Negotiating relationships. Negotiation Personal negotiation experience

Tough negotiations begin when you have lost control over who you are negotiating with: first, over his emotions - negative emotions dominate, then over his behavior - he attacks or defends, and in the end he does not believe in his attitude towards you. that an agreement with you is possible.

The main reason for the transition to tough negotiations is the lack of resources on one of the parties. If we are talking about commercial negotiations, then most often we are talking about a lack of time, then - information and only then - money.

If you do not have enough time, then you are not preparing for negotiations properly - you do not define a list of your goals, you do not collect information about the preferred goals of your partner, you do not develop draft solutions. As a result, you are squeezed during negotiations, do not understand which information is worth sharing and which is not.

How to determine what will be tough

First, compliance is important. business etiquette... Business people start negotiations according to these rules. All others neglect them, either because they do not know them, or because they consider themselves above convention. Can you expect constructive negotiations from such a person, if he was not enough for such a little? There are no miracles.

There are two tests to help you determine your attitude. The first is the location of the interlocutors during negotiations. If they sit at different heights, this is a bad signal. Also, there must be a correct vector relative to each other - it is impossible for one to sit straight and the other at an angle. And, of course, comfort. One in a chair and the other on a "side chair" is a bad option.

Violation of equality is a sign of an attempt to manipulate, create unequal starting conditions, a desire to negotiate from a position of attack or defense.

If in the course of negotiations you are "run over", do not hesitate to answer the same way. If after negotiations you find that you have been deceived, respond in kind

The second test is the procedure for starting negotiations. If the agenda of the discussion is announced and this happens on the principles of equality in the amount of information, then, most likely, the negotiations will be constructive.

But! Changes can also occur in the course of negotiations.

The first marker of "clouds on the horizon" is a violation of the volume of supply and reception of information. It is equally bad when your partner speaks more and when your partner speaks less than you. If you notice this, then it makes sense to summarize a preliminary result: to indicate what you have agreed on / to double-check the information received and issued by this moment. Such a "tie" on what you already have in common allows you to restore balance.

The second marker is an overestimation or understatement of the pace of discussion by a partner. This also leads to a violation of the volume of reception and transmission of information and leads to negative consequences.

How to resolve a conflict

Tough style - illegitimate ... It destroys joint and constructive discussion, the search for mutually beneficial solutions.

There is no shame in finding out that you have been manipulated. It is quite another matter to behave illiterately after what you have discovered. The moment you understand that your partner's actions are incompatible with your idea of justice, you get the opportunity to choose your tactics and respond.

You can respond to wrong actions both during negotiations and after their completion. In both cases, you need to give a symmetrical answer. If in the course of negotiations you are "run over", do not hesitate to answer the same way. If after negotiations you find that you have been deceived, respond in kind.

To many, this advice will seem wild or unethical, because it is both wild and unethical. But hooligans on the street are not inclined to discuss "Mandelstams". Whether "almond" with them or not giving an answer, you should know for sure: you provoke the negotiating bully to use such techniques more and more often in relation to you. After all, they work for you. Why should he negotiate with those on whom his techniques do not work?

There is a simple trick - rationalization. When you explain to your partner that you are not satisfied with his behavior and that in exchange for his refusal of such behavior, you are also ready to do something for him. And if he is not ready to meet you halfway, negotiations will become impossible at the moment.

But we cannot give in to a partner who uses illegal ways to negotiate (rudeness, deception, hiding information, etc.), what should we do? And here you are walking along two vectors. If you have a mutually beneficial offer (albeit not ideal, but satisfying the interests of both parties), we display the offer. If you do not have such an option, suggest not to waste time in fruitless negotiations, to take a break and think about options for solutions. Specify the period after which you will contact your partner.

