NegotiatinginWorkingoffice.docx

To move an idea

along, you sometimes

0:01

need to negotiate

with co-workers.

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To illustrate some basic

negotiation principles,

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let's look at a story

from World War II.

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It's about the famous

Manhattan Project,

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which led to the development

of the first atomic bomb.

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The job of coordinating

the efforts of the world's

0:19

most brilliant and quirky

geniuses on this effort

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fell to a man named

Robert Oppenheimer, one

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of the top physicists

in the 1930s and '40s.

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As a colleague later

observed, leading the project

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transformed Oppenheimer.

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He was a hesitant,

diffident academic,

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but he became a

decisive executive.

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Oppenheimer's success

depended on being

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able to discover and address

various individual needs

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and interests of the

scientists working with him,

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and then use his negotiation

and management skills to keep

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the project moving forward.

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One situation he faced

involved Edward Teller,

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the man who later invented

the hydrogen bomb.

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Teller grew frustrated

because Oppenheimer insisted

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he concentrate on fission

development, which

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Teller considered to routine.

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In a display of

diva-like anger, Teller

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withdrew from the

fission development team

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and threatened to leave the

Manhattan Project entirely

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unless his demands for more

interesting work were met.

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Oppenheimer's job was to sell

Teller on the idea of staying.

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Oppenheimer called

Teller into his office

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and let him then his frustration

about the work assignment.

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Then he started

asking questions,

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quickly uncovering two

things Teller wanted.

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First, Teller was eager to

spend time investigating

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the possibility of a hydrogen

device, a much longer range

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prospect than the

atomic bomb but one that

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had a great deal more

theoretical interest in terms

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of physics.

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Second, Teller wanted

more face time directly

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with Oppenheimer,

an interaction he

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missed because of the

Manhattan Project's

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bureaucratic structure.

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Oppenheimer then offered a deal.

2:13

First, he agreed to let Teller

dabble in his hydrogen project,

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but only during limited times.

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Second, he agreed

to schedule Teller

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for a weekly one-hour

brainstorming session,

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a concession Oppenheimer

positioned as a major sacrifice

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because his hectic schedule as

director of the overall project

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didn't leave him much free time.

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In return, Teller

had to agree to stay

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on the all important

fission development project

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and follow orders.

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Teller agreed.

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The beauty of this arrangement

from Oppenheimer's point

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of view was its low cost

to the overall effort.

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True, he had to compromise a

bit on the hydrogen research

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project, but he

welcomed the excuse

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to schedule some

dedicated time to theorize

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with his brilliant colleague.

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He would get just as much

stimulation from the meetings

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as Teller would.

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By uncovering Teller's

interests instead of

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going to war with him

over who was in charge,

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Oppenheimer kept both Teller and

the Manhattan Project on task.

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What can we learn

from this story?

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First, negotiations follow

almost ritualized steps–

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preparing, probing,

proposing, and closing.

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Think of these as the four

phases of negotiation.

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Second, because of the presence

of conflicting interests,

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certain psychological

factors related

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to attitudes about conflict

play predictable roles

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in the way negotiations unfold.

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Negotiation also

involves paying attention

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to six key elements,

what Richard Shell calls

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the six foundations of

effective negotiation.

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First, styles.

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Research has shown that

people have distinct styles

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for handling negotiations–

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competing, looking for ways

to win the negotiation game,

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collaborating, seeking and

exploring mutual interests,

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compromising, splitting

the difference

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between respective

positions, accommodating,

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conceding to the

other party's demands,

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or avoiding, trying to dodge or

defer the conflict of interest

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altogether.

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Goals– goal setting

in negotiation

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is aimed squarely at

the issues in conflict.

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Each side is likely to have

walk away positions or bottom

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lines on the toughest issues–

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a level, that is,

that would prompt

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them to terminate

the negotiation

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rather than say yes–

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and an aspiration level.

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That's what they

optimistically hope to achieve.

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Then there are standards.

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Authoritative

standards and norms,

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such as industry guidelines

and market trends,

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usually form the background

for negotiations.

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Your preparation in this

respect should therefore

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include a survey of the

standard space points you want

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to make with your co-workers.

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Relationships– the

psychology of similarity

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and liking help

you build rapport

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at the beginning

of a negotiation,

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and the norm of

reciprocity helps

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set the rhythm of both

exchanging information

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and making concessions as

a negotiation proceeds.

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Interests–

successful persuasion

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often depends on showing

how your ideas further

5:47

your co-worker's interests.

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When you find them

pushing back hard,

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that's often a sign

that you have touched

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on a conflicting interest.

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Three questions

regarding interests

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are especially important.

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One, why might it already be

in my co-worker's interests

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to support my idea?

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What does my co-worker

want that I can give them?

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And three, why

might they say no?

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These are all

important questions

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in preparing to negotiate.

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The more shared

interests you find,

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the easier it is to resolve

the conflicting ones.

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Leverage– when it comes to

negotiation, the final decision

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as to who will compromise

often comes down

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to a question of

something called leverage.

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That's the balance of hopes

and fears at the table.

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Whoever thinks

they have the least

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to lose from saying no

deal generally has the most

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leverage, and whoever thinks

they have the most to lose

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has the least leverage.

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Let's go back to Oppenheimer.

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He used negotiation

to motivate one

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of the most talented physicists

of his generation, Edward

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Teller.

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In thinking about

these foundations,

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ask yourself if they can

make your next conversation

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just a little more productive.

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Like Oppenheimer, you

can use negotiation

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to motivate the Tellers,

people you work with every day.

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Rely on the six

foundations to help you

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prepare for important

negotiations at work.

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After each one, reflect

on what you did well

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and what you could

have done better.

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Make needed adjustments

for the next conversation.

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If you get into the habit

of reflecting in this way,

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over time, no matter

how experienced you are,

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you will enhance your

ability to get things done.

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