Effective Project Management

Section D Negotiation

“Trades would not take place unless it were advantageous to the parties concerned, of course it is better to strike as good a bargain as one's bargaining position permits. The worst outcome is when, by over reaching greed, no bargain is struck, and a trade that could have been advantageous to both parties does not come off at all.”

Benjamin Franklin.

This section is really only ‘a starter for ten.’ Read the books referenced in the section.

We all negotiate, and all negotiators use the same skills. Negotiation is about resolving differences between people whether it is to get a salary increase, obtain additional resources, buy materials, or finalize a contract for a project. Nevertheless, many or most people are afraid to negotiate, or it is discouraged by company procedures. However, we don't practice it enough. In any situation, the parties have a different point of view, and there is a natural tendency to take a particular position and argue for it, make concessions, and settle for a compromise. However, arguments cannot be negotiated; only proposals can. Giving in, in stages, isn't negotiating.

All good negotiations have a structure and the following eight‐step approach to negotiating has been extracted from the Rank training video ‘The Art of Negotiating’. A few additions from the book Getting to Yes ¹² have been included. The video was based on the book Managing Negotiations – How to Get a Better Deal ¹³ This book was the first to put negotiating ...