You need to decide for yourself: is it worth negotiating for yourself and "for that guy." If you need the result of negotiations more than your partner, or you just really need it, try it. Your resources decide everything here. If your partner does not have time to prepare and share information, you need to take on the time that he does not want to spend. Sit back and think: what goals and interests you can bring into complete solutions that you can offer him. If he does not want to part with the information, can he be persuaded to give it out or find someone from the partner's environment who will "merge" the necessary information to you. Yes, that also takes time. And if he cannot give you the price that you would like to receive, then again you will need to think: what can you do for him so that he gives you this price.

In any business, the ability to properly negotiate with clients or partners plays an important role. To do this, you must possess a certain technique of their conduct. It consists in the ability to coherently, correctly and logically formulate statements and questions, to use facts and figures as arguments, the ability to convince and defend one's point of view.

It is also important to use little tricks and defense mechanisms, since in today's competitive world negotiations are perceived as duels... With the help of knowledge of the basic techniques and technology of conducting business meetings, you can achieve great success and advance in career ladder, since the ability to effectively negotiate and achieve mutually beneficial cooperation is a rather rare, but very necessary skill.

Basic rules of negotiation

Before holding a business meeting, it is important to formulate at least some kind of plan, albeit vague and inconclusive, but it is necessary to the conversation flowed in a certain direction... It is also advisable to consider possible questions, including provocative ones, and think over the answers to them.

If negotiations are conducted by a group of people, you can pre-assign questions and roles so that the person is ready to talk to a certain difficult topic... Another important rule which is rarely observed is recording of all business conversations... This will allow immediately after finishing negotiation process determine how successful the meeting was, what was achieved, and what questions and problems remained unresolved.

When conducting any business conversation, you should follow the rules and formalities, the main of which are:

parity (if possible, the number of participants with different sides must be equal),
one person is responsible for conducting negotiations, who directs the conversation in the right direction, announces a break or ends the negotiation process (this is not necessarily a director, it may be another employee endowed with these powers),
you should not exchange notes, throw agreed phrases,
do not whisper, even in another language (any participant in the process may know a foreign language, which will put both parties in an awkward position),
in order to be able to follow the expression on the opposite side, it is worth sitting down so that the light in the room is directed at them,
the atmosphere should be business-like, but relaxed: you should not immediately ask questions on the merits, you can talk on abstract topics close to the topic of the conversation, tell funny case from life or anecdote - this will defuse the situation,
when negotiating, you should take into account what information about you and your company your interlocutors may already have, from which sources it could be obtained, etc.,
you need to represent all participants in the process from your side and directly ask about the powers of the representatives of the opposing side (so that a situation does not arise in vain communication with people who are not responsible for making decisions).

Naturally, when holding a business meeting, you must be reasonable, calm, self-confident, eloquent, convincing, inspirational and witty. To prevent emotions from gaining the upper hand over reason in the event of tough negotiations or unforeseen situations, it is necessary to learn self-control.

Receptions for business meetings

For the negotiations to be successful, every businessman or leader has some methods and techniques in his arsenal to help him in this process. Basically, these techniques and tricks come with experience, i.e. the more meetings are held (especially unsuccessful ones - they learn from mistakes!), the more experience and opportunities for successful completion of the new negotiation process. Some of these tricks:

Battle on your own field. It is believed that it is better to negotiate on your territory especially if you are insecure and houses and walls help. But there are also advantages in communicating on foreign territory. If the opposing party insists on holding a meeting with them, this may mean that they themselves are not sure of something, and on this they can play and get a great benefit from the deal. If it is not possible to reach a compromise, it is better to agree on a meeting on neutral territory.

If your partner decides to use delay tactics, more often than not, he wants to put you in a stalemate. To prevent this from happening, think over this behavior of your partner in advance and act to match him: start negotiations with another company or set an ultimatum.

You can use a take-or-not-take tactic where your partner is required to respond, the discussion continues, or all of your previous agreements will be terminated.

Active listening technique... This is an indispensable technique when you want to make it clear to the interlocutor that you are interested in contact with him. For correct application techniques, it is necessary to listen carefully to your partner, ask clarifying questions, and then give feedback on what you understood from his speech (questions like "Did I understand you correctly that ...").

