Good negotiation skills are essential to running a successful business, allowing you to achieve the results you need while keeping everybody happy. Negotiating across cultures can be much more difficult, due to different backgrounds and priorities, but it's also a very rewarding practice. There are a few key points that make negotiating across cultures easier.
Instructions
1. Consider what you are proposing. Is it a contract with a specific purpose and time frame or is it a relationship between professionals? For example, a survey in The Global Negotiator book revealed that 74 percent of Spanish professionals see their aim as establishing a set contract while only 33 percent of Indian respondents agree with them. Different cultures see negotiations differently, so it's important to clearly present what it is that you hope to achieve.
2. Present in a consistent manner. This includes the way you dress, talk, including your tone, and how you introduce people. Decide whether to approach the negotiation in a formal manner or in a more friendly way. Research how the professionals you are meeting with like to conduct their negotiations and use this knowledge to your advantage. If you do not know how the people you are meeting like to conduct business, start formally, then relax as appropriate.
3. Appreciate that different cultures move things along at different rates. You may achieve a successful negotiation within one meeting with some cultures, whereas others may wish to take negotiations much slower and might schedule several meetings and time to think through all options before committing. If your negotiations are time-sensitive, make this clear when arranging the initial meeting to ensure everyone knows where you stand.
4. Research how different cultures prefer to have their documentation. A survey in The Global Negotiator suggests that Americans prefer highly detailed contracts that contain a solution to every possible eventuality. Furthermore, it suggests the Chinese prefer a list of general points, and rely on trust and confidence in the relationship to solve any difficulties.
5. Understand who is managing the negotiation. Does the person you are meeting with have the authority to make a decision on their own? Are there multiple people who you need to communicate with and organize, or will you have one contact who will keep you informed and organize the team?
