Business Negotiations in English

Negotiations in English
 One of the most important skills anyone can hold in daily life is the ability to negotiate. In general terms, a negotiation is a resolution of conflict. We enter negotiation in order to start o continue a relationship and resolve an issue. Even before we accept our first jobs, or begin our careers, we all learn how to negotiate. For one person it begins with the negotiation of an allowance with a parent. For another it involves negotiating a television schedule with a sibling. Some people are naturally stronger negotiators, and are capable of getting their needs met more easily than others. Without the ability to negotiate, people break off relationships, quit jobs, or deliberately avoid conflict and uncomfortable situations.
In the world of business, negotiating skills are used for a variety of reasons, such as to negotiate a salary or a promotion, to secure a sale, or to form a new partnership . Here are a few examples of different types of negotiations in the business world:
•   Manager and Clerk : Negotiating a promotion
•    Employer and Potential Employee: Negotiating job benefits
•    Business Partner A and B: Making decisions about investments
•    Company A and Company B: Negotiating a merger
•    Customer and Client: Making a Sale

Art of Negotiating

Negotiating is often referred to as an "art". While some people may be naturally more skillful as negotiators, everyone can learn to negotiate. And, as they often say in business, everything is negotiable. Some techniques and skills that aid techniques people in the negotiating process include:

• Aiming high
• Visualizing the end results
• Treating one's opponent with respect and honesty
• Preparing ahead of time
• Exhibiting confidence 

Throughout this lesson, we will review important techniques and skills to learn before negotiating. We will also examine certain tactics your opponents may use at the negotiating table. These pages are designed to prepare you for for negotiating in English in the business world, but they will also help you achieve your goals in everyday life.

Preparing to Negotiate
Lack  of preparation in a negotiation almost always sets a person up for failure. First and foremost, each party must clearly define their own goals and objectives. Secondly, each party must anticipate the goals of the opposition. This may require doing some background research. Finally, each party must come up with various alternatives to their main objectives.

Collaborative Negotiating
In business, the goal of negotiating parties should always be for mutual gain. This type of win-win negotiation is often called collaborative negotiating. The opposite of collaborative negotiating is called competitive negotiating. The goal of competitive negotiating is for one party to win and the other to lose. Dishonest practices, such as lying, manipulation, intimidation, and bribery are often used in this type of negotiation.

Main Principles of Collaborative Negotiating:
•    Resolve previous conflicts ahead of time
•    Deal with issue, not personalities
•    Establish trust in the onset
•    Develop a common goal
•    Discuss a common enemy
•    Take opponent's views/needs into careful consideration: Not only do you want to win this negotiation, you want your opponent to win as well, so that he or she will negotiate with you again in the future.

Preparing to Negotiate a Job Offer
Negotiating  a job offer should mean more than just saying , yes. Though being offered a job is an exciting time, it is also an important time to use your negotiating skills. Here are some issue you may want to raise before you accept:
•    Salary
•    Promotion Opportunities
•    Insurance (medical, dental, accident, life)
•    Holidays
•    Vacation time
•    Retirement/pension plans
•    Stock options
•    Overtime
•    Expenses