One of the main differences between negotiators is how confident they feel when negotiating. Typically, the more confident we feel, and the better we are prepared, the more successful will be the outcome of our negotiations.
Personal power comes from many sources. To build up and increase our confidence as negotiators we need to step back and analyse the sources of our personal power and compare them with those of the people with whom we are negotiating.
Power is not absolute. In most negotiating relationships the power balance moves with time as the negotiation progresses.
Here are just a few examples of sources of power:
Information Power:
Information power comes from having knowledge that will influence the outcome of the negotiation. Planning and research can increase our information power, as can asking the right questions before we reach the bargaining phase of the negotiation.
Reward Power:
Reward power comes from having the ability to reward the other party in the negotiation. It could be the power a buyer has to place an order for goods and services or the power a salesperson has to give good service and solve problems
Coercive Power:
Coercive power is the power to punish. This is seen most commonly in the buyer-seller relationship, but can be a feature of other types of negotiation.
Situation Power:
Situation power is the power that comes from being in the right place at the right time. A customer is desperate to place an order and you are the only source of supply in the short term. Having an effective network and keeping in touch with what is happening can increase your situation power.
Expertise Power:
Expertise power comes from having a particular skill which you can apply and which
can influence the outcome of the negotiation. Improving negotiation skills helps you
win better deals. Other areas of expertise could also help the outcome of the
negotiation.
And Finally - Referent Power:
Referent power comes from being consistent over time. If people see you as having a clear, consistent strategy as a negotiator, you will increase your referent power.
Having standards that you stick to and being consistent will help to increase your referent power. In the eighties, Margaret Thatcher wasn't universally popular, but was respected by many for being consistent in her views and behaviour. In the end she failed because her approach was too rigid and she was unable to adapt to changing circumstances.
You will find a number of other articles on negotiation here
Today's News: Amazingly, Business Expert Webinars has just delivered it's 100th session - incredible how time flies. This is the message I received from CEO, Lee Saltz.
Business Expert Webinars Delivers its 100th Business eLearning Training Session!
October 28, 2008, Minneapolis, MN - Business Expert Webinars (BEW), the leading provider of
business eLearning, achieved a major milestone today when they delivered their 100th for-fee webinar.
"I am proud of this significant BEW accomplishment. I'm not aware of any other program that has
delivered 100 for-fee webinars in this short period of time. BEW has clearly demonstrated that people are
willing to invest in business eLearning as a way to enhance the skill development of themselves and their
employees. As the economy has tightened, companies and business professionals have been forced to
find alternative strategies for skill development. BEW offers an affordable way to increase business
aptitude on a limited budget," said Lee B. Salz, President and CEO of Business Expert Webinars.
"The BEW platform is incredible," says Jeb Blount, BEW speaker and CEO of SalesGravy.com. "It has
provided professional business speakers with a venue to reach a global audience. Participants learn
relevant information that they can immediately use in their business career."
Business Expert Webinars began delivering for-fee webinars in May 2008 and has built a portfolio of over
150 business speakers, with a schedule of over 750 live business eLearning seminars on a wide array of
subjects. "What makes BEW unique is that our speakers are not using these sessions as marketing
events, but are using the technology to deliver their teachings to audiences around the world. Not only
are BEW's participants worldwide, but so are the speakers. We have speakers in Canada, France,
Australia, Egypt, and the U.K. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, business education in a cost
effective environment." said Salz.
"As a result of delivering business eLearning sessions with Business Expert Webinars, I've been able to
provide business professionals with new ways to affordably benefit from my services," says Leslie
Buterin, BEW speaker and founder of ColdCallingNetNews.com. "With training budgets being squeezed,
BEW offers a means to develop teams without breaking the bank."
About Business Expert Webinars
Business Expert Webinars (BEW) is the leading provider of business eLearning. BEW has an
international community of business speakers that comprises best-selling authors, award-winning
speakers, and business gurus delivering training for business professionals. For more information, visit
BusinessExpertWebinars.com.
Upcoming Event: On November 12th, Jill Konrath, Kendra Lee and I are presenting an open workshop, hosted by Landslide Technologies - it's FREE, and I feel certain you will not want to miss it - just click on the banner at the bottom of this post, for full details.
Tomorrow: On The JF Guest Spot I am delighted to welcome back Kevin Dwyer, the second internationally acclaimed leadership guru to appear this week.
As well as being a great friend, Kevin is one of the wisest men I know and I have never held it against him for being Australian!
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