Takeaways from the international bestseller: "Getting to Yes"

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Takeaways from the international bestseller: Getting to Yes

BuyerZone’s sales team highlights important takeaways and tips

Chapter Highlights

I. THE PROBLEM1. Don’t bargain over positions

II. THE METHOD2. Separate the people from the problem

3. Focus on interests, not positions

4. Invent options for mutual gain

5. Insist on using objective criteria

III. YES, BUT…6. What if they are more powerful?

7. What if they won’t play?

8. What if they use dirty tricks?

Chapter 1: Don’t Bargain Over Positions

The authors state that the major problem in many negotiations is that people assume positions that are either Soft or Hard.

Soft Hard

Accepts losses to reach agreement Demands gains as price of agreement

Single answer they will accept Single answer you will accept

Insists on agreement Insists on position

Avoids contest of will Insists on contest of will

Yields to pressure Applies pressure

They suggest that, rather than being either hard on the people and the problem, or soft on people and problem, it is possible to be soft on the people and hard on the problem.

They call this approach principled negotiation or negotiation on its merits.

This method can be broken down into four points:

1. People: Separate the people from the problem

2. Interests: Focus on what’s important (interests), not positions (rigid stake in the ground)

3. Options: Explore options that could work; select the best (most appropriate) after all considerations

4. Criteria: Be objective and reasonable

Chapter 2: Separate the People from the Problem

Remember what’s important

Recognize that emotions and egos can create problems in negotiations, and that this will adversely affect your ability to see the other party's position clearly.

This results in confrontational rather than cooperative interactions.

Focus on:• Clarifying perceptions• Recognizing and acknowledging

emotions• Communicating clearly

Chapter 3:Focus on Interests, Not Positions

Initial positions can be blinders – can’t see through to what’s really the issue and what’s important

To get to a ‘wise’ solution, figure out interests – not positions:

• Interests define the problem• Behind opposed positions lie shared and compatible interests

Most often, interests center around things most important to us (those involving basic human interest) such as:

• Security• Economic well-being• A sense of belonging• Recognition• Control over one’s life

Make a list! It helps you sort out interests of both parties

Chapter 4:Invent Options for Mutual Gain

How to Invent Creative Options

Propose options without adding judgments• Separate inventing from deciding

Brainstorm alternatives• Alternate between general and specific

Figure out what solutions work for both • Shared interests• Differences can create agreement

Make it an easy decision• Proposals – show value• Appeal to one person; become advocate

Chapter 5:Insist on Using Objective Criteria

Deciding on the basis of will can be costly…..

• Creates an “Us versus Them” negotiation process• One or both sides may not be willing to back down• Can create counter productive tension within the

process• Almost always ends with winner/loser outcome • May damage long-term business relationships

Using objective criteria works because neither party looks or feels weak and it reduces the number of promises the parties make and unmake.

Negotiating with Objective Criteria

• Discuss together and agree upon objective criteria for each issue

• Reason and be open to reason as to which standards are most appropriate

• Never yield to pressure, only to principle

• Focus on objective criteria firmly but flexibly

Chapter 6:What If They are More Powerful?

In negotiations, there are always realities, one of which is the other side may have a better bargaining position, i.e. power.

In response to the other side with a power position, the most any method of negotiation can do is to meet two objectives:

1. Protect you against making an agreement you should reject

2. Help you make the most of the assets you do have so that any agreement you reach will satisfy your interests as well as possible.

Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement(BATNA)

• It is the standard against which any proposed agreement should be measured

• Can be flexible

• Whether you should agree upon a negotiation or not depends upon the attractiveness to you of the best available alternative

• Trip wires - give you early warning that the agreement terms may be too unattractive

The better your BATNA the greater your power

Develop your BATNA• Consider what to do if no negotiation is reached• Develop alternatives to a negotiated agreement• Select best alternative (BATNA) – if no agreement reached, what is next

option

Once you select the best among the alternatives, judge each offer against this BATNA

If both sides have attractive BATNAs then it is possible the best outcome for both parties is NOT to reach an agreement

Chapter 7: What If They Won’t Play?

When you attack problems on their merits, but the other party attacks you, what can you do to turn them away from positions and towards merits?

There are three basic approaches:

1. Focus on what you can do – focus on merits; continue to stay away from positions (already discussed)

2. Focus on what they can do – direct their positional bargaining towards the merits (negotiation jujitsu)

3. Focus on what a third party can do to direct the discussion to interests, options and criteria

Negotiation Jujitsu

If the other side announces a firm position, you may be tempted to criticize and reject it. If they criticize your proposal, you may be tempted to defend yourself and counter attack. It’s human nature. It’s hard...

In practice, negotiation jujitsu works by allowing you to side step their attack and deflect it against their problem.

• Don’t defend your ideas, invite criticism and advice – examine their negative judgments to discover their interest so you can improve your ideas from their point of view

• Recast an attack on you as an attack on the problem – listen to the attack to show you understand it, and then recast the attack on you as an attack on the problem

Asking questions and pausing can be another great tool as the other side gets their points across and you have time to understand them

A third party can separate the people from the problem and direct the discussion to interests, criteria and options.

• Ask for interests: “Why do you want ____?” Your questioning will give you the criteria to help formulate options

• Invite criticism to improve your ideas from their point of view

• Invent options based on their interests

A natural third party may be a participant who's interest lies more in affecting an agreement than in affecting the particular terms.

Chapter 8:What if They Use Dirty Tricks?

There are many tactics and tricks people can use to try to take advantage of you. They range from lies and psychological abuse to various forms of pressure tactics.

Tricky tactics

There are three steps in negotiating the rules of negotiating game where the other side seems to be using a tricky tactic:

1. Recognize the tactic.2. Raise the issue explicitly.3. Question the tactic’s legitimacy and desirability – negotiate over it.

Common tricky tactics include…

• Deliberate deception• Ambiguous authority• Dubious intentions

Psychological warfare

Tactics that are designed to make you feel uncomfortable

• Used to create a subconscious desire to end the negotiation as soon as

possible

• Stressful situations. Manipulate physical environment

o Small Chair, Hot/Cold, Noisy

• Personal Attacks

o No eye contact, disguised insult, waiting, interruptions

• The good-guy / bad-guy routine

• Threats

Positional pressure tactics

Refusal to negotiate Recognize as a possible ploy. Don’t attack, instead find out their interests in not negotiating

Hardhearted partnerMost common ploy. Look to speak (or write if possible) with the principle party involved

A calculated delayPostpone a decision until the time is right. Used in labor negotiations

“Take it or leave it”Most business is conducted this way. It’s efficient but not negotiation

Recap

The problem with getting to “yes” is that people focus on positions, not principles.

What to do:• Separate the people from the problem• Focus on what’s important (interests), not positions

(rigid stake in the ground)• Explore options that could work; select the best

(most appropriate) after all considerations• Be objective and reasonable

And those are the secrets to getting yes!

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