The ability to understand the interlocutor and see the problem from his "bell tower" is one of the important skills of real professionals in the negotiation process.

Speak clearly and openly.

In negotiations, it is important not to win, not to argue and not to show your eloquence, here it is important to reach agreements. Therefore, treating the opposing side as a colleague with whom you need to achieve agreement will greatly simplify life for both you and him. It is better to be silent than to speak.

Sometimes this slightly revised slogan from the advertisement helps guide the discussion. If you have been made an inappropriate and unreasonable proposal, and the participants in the discussion themselves understand this, keep quiet. People feel uncomfortable when the interlocutor does not answer them, especially if they understand that this is a reaction to their proposal. In this case, they will seek to get out of the situation of awkward silence, while making a new proposal.

Sometimes the most productive are those business meetings where one of the parties for the most part had to be silent.

Ability to say "NO!"... Often without this skill, people agree to the provision of preferential terms, which harms the business and can lead to the ruin of the company. To prevent this from happening, learn to smile in front of the mirror, but firmly say "No". The firmness of your position will lead to the fact that the opposing party will be forced to agree to your terms. If this does not happen, you will save your money by refusing to provide irrational benefits, which is a big plus for the business.

Termination of negotiations. Sometimes this tactic is most effective when the discussion is at an impasse and neither side makes concessions. At first, not every negotiation leads to a result and signing a contract. And secondly, leaving the table, there is often a chance to get an agreement on favorable terms for yourself.

Sometimes the partner with his whole appearance shows how indifferent he is to these negotiations: he is late, supposedly forgets about the meeting, shows indifference to the process. However, this should not mislead the other side: more often than not, they try to hide their real interest in cooperation.

Although in some countries, including Russia, even in the business world, there are indeed non-punctual and ill-mannered people who may be late or not hide complete indifference to the results of their activities.

One of important points in any negotiations, the reputation of the partner is. If you are shown every kind of disposition, favorable terms, people of the opposite side are too kind, but they are not familiar enough, when the whole communication situation looks unrealistic, when you don’t like something or you don’t believe a potential partner, avoid concluding contracts and agreements. Look for honest, open and reliable partners - they are not uncommon.

Conducting successful negotiations is a real art that should be mastered not only for an entrepreneur. It is also useful in everyday life for resolving conflict issues, and if a businessman is planning a new business, he definitely needs to know how to negotiate so that all controversial issues are resolved in a matter of minutes.

Rules for mutually beneficial agreements

The art of negotiation produces important results - it not only allows you to achieve a solution to any problem, but also improves communication between people. And to do this is easier than it seems, you just need to know 5 basic rules.

Rule # 1. Separation

When starting negotiations, it is necessary to separate the attitude towards a person and the attitude towards business: you should be gentle with people, regardless of who they are and what the entrepreneur's attitude towards them is, but firm in relation to business principles. To show gentleness towards a person, you just need to look at the situation through his eyes.

Rule # 2. Concentration

When negotiating, it is necessary to focus on common interests and values, but at the same time to overshadow the views of the parties. Let the main task of communication be the achievement of a result that is beneficial to everyone.

Rule # 3. Originality

It is very difficult to discuss some issues, and even knowing how to negotiate correctly, you can "stall" on the spot. To prevent this from happening, you should try to think outside the box. Unexpected decisions can lead to unexpected results.

Rule # 4. Objectivity

When making a decision, one should not be guided by subjective motives and personal motives. It is enough just to turn to objective criteria, and it will never be disadvantageous.

Rule No. 5. Cooperation

Even if the negotiations are very difficult and the opponent is annoying, you should not conduct the conversation in a competitive manner. It is better to discuss the issue in a spirit of cooperation - then all parties will be interested in considering various proposals.

Tricks: How to negotiate knowing some tricks?

Communication with potential customers, clients, competitors, partners can be very difficult, especially if they also know how to negotiate correctly. And in order not to give up their positions, the other side can simply be outsmarted. Rules again 5.

