The key negotiation skill required to unlock the best value from complex commercial negotiation environments is to identify and understand the interests of all the parties impacted by or taking part in the negotiation. In some cases, it is simple to understand both the positions & interests of players in the negotiation. In most cases, however, it is not only tricky to identify the interests of participants; it is also difficult to identify all the key players.
How to negotiate in complex, multi-party negotiations?
1. Identify all the stakeholders in the negotiation
This may be stating the obvious but in practice, it is often hard to identify and track all the stakeholders in a negotiation. In a business environment, we should at least attempt to identify the following stakeholders:
a. Financial stakeholders
These are the individuals or groups that will finance, underwrite or give consent to conclude an agreement based on the financial terms suggested. It is key to identify all potential parties that may have an interest in the purely financial aspects of the negotiation.
b. User/consumer stakeholders
These are the individuals or groups that will implement and support the outcome of the agreement that is reached. These are the people that will live and work with the result of the negotiations on a day to day basis.
c. Technical & legal stakeholders
These are the parties or groups that will sign off and approve the technical and contractual aspects of the negotiations.
d. Guides/Gurus & other Influencers
These are the people or groups that hold significant influence over the central decision makers involved in the negotiation.
2. Identify the interests of each stakeholder in the negotiation
There are essentially two methods to identify an individual or group's interest in a negotiation. The first way is to put yourself in that individual or group's shoes and to attempt to see things from his/her/their perspective. What supporting data would you require? What precedents would apply? What assumptions can you make, and validate? The 2nd way is to ask the individual or group a series of questions to help you (and them) to accurately identify their key interests. The most useful question to ask is "Why?" "Why is this negotiation important to you? Why are you assuming this position? Why are these options being explored?"
3. Create a frame that is appropriate for each stakeholder
Having identified the interests of each stakeholder party, you should now create the appropriate frame. Different people take decisions for different reasons. It is not appropriate to highlight the same points to support decision making to all participants. You should focus on communicating the most useful frame to each stakeholder or potential stakeholder.
4. Create an effective management structure for the negotiation
If our counter parties think of us as rational, the odds are significantly enhanced that they will also respond to us in a rational fashion. We can only present a unified and rational 'front' if we have considered the roles & responsibilities within our negotiation team. Allocate the responsibility in the team between those that will manage the Relationship aspects, and those that will manage or be involved in the Task related aspects.
Negotiation skills training teaches us to create an agenda that addresses the interests of all potential participants. A successful way to simplify complex business negotiations is to add structure. We need to focus on the process elements to ensure that we make progress at every level of the negotiation. You will find that complexity can be managed with the use of an appropriate supporting structure.
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