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Negotiating from a distance: how to stay well connected
- NEWS
These are times of social distancing. We meet our colleagues, customers and suppliers exclusively by telephone, videoconference or e-mail.
This is happening against a backdrop of a sluggish economy, where it's hard to concentrate and, for some, hard to believe.
We conduct our exchanges from our homes. These are not necessarily suited to this activity.
How do we stay focused on our objectives and interests, so that we don't get lost along the way, give up or, on the contrary, over-react and put our partner off balance? Our interpersonal skills are put to the test.
Because technologies are not simple and, at the same time, they simplify things.
First of all, they are not simple. Sometimes they don't work properly, and our domestic environment doesn't help: connections are sometimes weaker than in the workplace, or security processes make the tasks more complex!
They also simplify matters: negotiating by email can lead to an increase in correspondence or, conversely, a reduction in the number of subjects to be negotiated, which is not conducive to an overall view of the problem to be resolved. On the telephone, we are dependent on a single mode of perception. For those of us who are more "visual" or "kinaesthetic", this is a handicap. Finally, video-conferencing is more complete, but does not completely replace a live meeting.
7 keys to your negotiations
Here are some basic recommendations for conducting your exchanges in a climate that is both environmentally friendly for you and for others:
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Set an object for negotiation and make sure you have shared it well
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Be precise and selective about the participants you invite
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Communicate your needs simply and without fear of revealing yourself
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Give space to listening. Cutting people off online is not only as unpleasant as it is live, it also makes the conversation inaudible!
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Reformulate, reformulate, reformulate
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Summarise the interview without delay
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Finally, prepare yourself and take the time to review the situation with yourself before the "virtual" meeting (an adjective that is a misnomer: they are not actually virtual! the "virtual" meeting (an adjective that is a misnomer: they are not, in fact!).
Negotiation coaching
There are powerful and innovative tools to help you prepare for your negotiations. Are you familiar with the "receptivity test"? The coaches at the Centre Européen de la Négociation can help you use it in your preparation. This test is a compass for your actions. It starts by asking questions about your motivations, those of others, the options available to you, the risks of deadlock and the alternatives you can resolve if things "go wrong". It's a real tool that protects you and gives you a vision and a guideline for conducting your negotiations in the best possible way.
In today's climate of anxiety, it's more important than ever to connect with others in an authentic way and to build a virtuous, reliable and effective operating model. How can we make negotiation rhyme with connection? What tools do you need to put in place to create a relationship of trust, even at a distance? How can we establish aligned communication? What are the pitfalls to avoid and how can you become a player in your own negotiations? These are all essential questions at a time when the way we interact with each other is changing dramatically, but at the same time, it's a time when companies need, more than ever, to be efficient, proactive and to rely on the resources of every employee.
If you're asking yourself all these questions, the Centre Européen de la Négociation offers you innovative coaching modules based on mental preparation, behavioural therapy and negotiation and communication advice to meet the specific needs of each negotiator as closely as possible. Call us to make an appointment or for more information.
Contact the European Negotiation Centre: Béatrice +33 (0)1 53 53 05 03.
Aline Bizien, professional coach and mental trainer
Philippe Etienne, coach and consultant in negotiation and communication
Nicole Spitaleri, coach and behavioural therapist
