Page 138 - Communication in Organizations Basic Skills and Conversation Models

15
Negotiating

Practical example

Not only does the staircase need replacing, but also 20 rooms on the third and fourth
floors of Dinner Ltd need to be modernized. This involves the walls being repapered,
windowframes repainted and new central heating on several floors. Commercial Director
Gerald Glass has requested a quotation from the installation office of Central Heating for
this last part. In the past Dinner Ltd has enjoyed good working relations with this
company and has been satisfied with the jobs done. Gerald is to have a discussion with
the installer about the price of the contract.
Apart from the cost of installation of new radiators, another point to be discussed is
the schedule for the work, which is related to the price. If the installation of the radiators
can be completed after the painters and decorators have finished, a great deal of work will
be avoided. But then there is a very real chance of damage and the question is who will
be responsible for paying for this. If the installation is completed before the painting
company begins its work, then the radiators will have to be removed and again replaced.
These are the points that Gerald Glass needs to negotiate with Central Heating.

Introduction

Negotiation is a skill that has been called a social achievement by Mastenbroek (1990).
He means that people who have acquired this skill can make use of an instrument that
allows them to influence many situations to their own satisfaction and to the satisfaction
of the other party. In this chapter we discuss the negotiator’s behaviour, the room for
negotiations, different negotiation situations, negotiation skills and a model for the
negotiation conversation. Finally we present an overview.

Negotiator’s behaviour

Most typical of negotiating situations is the complexity of their goals and interests. On
the one hand both parties have the same goal in mind: reaching an agreement between
themselves about the question. On the other hand each wants to achieve the most
favourable results for themselves. The importance that the parties place on reaching an
agreement is dependent upon the situation in which they find themselves and their
position within that situation.
In Chapter 14 on conflict management, the skill of negotiating is described as
behaviour directed at one’s own interests and the interests of the other party. So it is clear
that negotiation concerns not pushing your own interests at the cost of the relationship
with the other party. The relationship should remain intact after the negotiations are
complete. From this position—equally concerning oneself with one’s own interests as