Chap 5:

Verbal Communication in
negotiation
5.1 How People Communicate
in Negotiation

 Use of language
Logicallevel (proposals, offers)
Pragmatic level (semantics, syntax, style)
 Use of nonverbal communication
Making eye contact
Adjusting body position
Nonverbally encouraging or discouraging what the other
says
How People Communicate
in Negotiation
 Selection of a communication channel
Communication is experienced differently when it occurs
through different channels
People negotiate through a variety of communication media
– by phone, in writing and increasingly through electronic
channels or virtual negotiations
Social presence distinguishes one communication channel
from another.
theability of a channel to carry and convey subtle social cues from
sender to receiver
 How People Communicate
in Negotiation “Writing a letter on
official company
letterhead really
sends a message”

What is a “message”?
 Messages can include:
“I’m not sure
 Aims that outfit sends
 the right
Purpose
message”
 Type
 Clearness
 Importance “That PRP wouldn’t
even talk to me
without his lawyer…
what kind of message
Not all messages are intentional. does he think that
sends?”
– Almost anything we do can
“send a message”
4
 5

How People Communicate in Negotiation

Verbal vs Non-Verbal Communication In Negotiation

Eye contact

Posture

Facial expressions
Gestures

Tone of voice

Exclamations
(vocal or written)

Words
Face to face Public Phone Calls Written
comm. Meetings Communication
 Verbal Communication Barrier/Distortion in 6

Negotiation

1. Senders and receivers

The more diverse their goals or the more antagonistic they are in
their relationship, the greater the likelihood that distortions and
errors in communication will occur
2. Transmitters and receptors
The choice of transmitter can affect outcomes
Some messages may be better spoken, others written
Poor eyesight, faulty hearing, etc. diminish the ability of a receiver to
receive a message accurately
 Cont. 7

3. Messages
The symbolic forms by which information is communicated
The more we use symbolic communication, the more likely the
symbols may not accurately communicate the meaning we intend
4.Encoding
The process by which messages are put into symbolic form
Senders are likely to encode messages in a form which receivers
may not prefer
 Cont. 8

5.Channels
The conduits by which messages are carried from one party to
another
Messages are subject to distortion from channel noise or various
forms of interference
6. Decoding
The process of translating messages from their symbolic form into
a form that makes sense
When people speak different languages, decoding involves higher
degrees of error
 Cont. 9

7.Meanings
The facts, ideas, feelings, reactions, or thoughts that exist within
individuals and act as filters for interpreting the decoded messages
Those filters can introduce distortions
8. Feedback
The process by which the receiver reacts to the sender’s message
Absence of feedback can contribute to significant distortions
Feedback can distort communication by influencing the offers
negotiators make
EMOTION & PERCEPTION INVOLVE IN
VERBAL COMMUNICATION

1. Can divert attention from substantive matter

2. Can damage a relationship
3. Can be used to exploit you
4. Can also be a great asset
5. And can be a danger ….
Controlling Your Emotions

• Recognizing and controlling emotions is an aspect of “emotional

intelligence.”

• In a negotiation, emotional intelligence involves recognizing how

you and the other party are responding emotionally to the discussion.

• You will recognize when the emotional temperature is rising beyond

where it should be, because discussions will become less focused,
voices will be raised and the silences will be all the more silent.
 EMOTIONAL CONTROL

1.Understand your personal strengths and weaknesses

2. Identify your “hot buttons” and know how to control them
3. Call for a “time-out” whenever necessary to maintain control
and confidence
4. Express enthusiasm, but not at the expense of others
5. Be assertive, not aggressive
6. Learn to deal with frustration and discouragement
7. Learn to deal with difficult people
Perceptual Barriers

 Perception: a person’s view of reality

 Advertising Messages: countless advertising blunders when
words are misinterpreted by others
 How others see us: May be different than we think
Dealing with Difficult Issues

All things are

difficult before they
are easy.
 Most people are willing to negotiate in Thomas Fuller
good faith. They don’t resort to tricks or
intimidation. Every once in a while, though,
you might encounter someone who takes a
less principled approach.
 Dealing with Personal Attacks

 There are a number of reasons why negotiators sometimes engage in personal

attacks:

• They may think that this type of behavior will give them an advantage in the
negotiation.

• They may see any disagreement with their position as a threat to their self-image.

• They may feel that they are not being treated fairly or respectfully.
 Deciding When It’s Time to Walk Away

 It’s time to walk away from a negotiation if:

• The other party makes you feel threatened or extremely uncomfortable.

• The other party uses unfair tactics that make it impossible to have an equitable negotiation.
TIPS IN DEALING WITH DIFFICULT PEOPLE
IN NEGOTIATION

1. Encourage participation
2. Discourage dominators and rambles
3. Be firm and assertive
4. Maintain focus and a clear direction
5. Give them the benefit of the doubt
6. Use “time-out” whenever necessary to maintain
emotional control
How to Improve Verbal
Communication in Negotiation
 Use of questions: two basic categories
Manageable
 Cause attention or prepare the other person’s thinking for further questions:
 “May I ask you a question?”
 getting information
 “How much will this cost?”
 generating thoughts
 “Do you have any suggestions for improving this?”

McGra
w-Hill/
Irwin
How to Improve
Verbal Communication in Negotiation

 Use of questions: two basic categories

Unmanageable questions
Cause difficulty
“Where did you get that dumb idea?”
give information
“Didn’t you know we couldn’t afford this?”
 bring the discussion to a false conclusion
“Don’t you think we have talked about this enough?”

McGra
w-Hill/
Irwin
 How to Improve Verbal
Communication in Negotiation

 Listening: three major forms

1. Passive listening: Receiving the message while providing no
feedback to the sender
2. Acknowledgment: Receivers nod their heads, maintain eye
contact, or interject responses
3. Active listening: Receivers restate or paraphrase the sender’s
message in their own language

McGra
w-Hill/
Irwin
 How to Improve Verbal
Communication in Negotiation
 Role reversal
 Negotiators understand the other party’s positions by actively
arguing these positions until the other party is convinced that
he or she is understood
 Impact and success of the role-reversal technique
1. Effective in producing cognitive changes and attitude changes
2. When the positions are compatible, likely to produce acceptable
results; when the positions are incompatible, may inhibit positive
change
3. Not necessarily effective overall as a means of inducing
agreement between parties

McGra
w-Hill/
Irwin
 Special Communication Considerations at the
Close of Negotiations
 Avoiding fatal mistakes
Keeping track of what you expect to happen
Systematically guarding yourself against self-serving expectations
Reviewing the lessons from feedback for similar decisions in the
future
 Achieving closure
Avoid surrendering important information needlessly
Refrain from making “dumb remarks”
 Wrapping Up

Success usually
 Although this workshop is coming to a close, we hope that comes to those who
your journey to improve your project management skills is just are too busy to be
beginning. Please take a moment to review and update your looking for it.
action plan. This will be a key tool to guide your progress in Henry David
the days, weeks, months, and years to come. We wish you the Thoreau
best of luck on the rest of your travels!