Tactics, deal design, and set-up are three crucial components of the most effective negotiations. Yet many negotiators focus only on the tactical part, running the risk of undermining their own best interests. How can you negotiate more skillfully and confidently with clients, partners, and adversaries as well as with colleagues within your organization?
Imagine that a supplier is negotiating with an important but difficult client who adamantly refuses to budge on certain contract terms. Assuming that they face an interpersonal or tactical barrier, suppliers often seek training on the principles of persuasion, joint brainstorming, how to make advantageous initial offers, body language, and so on.
Q: Given geopolitical tensions today, what are the complexities of the challenges facing professional negotiators whose work is very high-stakes? If it's possible to generalize, how do you view the skills and practices of most negotiators working on high-stakes issues? Are there large or different "skill issues" compared to previous periods of time you've witnessed?
[This article was provided with permission from Harvard Business School Working Knowledge.]