Rule # 1. Stupid Than It Looks

This is the Socratic method - an entrepreneur only needs to pretend that some information is unknown or incomprehensible to him. This will force the other side to more fully express their point of view and, perhaps, even reveal some secrets. Subsequently, they can be used.

Rule # 2. Time is a helper

Timing the negotiations correctly will help create the right impression on the other party. So, the appointment should not be made earlier than 10:00 and later than 16:00. In the first case, the impression will be created that these negotiations are too important for a businessman. In the second - that he had already lost all hopes of holding them. Both will not contribute to the adoption of a decision that is beneficial to him.

Rule number 3. Life-saving "no"

The special art of negotiating in the event that an entrepreneur is asked for something is to first refuse the partner, and only then gradually make concessions. This initially somewhat "demoralizes" him, forcing him to try more actively and agree to even less favorable terms of the deal. A businessman will be able to conduct it with greater benefit for himself.

Rule No. 4. Trade

To make an idea come true, it must not be timidly offered, but sold. The fact that the subject of discussion is sold and has a price will make the other side look at it with great interest. At the same time, the desire to “buy” can drown out doubts when discussing controversial issues.

Rule # 5. Don't miss out on what's important

This rule directly concerns the technique itself - how to negotiate, observing all their rules. In any discussion you need:

personal meeting
pleasant manner of communication - the discussion should presuppose the ease of the conversation
specifics - no "water", only ideas and suggestions
interest in the second party - inquire about the client's needs in advance
delayed consent - even if everything is perfect, you shouldn't say "yes" right away, it's better to say "I'll think about it"

All this will not only tell you how to negotiate competently, but also allow you to "increase the price" of the negotiator himself. He will be able to present himself in the best light even under the most ambiguous circumstances and get even what he himself did not count on by agreeing to this meeting.

Building constructive communications in business is one of the significant competitive advantages. What are the secrets of successful business negotiations? What is their structure and features of preparation for them?

Definition of business negotiations

Business negotiations, according to a widespread definition among Russian experts, is a procedure involving two or more parties with the status commercial organizations, entrepreneurs or officials, the purpose of which is to solve current or future issues of interaction in the aspect of partnership or find a compromise in a dispute. When communicating, companies or businessmen tend to make some kind of joint decision. It is assumed that for each of the sides it should be seen as optimal.

Business negotiations are held in the event that a disputable issue cannot be resolved with the available means. In turn, the need for their organization does not arise if the management begins to resolve a contradictory situation in advance, having studied, for example, legislative sources or already signed agreements.

Classification of negotiations

Russian experts identify the following main types of business negotiations.

Firstly, these are communications, within the framework of which the nuances associated with the extension of existing agreements on current terms are discussed.
Secondly, these are negotiations, during which it is supposed to discuss the conditions for the continuation of cooperation on new terms.
Thirdly, these are communications between the parties, which have not previously entered into any agreements.
Fourth, business negotiations may imply the renewal of agreements that were once in force.
Fifth, the subject of the relevant communications may be related to the termination of existing agreements on conditions acceptable to both parties.

Of course, the types of business negotiations can be classified on other grounds. Some experts believe, for example, that of this type communications can be categorized according to the importance of the key topic. So, for example, negotiations are classified into strategic, where issues are resolved that determine the further development of the entire business, and situational, where individual nuances of the adopted joint course are discussed. Some experts highlight individual and collective bargaining. Within the framework of the first, communication between individual officials(for example, CEOs), in the course of the second - communications involving collegial bodies management of the company or with the involvement of employees.

Negotiation functions

Experts identify several functions that perform business negotiations. In particular, informational, which implies a mutual study of the opinions of the parties on a particular issue. Also stands out communicative function, within the framework of which entrepreneurs find new points of common interest or, if this is their first meeting, discover the most obvious prospects for interaction. There is a coordination function, which implies the adoption of subsidiary decisions in terms of the main strategy of cooperation. There is a controlling one, within which the parties find out how things are with the partners' fulfillment of their obligations as of a certain moment.

