore, one of the best roles to play as a negotiator is to show genuine emotions to avoid being caught faking them, while still being a strategic thinker. You should be ready to defend and attack at any moment, emerging at the perfect time to secure a win.

Data

Supporting arguments with visuals is always an added value to your words. People don't always maintain eye contact, they move around, humans are made this way, we get distracted and cannot stay focused for three hours straight when someone speaks monotonously, remains static, and shows nothing but spoken text. It's like listening to a story with your eyes closed, eventually leading to falling asleep and retaining nothing at all. This highlights the importance of a good presentation, an impactful visual brought at the right moment, rich in meaning, inviting communication, and providing answers while raising questions.

A good negotiator must be able to support their arguments with verifiable facts and figures. This will enhance the credibility of the decisions made and, in the best cases, can influence the decisions. The choice of colors, typography, charts, and the representation of numbers all play a role. Combined with words, data becomes formidable tools.

Each of the four points is imperative to consider in the current socio-economic context, given the political stakes of our time. It is more essential than ever to know how to communicate effectively. Mastery is not mandatory, but knowledge becomes a minimum requisite in every life situation. By staying ahead, we increase our chances of success compared to waiting passively. Thus, continuous individual improvement will enable each person to navigate successfully in the complex landscape of the global economy. There is no mountain too high or plain too vast; there are only minds and their perception of themselves within these vast expanses. We truly advance only when we are ready. The essential thing is not to arrive somewhere but to move forward freely. It's better to do so before someone forces us against our will.