Reflection
Role play - Union representative
Contents
Negotiation techniques and tactics. 3
3 Learning's about practice of negotiation from this exercise. 3
Learning about my own strengths and weaknesses. 3
Perceptions of negotiation process. 3
Experiences and observation. 4
Confusions and unanswered questions. 4
Negotiation is an extremely useful management technique that helps achieve or conduct a dialogue between two or more parties in order to reach a beneficial outcome. This process is widely used in industries and businesses in order to come to a point where the outcome is beneficial to both the parties ( Sagi, Eyal; Diermeier, Daniel, 2015). There are several techniques used in negotiation and many good negotiators master the use of a combination of power, emotion, understanding perspectives and finding opportunities to achieve hard negotiation . This process of negotiation simulation helped me realize that negotiation is not easy. In spite of presenting several favorable points and assuming or perceiving that power is in our hands, it is quite possible that the opponent has better reasons and higher power to negotiate. In this case, underestimating the power of the management was a mistake made by the union where in they hoped high that their conditions would be fully accepted without retaliation (Albarracin, D.; Kumkale, G.T, 2013).
Negotiation techniques and tactics
Power play and giving detailed arguments about why salaries should be hiked was presented to the management. Discussing perspectives and focusing on presenting the dire conditions of the union workers was an emotional approach used for negotiation. I realized through this process that negotiation techniques need to be well thought of and that there should not be any loopholes. Also, it is important that there be complete understanding about the impact of the negotiation technique being used ( Bowles, Hannah; Babcock, Linda; Lai, Lei, 2016).
3 Learning's about practice of negotiation from this exercise
My very first learning was that the practice of negotiation is not easy. The second learning was that we should never underestimate the power of negotiation of our opponents. The third learning is that the tactic and technique of negotiation to be used is to be very well thought about. I realized that the process of negotiation is a science and it needs detailed planning and evaluation ( Bowles, Hannah; Babcock, Linda; Lai, Lei, 2016).
Learning about my own strengths and weaknesses
I learnt that I tend to get carried away from emotional perspectives. Once I realize that the union workers were facing financial issues, I did not pay much attention on the condition of the company and its capacity to pay or the industry payouts and pay scales. This has been my weakness. I also realized that I am very persistent and did try to follow up with the management several times in order to achieve the target of better pay for all union workers. This forms my strength (Albarracin, D.; Kumkale, G.T, 2013).
Perceptions of negotiation process
I had always perceived that negotiation is an art and requires extremely good communication skills. This perception was broken through this process as I now realize that negotiation requires great planning and detailed understanding of a situation. Negotiation cannot be carried out successfully only through communication but requires effective content and an ability to convince another party about the reasonability of the proposed condition (Bowles, Hannah; Babcock, Linda; Lai, Lei, 2016).
My experiences in this case of negotiation stimulation were very good as it has helped me learn a lot about the process of negotiation. At the same time, it has provided me with an opportunity to observe how people use different tactics of negotiation in order to save their position as well as present their perspectives. It has been an enriching experience that has helped me understand how stands taken by two opponents can be completely different and that there has to be strong relevance for each opponent in order to accept a negotiation. In case of there not being strong reasoning, a negotiation process fails (Gladstone, Eric; O'Connor, Kathleen M., 2014).
Confusions and unanswered questions
I was quite confused about how different tactics of negotiation can be combined to make use of an opportunity and turn it favorable (Gladstone, Eric; O'Connor, Kathleen M., 2014). This doubt and confusion was well answered through this experience as it helped me witness and observe while several colleagues presented their arguments and perspectives through emotional, power and observation methods of negotiation. It has helped me revive my understanding about negotiation and has also helped me focus on planning being an essential aspect of negotiation ( Bowles, Hannah; Babcock, Linda; Lai, Lei, 2016).
New ideas about speculation and negotiation that were formed during this process is that negotiation cannot be always won even if one is right and has reasonable reasons for it. It is essential to focus on who has the decision making power and how it can be influenced in our favor. A step like this can also have a negative impact on the complete union and so it is important to think about the possible outcomes before taking such major steps of presenting wage increase to the management (Albarracin, D.; Kumkale, G.T, 2013).
To conclude, it is important that negotiation skills be developed and a complete understanding about the process of negotiation be formed. It is important to focus on developing an appropriate negotiation style which is beneficial in multiple situations in order to master one negotiation style. A combination of different techniques of negotiation can be of great use in order to achieve better adaptability in different situations. It is also important to focus on developing a clear understanding of outcomes of negotiation.