Negotiation stages

Many experts tend to believe that business negotiations are a process that consists of many constituent elements. It is assumed that the corresponding type of communication in business is carried out in several stages. Russian experts distinguish the following stages.

First, this is the preparatory stage. Within the framework of it, the partners agree on the upcoming meeting, determine the place of its holding, form the composition of the participants. The key theme is determined and agreed upon. Negotiations must be focused.
Secondly, this is the protocol stage. It starts at the moment of meeting of partners in a place that they have agreed in advance. As a rule, the protocol stage includes mutual greetings of the parties, dating procedures (if the partners met for the first time). It may seem that this stage is a formality. But in practice, as many experts note, the results of communication largely depend on how comfortable the protocol nuances are for the parties to the negotiations.
Thirdly, this is the stage of information exchange, or, as some experts call it, "interrogation". The parties take turns expressing key points related to the topic. The desired position of the partners is recorded regarding the prospects for concluding an agreement, changes in the terms of the current contract, etc.
Fourth, it is, in fact, decision making. The result of the negotiations is revealed. What it can be, we will consider a little later. It is possible to sign documents related to cooperation.

Based on the results of business negotiations, informal events can be organized - a banquet, a walk. In some cases, a press conference is expected.

The scheme we have considered above, within which business negotiations are divided into stages, is quite general. Depending on the industry specifics of the business, on the sequence of communications, there may be several of them, there are also additional events.

Results of negotiations

Negotiation, one way or another, leads to some result. What can it be? Experts identify three main types of negotiation outcomes:

finding a compromise;
conclusion of asymmetric agreements;
lack of agreement.

In the first scenario, it is assumed that the conduct of business negotiations led to the definition of the terms of cooperation, and this suits both parties. There is an opinion that a compromise can also include a situation when the adopted decision equally did not suit either side, but in view of the need to conclude at least some kind of contract, the negotiators agreed to mutually uncomfortable conditions. This is possible, for example, in the case when the supplier of a certain product wants to get a certain amount for it, at which the business will be unambiguously profitable, but the buyer can only pay, say, half as much.

Business negotiations can lead to making decisions that are considered asymmetric by some experts. What does it mean? The fact that one side, for some reason, managed to convince the other to sign an agreement on less comfortable terms for it. If, in the example discussed above, the seller and the buyer have found, albeit not ideal, but still a compromise, then the scenario within the framework of an asymmetric solution may imply, for example, that the supplier of the goods will fundamentally refuse to sell it to the counterparty at a lower price, and that, in turn, , this product is very much needed, and he agrees to the deal, deciding, say, to take out a loan.

Another possible scenario is the absence the decision based on the results of communications. Some experts are not inclined to classify it among the results of the negotiations. However, their opponents believe that it still exists - if only because now the partners know what to expect from the next negotiations, and understand whether they should be held later. This kind of result, experts say, can carry informational value. For example, a buyer of a product will be aware of the minimum price at which he can purchase a particular product, know the strengths and weak sides supplier. In business, it often happens that the refusal of a deal during negotiations indirectly contributes to the entrepreneur finding more comfortable conditions for cooperation later. Thus, the formal absence of the result of communications can become a completely positive scenario for the business.

Negotiation rules: cultural aspect

What are the rules for business negotiations? On this score, there are many theoretical concepts... Their specificity can be determined by a huge number of factors. Much depends, for example, on the mentality of the negotiators, dictated by nationality or citizenship. That is, a business conversation and business negotiations according to the rules that are adopted in Western countries are not always compatible with the peculiarities, for example, of the Asian culture of communications in business. Russian entrepreneurs, according to some experts, are a little closer in mentality to people of Western thinking than of Eastern people, however, in their mentality there is a closeness to both models.

