Are you all pulling in the same direction?
Sometimes negotiations don’t fail due to a lack of ability or willingness on the part of the negotiating partners, they fail due to a lack of coordination within the team. We observe time and again that even before important negotiations, there is little dialogue or coordination between the parties involved regarding the distribution of roles and tasks in the negotiation. During the negotiation, there is no common, coordinated approach and different views on what information should be communicated to the other party and how. Differences of opinion are then often aired in front of the business partner. And there is rarely any follow-up to the negotiation, so that the next time the same trap is fallen into.
Whether in sales, project management or purchasing, negotiations are usually conducted by cross-functional teams. Technicians, business people and lawyers from different departments and locations are suddenly expected to work together to achieve optimum results. But unresolved conflicts of objectives within the team, a different understanding of roles and contradictory behaviour in negotiations weaken their own position. This comes across as unprofessional, provides a target for the other side and ultimately leads to sub-optimal results.
Promoting collaboration and making it more effective
This is where you can start: Negotiation teams should meet as equals and enter into negotiations with customers or suppliers with harmonised roles. Team building and emotional togetherness should be promoted and cooperation within the team should be organised more effectively.
At VerhandlungsWerkstatt®, we have exactly the right concept for this, which has proven itself for years with major clients:
The Crossfunctional Negotiation Training!
In workshops, we ensure a clear understanding of the roles of the parties involved. We train professional negotiation preparation (information gathering, negotiation preparation, conducting negotiations, do’s and don’ts) and create a common negotiating position.
We practise the procedure on “real-life” negotiation cases and thus create the best conditions for efficient team negotiation:
- Cross-funktional
- International
- Online and in presence