Introduction
Negotiation is an important part of business or nearly any interaction, and it’s something you’ll likely be doing quite frequently as you work your way up the corporate ladder. But not all of us negotiate in the same way. In fact, there are five different negotiation styles: competing, collaborating, compromising, avoiding and accommodating. We’ve written about them before but thought it would be useful to revisit them here in a more “at-a-glance” format for those who may want to learn more about how they approach negotiations! After reading this article, be sure to check out our article on The Stages of Negotiations. It will give you the tools you need to get the best contract or services that they can!
Compete
Competing is the most aggressive approach to negotiation. It describes a person who is inclined to be competitive, and it’s usually used when you want to win at all costs. For example, if you’re negotiating salary, your goal might be to earn as much money as possible and get the best job offer possible from your current employer or another employer. That means being willing to demand more than what’s being offered by putting pressure on your counterpart and using every leverage point available.
People who use this style tend to have high self-esteem; they believe that their skills will ensure them success in any situation (even if it means going ahead of others). They can also become powerful negotiators because they are willing to take risks or do whatever it takes in order not only achieve their goals but also gain respect from others through success or victory over rivals—even if that means making some enemies along the way!
Collaborate
The collaborative style of negotiation is the opposite of the competitive style. It focuses on getting a win-win solution and encourages teamwork and collaboration. This style can be used in a variety of situations, such as when you are trying to reach an agreement with your boss or if you want to negotiate better deals with vendors.
Compromise
Compromise means giving up some of your position to get what you want. It’s a win-win solution that gets the best of both worlds. Compromising is often the most effective way to avoid conflict, because it allows you and your counterparts to end on terms that feel good for everyone involved.
Avoid
Avoidance is a good strategy if you don’t want to make a deal or when you’re not fully prepared. Also, it’s a good choice when you’re not interested in the other party’s needs.
Avoidance can be used as a power play—a way of saying “I don’t have time for this,” or “I’m not interested in your offer of anything less than what I want.” It’s also effective when you’d like to stall until more information comes your way.
The downside is that all parties involved may feel disappointed and perhaps even betrayed by your lack of interest in working out an agreement. The other side may perceive avoidance as an attempt at manipulation—and if they do, they’ll probably walk away from future negotiations with that perspective intact.
Accommodate
If you’re an Accommodator, you are most likely to:
- Give in to get along with the other party. You will give in on things that aren’t really important or valuable to you. You do this because you want to be liked and accepted by others.
- Give in to avoid conflict and confrontation. You will give in on things that are important or valuable to you, but which would create a lot of conflict if they were not agreed upon.
- Give in to avoid being rejected by the other party—or even just appearing as though they might reject your idea/suggestion/offer etc., which has been said before (and may possibly happen again).
It’s important to learn how you negotiate.
Negotiation is a skill, and you can learn to be a better negotiator. You can also learn to be a better listener, communicate more effectively, be more assertive and flexible.
The key is knowing your personal style so you can recognize when you may be doing something that impedes your progress in negotiations. If you’re not sure of your negotiation style or how it affects your ability to get what you want from the other party, practice by having conversations with friends and family members about issues such as chores around the house or dividing up groceries for dinner parties.
Conclusion
Hopefully, after reading this post, you can say a little more about what style(s) work for you. The important thing is not to get stuck in one approach and never try anything new. Negotiation is all about flexibility and finding the right fit for your situation so it would be silly if there was only one way of doing it!