It happens that people who are accustomed to a particular model of behavior successfully adapt to the mentality of the partner side. Take, for example, the recent talks on gas between the heads of Russia and Turkey - the parties managed to conclude a crucial agreement, although there was a possibility of differences in finding common points of contact. According to some experts, due to the difference in the business mentality of the two countries. Although there is no consensus on this matter, many analysts, in turn, believe that the culture of communication in business, characteristic of Russians, is generally compatible with the Turkish and, perhaps, even more than with the Western one.

Thus, the etiquette of business negotiations, the aspects that characterize the preparation for them and the conditions for their conduct, can largely be dictated by the cultural specifics of the parties, one or another tradition of business communication. At the same time, as some researchers note, business, especially in areas strategically important for the countries of the world, is becoming more and more global, and this is largely traced in the erasure of cultural differences between partners from different states. It may be that at some moments an entrepreneur from Japan is not entirely comfortable adopting the "Western" model of behavior in negotiations with his American colleagues, but he does this in order to maintain a constructive dialogue. In turn, his partner, an entrepreneur from the United States, will certainly try to be careful in communicating with his Japanese counterpart and, if possible, comply with the traditional rules of business communication adopted in Japan.

Negotiation rules: a compromise scenario

Some Russian experts suggest the following scenario, within which it is possible to conduct business negotiations, provided that the relevant principles of most modern cultures are accepted. If you follow them, then there is a possibility that comfort business partner German or Korean descent will not be broken.

The first thing experts recommend focusing on is to always listen to the interlocutor. This is welcomed both in Korea and in Russia, USA, Germany. You should not interrupt your partner's speech, protest, comment, even if you are sure that the speaker is mistaken in something.

The next rule is observance of the principle of equality. In no modern country is it customary for one negotiator to in any way put himself above the other. Even if we are talking about the obvious prospect of concluding the same asymmetric deal, in which one of the parties may have no choice, the partner should not look down on it.

Negotiating in business should be carried out avoiding evaluative theses directed at the personality of the interlocutor. Following this rule will provide equal comfort for a partner from any country with a representative of which business negotiations are being conducted. Example: it is undesirable to say: "You are not competent enough in this matter."

Errors in business negotiations

Having considered some of the main recommendations of experts on business negotiations, it will be useful to examine the typical mistakes that entrepreneurs have highlighted in the process of communication. First of all, it should probably be noted that these will be the actions opposite to the recommendations described above. However, having understood the essence of the errors associated with the key nuances of communications we have noted, it will be useful to pay attention also to the following points.

Business negotiations, experts believe, should not be a tool for identifying a party who can be a bearer of an unambiguously correct point of view. If this is indeed the case, then it will come to light naturally. The mistake of many entrepreneurs is to position themselves as a subject whose opinion there can be no alternative.

Another mistake that experts highlight is the emphasized stubbornness. There is always the opportunity to find a compromise with persuasion methods, but this is very difficult to do with such a straightforward tactic.

The experts believe that an authoritarian style of business communication is unacceptable. Especially when it comes to transactions that are highly likely to be asymmetric. It rarely happens that a supplier remains the only one for a long time. In a free market, as a rule, it is possible to find alternative channels for obtaining the desired product. And if at some point in time the buyer was forced to agree to less comfortable conditions and at the same time faced the authoritarianism of a partner, the second time he would not want to buy anything from him.

Among the common mistakes typical for business negotiations is avoiding the main topic of discussion. Even if it happens by chance, for example, one partner decided to ask the other where he likes to travel, as a result of which the topic of the dialogue went to the side of tourism. In this case, there is a possibility that one of the parties will suspect the other of intending to confuse, mislead, and incline to trust. One way or another, time will be wasted. Off-topic can play a particularly negative role when collective bargaining is underway. In such cases, each of the communication participants, in order not to feel superfluous in the discussion, will want to speak on a topic that is not related to the main one.

What are the secrets to successful negotiations?

We examined the specifics of business negotiations in terms of ensuring the compatibility of the parties' behavior models. It will also be useful to familiarize yourself with some of the principles that will help you achieve the desired result based on the appropriate communications. What are the secrets of successful business negotiations noted by Russian experts?

