Just finished reading another good book:
Getting to Yes - negotiating agreement without giving in.
A book that's under 200 pages and is nice and easy to read. It contains some great information about Principle centered negotiation rather than negotiating around positions.
Generally thinking about it I don't have too many opportunities to negotiate interesting things such as large sales deals but I wish I'd read this book before purchasing our house 2 years ago. We got a very good deal out of it - but while reading the book I was imagining how I could have used the principle approach differently. I think we'd have actually got the same result - which you may ask then what's the point - but principle centered negotiation gets everybody a deal they are happy with and leaves them with a nice warm fuzzy feeling.
A few other notes I took while reading:
- look at both sides interests (not positions!) and openly discuss them
- brain storm solutions
- one-text procedure - a mediator comes in and investigates interests, then comes up with a solution and invites criticism of it.
- keep quite during negotiation - prompt the other side to do the talking, they'll often give more away than they want to.
- ask the other side 'what would you do in my position?'
- drafting initial proposal is a good thing to begin discussions and find out parties interests. Ensure it is headed with 'Draft and Non-Committal. Future drafts of proposals are then good for recording what has happened
I'm trying to get Sophie to have a read of it to help her deal with difficult parents at the school she teaches but with no luck so far. I guess I'll have to try the negotiation tactics on her....
This book is definitely on the list to read again.