UNITI Preparation

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m R ea d t h ea r t ic leab ou tg o o d n e g ot ia tin gp ra c tic e .

-
Excerpt
fromGhrisJames,
Negotiation forExecutives
Coach in NewYork

Thesuccessful
negotiator
Whennegotiating,it's extremelyimportant
to understandhow communication works.
Accordingto communication theoristPaul
Watzlawick,for communication to take
place,you haveto havesomeoneto send
the message- a sender- and someone
who receivesthe message- a receiver.

ln short,therearetwo basiclaws:
1 lt's not whatthe sendersays,but what the receiverunderstandsthat is true.
2 The senderis responsiblefor what the receiverunderstands.

Asa result,twotruthsfollow.
1 'Onecannotnot communicate.'We are alwayscommunicating. Evenif we stop
speakingand say nothing,we wouldstill be communicatingsomething.Most
peoplewould probablyinierpretthis as disinterestor perhapsdislike.Normally
we ask them, 'Whatis wrong?'

2 'Communication takesplaceat two levels:the contentleveland the

relationshiplevel.'The contentlevelis what is said- the facts&figures.
The relationshiplevelis how it's said- the feelingsand the atmosphere.
It's likean iceberg.80-90 % of communication takesplaceunderwater- at
the relationshiplevet.

So if you want to be a successfulnegotiator,get to knowthe otherside well.

Onlyafterthat, start planningyour offer.

@
. Canyouthinkof a situation
whereyoudo notcommunicate? thiswitha partner.
Discuss
. Doyouagreethatmostcommunication is basedon relationship
andmuchtesson content?
r Whatmakesyoua goodnegotiator?