Many researchers recommend placing an emphasis on long-term relationships with a partner in building communications. The momentary result in business often means absolutely nothing. And possible concessions made by one side can be interpreted by a partner, first of all, as a willingness to build strategic relations.

The next factor of successful negotiations, which experts emphasize, is openness in communication. This applies not only to the manner of speech and wording. This means, first of all, openness in relation to the matter, to the interlocutor, the absence of fear of not liking the partner or expressing dissatisfaction with the objectively uncomfortable terms of the transaction. A much more constructive approach, in which the moments that do not suit the side, she will express immediately after they are voiced in the dialogue, before the topic of the conversation is changed or the negotiations are completed.

Experts recommend, whenever possible, to focus not so much on your own position as on the interests of the partner side. It will be useful if one partner shows the other that he is interested not only in the benefit for his company, which is obvious, but also in the fact that the business of the other party will benefit from this.

Researchers recommend negotiating parties, when formulating proposals and theses for partners, to think over their content in advance so that the partner has the opportunity to choose one of several options. This will increase the likelihood of finding a compromise. It is possible that one of the options will suit the partner more. It can be taken as the basis for the development of the final decision.

Preparation for negotiations

We will study such an aspect as the preparation of business negotiations. What should you pay attention to in the process of its implementation? Some experts recommend sticking to the following scenario.

Within the framework of this scheme, the researchers recommend taking into account the rule that the time spent on preparing for negotiations should be commensurate with their expected duration. The point is that the key aspect of this scenario is the preliminary communications plan. It needs to be "rehearsed", and therefore it will take time comparable to that during which negotiations will actually take place.

The first point of the plan in question is the definition of the purpose of communication. Regardless of the scenario in which the other side is acting in preparation for the negotiations, we first answer the question of why we are going to communicate with partners during the scheduled meeting.
The next point in our script is defining the desired outcome.
Further according to the plan - identifying resources that will help in achieving this very result. This can be, for example, certain knowledge, the competence of certain specialists of the company. In the first case, our actions will be to find the necessary sources of information and get acquainted with the relevant facts. In the second, we invite competent specialists with us, agreeing in advance with them the key nuances of the upcoming negotiations.
The next component of preparation for communication with partners, which should be decided before the meeting, is the way of delivering information to him. It can be predominantly oral or include, for example, presentations on a projector, familiarization of partners with printed texts, videos, etc. It is necessary to make sure in advance that the organization of business negotiations by the responsible party will include appropriate technical supplies.

Western psychologists believe that the main shortcomings of Russian negotiators, which often prevent them from achieving their goal, are:

- impatience and rejection by them of someone else's opinion, different from their own;
- haste in imposing your opinion on your partner;
- inability to listen to a partner;
- unwillingness to compromise, agreement in stages and logically;
- neglect of the value of the actual contact and personal relationships;
- unwillingness to maintain constant contact even in the absence of a specific relationship at this stage.

Psychologists believe that in the course of negotiations, the negative qualities of a negotiator-partner, which can negatively affect the contact and prevent the achievement of a positive result, are:

- running or "escaping" eyes;
- hasty incoherent speech with almost no pauses;
- too many arguments for;
- fussy gestures, rubbing hands, twisting objects in the hands.

Conclusion: during negotiations, carefully monitor not only the reaction of your partner, but also your own behavior and its influence on the behavior of your partner. Conducting personal negotiations is a crucial element foreign economic activity... To be successful in achieving these goals requires the competence of the participants in commercial, legal and technical issues. Your partner most often has extensive experience in commercial matters, he stubbornly defends the interests of his company.

Personal meetings and negotiations - the most difficult and responsible form of negotiations. They require a great deal of self-control, resourcefulness, quick orientation in order to make correct operational and tactical decisions in a rapidly changing situation, the ability to seek and find a compromise, and flexibility. It is extremely useful to have an individual knowledge of the character and personal qualities of a negotiating partner or the ability to form a correct idea of him in a short time, to reveal his real intentions and possibilities. To achieve the goal as quickly as possible, you should carefully prepare for the upcoming negotiations, anticipate possible situations, not rely on stereotypes, select a team so that its members can help you in emerging situations.

