Negotiation Skills

1
Negotiation Skills

• Presented by
• Rick McGee

2
Tell them they are right before you tell them
they are wrong

• Remove ego from the negotiation
• Example Board 1 The former Executive Director
  did not have an assistant, why should Chuck hire
  one?
• Board 2 You make a strong point, the Executive
  Director has never had an assistanthowever we
  might consider
• Validate their view before you slice their idea

3
Do not lead with your chin

• Assert your best arguments
• Understand your worst arguments
• Example Our Board has never purchased a phone
  switch, but it seems to me that your price is 15
  more than your competition OrLooking at the
  other 6 bids we received for a switch please help
  me understand why your price is 15 higher than
  everyone else.

4
Never mislead

• Say goodbye to your credibility and good faith
• Affirmative misstatements and through omission
• The poor historian

5
Fairness first

• Fairness persuades better than the law, the
  rules, tradition and custom and a knuckle
  sandwich

6
Dignity

• Figure out how you come across not how you think
  you come across
• Shrill does not work
• Beware the bulldog

7
Confidence

• Try ityou will like it and you will like the
  results

8
Primacy and recency

• First and last
• Start strong and end strong

9
KISS

• Keep it simple silly or as some pitch Keep it
  simple stupid
• Simple is very appealing
• Quick understanding appeals to our vanitywe
  agree with stuff we comprehend

10
Talk to yourself before the pitch

• Who makes the best argument in the car after the
  meeting?

11
Write it down

• Stimulate the brain with your eloquence and black
  ink on white paper
• A picture is worth _________how many words?

12
You are the most reasonable person

• Vanilla or vinegar anyone?

13
Passion wins debates

• Who owns a Chia-pet? Just pour water.

14
Define the issue

• She who defines the question defines the debate
• Example Will Council increase the health care
  clinics budget by 11? Or Ask Council which
  children in the Community shall we deny treatment?

15
Consider non-monetary variables

• I am not shaking his hand and 15 other
  stipulations.

16
Repeat thyself. Repeat thyself.

• Persistence is persuasion

17
Slow down the presentation

• You know ityour audience does not yet.
• Tough to read the lettering on a speeding train

18
Sell it ahead of time

• Who are your constituents?
• Who needs time warming up to an idea?

19
Figure out who the real decision-maker is

• Example Who has the biggest key ring?
• The Maintenance Director has more power than the
  General Manager.
• Who really has power? The organizational chart
  v. the persuader.

20
Avoid the straw man

• Example The Executive Director wants to hire
  Chuck and Chuck asks for reimbursement of his
  relocation costs
• A colleague says the Board has NEVER paid for
  relocation costs
• Ever been proposed? Considered? Is there a
  budget for it? Does it make sense in this case?
  In other circumstances? Should we pay a portion?
• What is the question?

21
Layered negotiating

• One person, one vote
• Persuading the Board before moving on to the
  team

22
Meet me half way

• Anticipate this pitch and therefore structure the
  front end with anticipation
• Example I will spend 5 and she asks for
  9knowing 7 is the middle ground demanding
  reasonable conditions from bothstart with
  3.50

23
Figure out what they want

• You understand you
• Just as important that you understand them
• What drives them? Pay? Corner office? Title?
  Benefits? Prestige?

24
Ask

• Oftentimes the worst thing that can happen is
  they will say no.

25
Make them go first

• Their first offer reveals much

26
Do not negotiate with yourself

• Turn one You offer 100
• Next They offer zero
• Turn Two Do not offer 75 without strong
  justification

27
Be careful about brinksmanship

• There is a final offerdo not present a final,
  final, I swear its my final offer offer

28
Sometimes hire an advocate

• Are you too close to the subject? The players?

29
Do your homework

• Your competitor charges 15 an hour
• Negotiating at 12 an hour with that knowledge
  should make you more aggressive

30
Clarity

• If you are the Councils or Boards point person,
  understand their position

31
Will a mediator help?

• A mediator is a neutral without decision-making
  authority

32
Thank You

• Questions?