L2L Group

One of the issues faced by an organization with a dynamic team at its core is disagreement. Whenever a significant issue is addressed and discussed, you can expect to find people who do not see eye to eye. This is a good thing, as any business coach will tell you. You want to encourage innovation and different points of view, as this is, in overall terms, a good thing for your company and its life blood. However, it's difficult to know what to do when you are at an impasse. If there are good ideas and points of view on both sides, what is the next step forward?

Executive management coaching will teach you to strive for a compromise and the best way to do this is to negotiate. Negotiation is the process of attempting to agree on a solution. At the end of the negotiation process, a compromise should be achieved and this is the goal.

To enable this procedure to to work, all people involved must have an element of flexibility. Whilst each party to the procedure may well have strong ideas and viewpoints and firmly believe that his or her solution is the best answer, each person must be prepared to be flexible and to absorb the other's points of view as well. Business coach fundamentals dictate that people are flexible at the negotiation table.

It doesn't really matter what you are discussing, whether it be the comparison of two ideas, personal issues between staff members, negotiations over conditions, contractual terms - the procedure of compromise through flexible negotiation should be followed.

Once a time and the place has been set for the negotiation, do your preparation. To start off with always believe that a mutually acceptable solution can be achieved. Don't be intransigent and always maintain a great attitude. This can be an excellent opportunity to learn for all concerned and an opportunity to achieve a win-win situation. A good business coach will tell you the best outcome is achieved when all parties are satisfied.

It's always best to negotiate face-to-face, and it's never ideal when you use the phone or e-mail. It's always best to be able to see the other person, absorb the body language, the tone of their voice and other cues which are simply missing, especially in the case of e-mail.

If you can, meet to discuss this issue at a mutually agreeable time and place, even on neutral ground. Take time to prepare and make sure that you know what is at stake for all concerned and that you fully understand the opposing party's points of view.

At the minimum, determine what would be an acceptable deal for you. Don't go into a meeting with a closed mind, but do take into account all the parameters necessary for the bottom line.

In any negotiation, emotions can spillover. Your business coach will tell you to be impartial but not passive. Deal with facts and address the problems, not the personalities. You must maintain a rational and goal oriented frame of mind at all times.

If all parties approach the negotiation process in this fashion, it is highly likely that the compromise will be negotiated and that all parties will emerge satisfied with the results. Refer to your business coach to make sure that your company's negotiation and compromise procedure is top notch.