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When the Boss gets involved..........

Writer's picture: Dan MeekeDan Meeke

Negotiation is always a somewhat stressful process. It's inherently conflict based as counterparts seek to overcome differing requirements and aspirations to reach agreement.


The corporate negotiator's stress levels are invariably increased by the weight of internal expectation; the need and desire to deliver a good deal and on a timely basis.


If things don't run smoothly then, of course, comes the dread of having to relinquish ones authority to the boss or even the boss's boss.


As a negotiator, being disempowered in this way is never a great feeling. Most negotiators want to deliver results without the intervention of external authorities. You may be left feeling as if you should shoulder the blame for, at the very least, an inefficient negotiation process.


But, take a moment, at Ozone we believe a boss should always intervene in your negotiations. The difference is that it should never be a reaction to unforeseen events. Never stepping in at the eleventh hour to 'mop things up' or get the relationship back on track.


Instead, their involvement should occur long before we ever engage with a counterpart. In their position of authority they are integral to the planning and development of any strategy and, not least, the sanctioning of it. This should always be a proactive process where the potential for their involvement is anticipated and indeed, on occasion, used as part of the 'toolkit' required to manage negotiations to a close.


This makes that boss integral to the negotiation team. The agreement and alignment on objectives, strategy and the finer detail of the plan are essential to avoid the unexpected once the negotiation process begins.


This proactive approach empowers an organisation's negotiators. Backed with the knowledge that their is full alignment, they can focus on delivering the outcome with confidence and control.


An organisation's commercial success is underpinned by its ability to negotiate effectively. A culture of alignment and communication is key to driving great outcomes.

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