Chapter 10 – Broker
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10.3 Negotiating Effectively
(click the activity index number to take you back to the activities index)(click the heading to take you to the Negotiation exercise slide)
Negotiation skills are important to the Broker role. Academic Coordinators can expect to
be involved in a range of negotiations with, and between students and academics that
need something from each other, or from you. You may also need something from
them. Negotiation always involves balancing competing needs and viewpoints.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this activity is to improve your ability to
negotiate with others.No matter whom you are dealing with, in any negotiation you will need to get the right
balance between being flexible and understanding, and establishing boundaries.
There are three types of negotiations.
- Principled negotiation is often termed mutual interest negotiation (win/win). Both
parties wish to build and or preserve the relationship in a context of mutual respect. - Hard negotiation ruins or destroys the relationship. The approach is win/lose. You
are prepared to sacrifice the relationship for the desired outcome. The relationship
may be superficial, non-existent or simply expendable. - Soft negotiation is where the emphasis is on the other person's needs and in
preserving the relationship. The approach is lose/win. The negotiator may lose self
respect or be dissatisfied with the outcome.
Negotiation occurs when two parties want an outcome that will satisfy their own
interests. Perception and judgment are the heart of negotiation.
There are many traditional beliefs that hold or block people from being successful
negotiators. You need to overcome these fears and irrational thoughts if you are to be
successful in negotiation. As long as you are not dishonest, deceitful or hurtful, then it is
not bad to negotiate.
Power in Negotiations
Power in negotiations is perhaps better defined as the ability to influence the other
parties' decision through the use of various types of power (see Table 5).