Negotiating & Influencing for Police Communicators

1. Negotiating & Influencing for Police Communicators Nick Cloke| Head of Marketing & Communications www.miltonabbey.co.uk | 01258 880484 | BTEC School of the Year

2. Introduction Successful negotiating and influencing magnifies the impact of your professional knowledge and experience As a police communicator, you probably already negotiate and influence every day! We will share those experiences and discuss some tips to hone your skills

3. Types of negotiation • Formal (usually written and planned in advance) • Terms/prices for a purchase • Agreeing objectives for a communications strategy • Terms and conditions for a new job • Informal (often verbal and/or ad-hoc) • Changing the approach taken by a journalist • Gaining support for an idea • Persuading an officer to be interviewed • Can anyone share an example of a formal or informal negotiation they have taken part in?

4. Preparing for negotiation • Research the issue and any external factors • What’s your desired outcome from the negotiation? • Needs – things that are critical to achieve your outcome • Wants – things you would prefer to have, but could be negotiable • Motives – reasons behind needs and wants • Can you identify the Needs, Wants and Motives of the other party? • Prepare evidence to support your outcome and/or challenge the other party’s • What were your needs, wants and motives - and those of the other party?

5. Examples Both Formal Getting a Comms Strategy agreed in a meeting Negotiating terms for a new job Informal Informal Persuading a journalist to change their story Asking a reluctant officer to be interviewed

6. Negotiation tips • Agree purpose of the negotiation and time available • Encourage other parties to ‘go first’ • Listen carefully and fairly consider their views • Ask questions to build understanding • Refer to your preparation, but be prepared to adapt or even change your views based on compelling evidence • Seek to clarify their Wants, Needs and Motives • Look for points of commonality – a foundation to build consensus • Use evidence not emotion – remain calm! • Leave with clearly agreed actions and timescales – what happens next?

7. Negotiation pitfalls • Failing to understand the other party’s perspective – even if you still don’t agree with it • Making assumptions, rather than listening carefully and clarifying • Failing to change your initial position if necessary • Negative behaviours by yourself or others • Not respecting others’ views • Lying about, or exaggerating, your evidence • Taking things personally or ‘point-scoring’! • A desire to avoid conflict at all costs • Compromising too early or for little return • Reaching agreement even if you don’t achieve your ‘Needs’ • Adjournment or deferral is sometimes the better option

8. Outcomes of negotiation • Win/Win • Outcome is agreeable to all parties • Win/Lose • One party achieves the outcome they want at the expense of others • Lose/Lose • The outcome suits neither party • No agreement • An outcome cannot be reached • Theory says you should usually compromise to reach a Win/Win • Everyone gives up things they ‘Want’ to help everyone achieves what they ‘Need’ • All parties must feel a benefit for this compromise solution to work • Only compromise for a true Win/Win – unlikely to last if someone feels they’ve lost out

9. Is Win/Win always the best outcome? • Benefits of a Win/Win outcome • Both parties leave in agreement, even if they don’t achieve all they wanted • Foundation for lasting, trusting relationships • Particularly in policing, a Win/Lose may be necessary • Short-term relationships (national versus local journalists) • Quick outcome needed, so no time for drawn-out negotiation • Issue too critical to compromise (e.g. prejudicial legal issues) • What were the outcomes in the examples I shared? • What outcomes have you negotiated? Did you have to compromise?

10. Back to my examples… Eventually Win/Win Win/Win Getting a Comms Strategy agreed in a meeting Negotiating terms for a new job Win/Lose Lose/Lose Persuading a journalist to change their story Asking a reluctant officer to be interviewed

11. Negotiation skills vs. ability to influence • Police communicators inherently have many of the essential skills for negotiation • Researching evidence to support your cause • Preparing persuasive messages • Communicating clearly, including listening • Yet you may not feel you have enough influence, even inside your Force… • In very hierarchical organisations like the police, rank can intimidate and may lead to a perception that the seniority of parties is the most important factor

12. Your experience + knowledge = influence Situational Status “The relative status of an individual in a particular situation, based on the role they are performing in it.” • Your experience and knowledge can be a more powerful influencer than seniority • You are the communications specialist! • Would the person you are negotiating with discount another specialist, such as a finance expert or scenes of crime officer? • If they ignore your advice, they carry the risk! • In our examples, was situational status apparent?

13. Balance of power • Identify who has the most power • What’s the status quo? Who does this favour? • Who has the most to win or lose? • What track record do you both have? • You may choose not to negotiate • If the status quo already favours you • If your balance of power isn’t similar or equal • If the timing is poor and your can defer the issue • Choosing not to negotiate isn’t a failure – it’s a conscious decision that negotiation isn’t the best option now

14. We’re only human! • Negotiating and influencing is ultimately an interpersonal skill, not a hard theory • People we like have more influence over us than people we don’t! • Personality effects your level of influence • Work out the other party’s personality traits • Preference for stats or anecdotal evidence? • In it for personal gain or organisational benefit? • Are they risk-averse? Can you minimise risk? • Are they open to change?

15. More examples Balance of Power Personality The ‘think about this overnight’ email The over-confident Chief Supt Status Quo Situational Status Referring to “rape” as “sexual assault” Advising multi-national investigation team

16. Increasing your influence: Shorter term • Be friendly and professional, but firm if needed • Build rapport • Remember names (record them if you need to) • Positive reinforcement and empathy: “That’s interesting but...” not “You’re wrong because...” • Active listening skills (signal your attention) • Non-verbal communications, such as mirroring • Don’t emulate - be yourself and play to your strengths • Be aware of organisational ‘politics’ even if you don’t want to get involved in them! • Who’s up for promotion? • Who do people hang out with during a coffee break?

17. Increasing your influence: Longer term • Circle of champions • Built through fair interactions over time, even if the other party initially disagreed with you • Advocates will build your influence indirectly • Choose the right time to influence • When the other party is receptive and/or the balance of power is in your favour • When the outcome really matters • Continually horizon-scan • Monitor your Force’s context and internal politics • Identify issues requiring negotiation and initiate it

18. Further information • Try these books (or others!) • Research ‘Choice Architecture’ and ‘Nudge theory’ online • Discuss successful negotiations with colleagues and encourage others to do the same • Raise it as a personal development objective with your manager

19. Any questions?

20. www.miltonabbey.co.uk | 01258 880484 | BTEC School of the Year