Balancing Power and Principle in Negotiation

Introduction
Much has been debated in negotiation theory and written of in negotiation journals, about negotiating from a position of perceived weakness. There is comparatively little on negotiating from a position of power, perhaps because that is not seen as very much of a challenge or maybe a challenge that we all hope for!

In truth, negotiating from a position of power comes with its own set of challenges, potential pitfalls and dangers. In this column I shall explore some of these dangers, discuss the importance of balancing power with principle and provide ideas of how to achieve that balance.

Potential Pitfalls in Exerting Power in a Negotiation
The kinds of power we may access in a negotiation could come from various sources. Some examples are: hierarchy; knowledge; and having a strong alternative option.

Hierarchy is power. A CEO negotiating with a manager possesses a status which confers significant power upon him that can be exploited in the negotiation.

Knowledge can be a source of power. Suppose a real estate developer is interested in buying a rental property that is in a residential zoning law area. He has inside knowledge that the zoning laws are about to change and will soon include that area into a commercial zoning area.

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Negotiating Without Trust Or The Convenient Contingency Clause

Introduction
A few years ago, while working with the European Union (EU), I was having lunch with several European lawyers in Copenhagen. “Why”, one of them asked me in a thick German accent, “when negotiating deals with Americans, they always come with an army of lawyers and reams of contracts?” (In their countries, lawyers play a very minor role and deals are often still consummated on a handshake).

Thinking quickly on my feet, I responded: “In America, people do business on the basis of not trusting one another, hence armies of lawyers and reams of contracts. When Europeans do business, it is on the basis that you do trust one another and therefore less need for the lawyers and extensive contracts”.

This highlights the cultural differences of whether or not to negotiate with someone we don’t trust. In Europe and Japan for example, establishing trust before negotiating is considered a prudent practice in business. The United States however, with more of a “throw caution to the wind” attitude, and a greater risk tolerance, is less concerned about trust, as long as they do the utmost in mitigating risk with very tight contract language and a strong legal system to enforce any breach.

What happens in a culture that typically builds their negotiations on trust such as the Europeans, and finds they need to negotiate with a partner whom they do not trust?

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TO TALK OR NOT TO TALK - THAT IS THE QUESTION On the Value of Dialogue and Talk for Its Own Sake

Introduction
A recent article in the Wall Street Journal (December 27th 2017) presented an interesting international debate between Germany (together with some other NATO allies) and the U.S. as to whether to engage in dialogue with Russia about NATO-Russia issues. The debate pivots on whether talk with Russia will help or hinder the future defense and interests of the NATO alliance, given what many see as Russia’s aggressive stance towards Ukraine.

The article states that U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said at a meeting of NATO foreign ministers recently that Washington didn’t want regular meetings with Russia “just to talk”. Instead, he said, that the U.S supports “a dialogue with results expected” (emphasis by this author).

Germany, on the other hand, says it remains open to dialogue and in fact recent meetings have allowed the two sides to openly exchange views on difficult and controversial issues.

This difference between the U.S. position and that of Germany, reflect two divergent views on the value of dialogue and talk for its own sake, even when tangible results may not necessarily be the outcome, or even the intent.

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'Tis the Season...to practice, refine and hone our negotiation skills

Introduction
With the Holidays fast approaching, festive dinners and family reunions are very much on our minds. The merry partying however is often accompanied by a degree of pressure, due in part, to the potentially volatile human dynamics and family interactions. With the very different personalities and vastly different opinions and beliefs, we wonder with dread, whether Uncle Jack will opine about his strong political views or if Aunt Mavis might start to pontificate about her religious dogma. These sorts of differences and dynamics mean that family gatherings can quickly become the perfect storm for clashes, conflicts and flare-ups.

However, with the danger also comes great opportunity! An opportunity, to practice and refine our skills so as to manage these potentially volatile conversations and emotionally charged situations effectively, constructively, with grace and with poise, rather than to flee from them.

Below are some strategies to help guide you.

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BREXIT: Navigating Highly Complex Negotiations

Introduction
Our work as negotiation consultants involves not only the negotiation process itself, but we are often required to design an overall negotiation structure with which to facilitate productive negotiations. This is particularly true of highly complex negotiations where multiple interest groups must be engaged, and many complex issues need to be resolved. Examples might be land usage and environmental negotiations, policy and regulation negotiations, and peace negotiations in conflict-infested regions.

In these kinds of negotiations, success is largely contingent upon how the negotiating structure is setup: who will be represented and who will represent; how will discussions and dialogue be managed; how will information be shared; what should the sequence of the issues be; how will decisions be made and ratified, and so on.

The design of the negotiation structure is, in itself, a complex negotiation which needs to precede the later substantive negotiations so as to increase the chance of overall success.

Perhaps the paradigm of extremely complex negotiations today is the Brexit negotiations – the “divorce” and untangling between England and the European Union. There are many stakeholders both in Europe and the United Kingdom, with a plethora of very complicated issues that need to be resolved in a way that all parties can live with. Issues include the looming questions of: trade; migration; Britain meeting her financial commitments to the EU budget; rights of citizens and workers; the border within Ireland (between the Republic of Ireland which will remain in the EU and Northern Ireland which will leave the bloc as part of the UK). These together with many other thorny issues will need to be negotiated.

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