For the successful conduct of foreign economic activity, the following basic requirements should be presented to the merchant (and to the negotiator in particular): communication skills, competence, analytical thinking, initiative, punctuality, commitment, understanding of human psychology, hard work and ability to work, honesty, love for the chosen business, dedication him, self-criticism.

Psychologists believe that the first impression of a person has several components, which are arranged in the following sequence:

1 - appearance, clothing, posture;
2 - emotional state;
3 - behavior, performed actions;
4 - the alleged personality traits, guessed on the basis of previous signs.

In clothes, they pay attention, first of all, to how much it suits the occasion, neatness (not only clothes, but also shoes). In addition, the correspondence of the style of clothing to the stereotype of perception of a specific social group of people. For example, if you are aiming for the position of bank manager, a conservative style is preferable. But representatives of creative professions can emphasize their independence and originality in clothes. Obvious deviations from these stereotypes often lead to misunderstandings.

In second place in the list of qualities that affect the opinion of a person, his emotional state. Are you smiling, benevolent, charming? Great, such people literally generate positive energy, you just can't help but listen to their suggestions and wishes. The completely opposite attitude is caused by aggressive, overly assertive, irritable and sarcastic citizens. Moreover, regardless of whether these qualities are inherent in their character or is it just a mask that hides timidity, vulnerability or bad teeth.

However, often the result of the conversation is influenced not so much by your own emotions as by the mood of the opponent himself. If the negative produced by your appearance is added to this, then everything is lost.

It is necessary to cultivate the ability to persuade, try to comprehend the basics of diplomacy, its elementary rules and apply them in practice:

Rule one: before convincing someone, make sure you are clear about the problem yourself. When preparing for the meeting, use this plan:

1. Be clear about some of the main arguments in your favor, for example: “Our service is unique, we are the only company that provides it”.
2. In the wording, try to replace all abstract concepts with more or less concrete ones, give examples. Do not say that you are “good”, “the best” and the like, but tell us exactly what real need of the interlocutor you will satisfy with your proposal (product, service).
3. Divide your arguments into strengths and weaknesses. Do not forget to put yourself in the place of the interlocutor. For example, the possibility of discounts is a strong argument for the interlocutor (but not always best option For you).
4. Consider the order in which the arguments are presented. In general, this option is optimal: strong - weak - strongest. But there are other techniques, for example, the "fatal blow", when all the trump cards are laid out at the very beginning (this technique is good when there is complete confidence in one's own strength). Which strategy to choose depends a lot on your discernment.
5. Try to "guess" what objections you might have. Come up with preliminary answers to them. For example, if at the first meeting a client doubts the solidity of your company, then you need to provide him with amazing information about the success of the company, supported by all kinds of documents and evidence.

Rule two: do not give up if the interlocutor from the very beginning speaks about the disadvantage of concluding a deal. In social psychology, such a feature of the beginning of business negotiations has been noticed, as the overestimation of their positions by one or both parties. If your opponent is behaving like a “bloated turkey” from the beginning, you should sympathetically and gradually move him towards revealing his true position.

Rule three: do not rush off the bat. Many business people they are mistaken when they think that it is not worth wasting time on "empty" talks "for life" before discussing the main problem. In fact, these "empty" conversations create goodwill. But at the end of the conversation, psychologists just advise not to get carried away with extraneous chatter. The fact is that the result of the conversation is best fixed in memory, and let it be a joint mutually beneficial solution.

Rule four: don't start out negative. “I have a different opinion on this,” never say these words! Even if you disagree with your opponent in some way, first, tell us what you agree with. Phrases like: “You have noticed very correctly”, “I share your point of view” are very effective. Only after that, proceed to the discussion of controversial issues.

Vladimir Dmitrievich Severin, professor at the Moscow Institute for Advanced Studies AtomEnergo.