The Leadership Training Activity Book: 50 Exercises

SET AN EXAMPLE^219

Trainer’s Notes for Activity 39

STEP-BY-STEP PROCEDURE

Step 1: Introduce the subject of negotiation by asking, “What is your definition

of negotiation in your business context?” Elicit answers and write them

on the flipchart.

Now ask participants if they know what their personal negotiation

style is based on. Discuss responses.

Then tell participants, “Negotiation is one of the most complex

leadership competencies. You have all taken the Dealing with Conflict

Instrument.Let’s chart your primary conflict styles.” Ask for scores, and

write them on the flipchart.

Step 2: Then say, “Now, what do these scores mean? I believe that bargaining

and negotiation styles are relatively stable. They are personality-driven

clusters of behaviors and reactions that arise in negotiating encounters.

Bargaining and negotiation strengths are those in or above the 75th

percentile.

Step 3: Use the flipchart to review the main points.

Accommodators.Negotiators who are strongly predisposed toward

accommodating derive significant satisfaction from solving other

people’s problems. This is a great trait to have on a negotiating team.

If you are weak in terms of accommodation, you might not be interested

in the other party’s emotional state, needs, or circumstances. You might

also try to hold out for more of what you want.

Compromisers.Negotiators who are eager to close the gap in a fair

and equitable way. However, strong compromisers often rush the

negotiations. Weak compromisers are often men and women of great

principle. They can sometimes appear to be stubborn.

Avoiders.Negotiators who are adept at deferring and then dodging

the confrontational aspects. Diplomats and politicians are often high

avoiders. Low avoiders are sometimes perceived as lacking tact, and as

negotiators tend to show a high tolerance for assertive, hard-nosed

bargaining.

Collaborators.Negotiators who tend to enjoy negotiations because

they enjoy solving tough problems. They are instinctively good at using

negotiation to probe beneath the surface of a conflict.