3 Responses

1. Challenging behaviours in negotiation

   Hi,  this is an interesting one as people interpret ‘challenging’ in different ways. An effective way to demonstrate different approaches in negotiation is to use a communication styles tool eg Honey and Mumford, Social Styles, even MBTI if people are already familiar with it. This enables the group to see that by understanding someone’s natural style of communication / negotiation we can adapt out own style and work with, rather than against people. Role play can help demonstrate how we behave when faced with behaviours that we find challenging and can help the group pinpoint helpful and unhelpful reactions. I find that video role plays are very useful in this respect. 

2. challenging behaviour in negotiations…

   Hi there

    

   It could be said that challenges in negotiation can be summed up as the oppositing party simply not agreeing with what you’re saying or suggesting. That disgreement could present as direct "no" or by putting up difficult ir impossible provisos in a counter-suggestion. It can even come out via differences in negotiation style eg one side is trying to work to mutual benefit whereas the other side isn’t interested in compromising and is being competitive.

   When you design your activity think about where you want your learners to be at the end of the session. Do they need to understand how to counter argue or make good suggestions? Do they need to know how to stay calm and reasonable in the face of immobile opposition? Do they need to know how to ask good questions so they can find out where the opposing party wants to end up/their ideal win and work their negotiations towards a mutual win win? Maybe they need to be great at establishing rapport and solving resistance?

   If that doesn’t help, send in a bit more info and we’ll try again!

    

   Good luck

3. a personal anecdote

   I have had to negotiate with two particular individuals during my career who I found challenging …..because they both exhibited the same trait; they had to feel that you knew that they had "won"

   …..if you were "reasonable" they’d just keep battering you (including personal insults) to try to make you "lose"

   …if they were offered a good deal they’d try to screw you over

   …if you accepted one of their arguments they would immediately accuse you of flip-flopping

    

   …..they were both, IMHO, sad people who, as Mr T would say, could only build their self esteem on the shattered remains of other people….that was challenging!

   for me

    

   you could work this into a role play

   Rus