Negotiating skills

What medical managers do Doing things comfortable, prime job Maintaining things safe, easy management Changing things uncomfortable, leadership

Spectrum Influencing skills Negotiating skills Dealing with difficult situations

Phases of negotiation Preparation Opening Bargaining Closing

Characteristics of a negotiation A preference to search for a solution rather than have a fight Depends on: Personalities of the people involved History that exists between them The persuasive ability of each

Two types of negotiation Co-operative = win/win empathetic partnership agreements Adversarial = win/lose maximise own gain and other’s loss unstable agreements

Preparation What are my objectives? What does the consultant want? What information will influence the outcome? How am I going to achieve my objectives? What concessions can I make? What part will other people play?

Objectives What exactly do I wish to achieve? Which of my objectives: must I achieve? do I intend to achieve? would I like to achieve? What other options are acceptable to me? How might this fit with what the consultant wants?

Concessions What is the best deal I can realistically get? What concessions do I have; their cost to me and value to the consultant? What is the limit of my authority? When should I walk away; and at what cost to the outcome?

Opening the negotiation Establish the issues Gather information

Establish the issues Agree an agenda what needs to be discussed and agreed what are the major issues what are the timescales Keep everything general at the beginning Gain commitment early on, but only once all the negotiable items are identified

Gather information You have and are willing to give You have and are not willing to give The consultant has and is willing to give The consultant has and is not willing to give Do not give concessions until you believe you have all the information

Bargain and build a solution Start should be ambitious but defensible Bargain ask questions and seek alternatives Concessions traded don’t give away for free Agreement reached

Closing stages Vital to overall success Do not be over eager as may make the consultant hold back for more concessions Beware ‘one sided’ concessions at end of negotiation - the majority of concessions are given or traded in last 5% of total time.

Closing Review position to date and agree it Record the details Define and timetable outstanding issues Agree with the consultant that you both have the same interpretation

Some pitfalls - 1 Failing to prepare effectively Being intimidated by status Forgetting the consultant has things to gain Making assumptions about what the consultant wants Talking too much and failing to listen effectively

Some pitfalls - 2 Giving away concessions for nothing Conceding on important issues too quickly Assuming deadlock means agreement is not possible Being inflexible Taking things personally