Today’s Topics feedback

1. Today’s Topics feedback [last class: preparation and beginning the negotiation] • Setting an agenda (if necessary) • Making your own interests/positions clear • In the US, speaking deductively and ‘directly’ • but also being careful with your language • Understanding the other’s interests/positions • Active listening, follow-up questions

2. Setting an agenda • In what situations is this important? • What to include in setting an agenda? • Objectives/goals of the negotiation • Specific points to cover during that time • How much time you have • Roles – who will be doing what • Procedure – what should be covered first, etc. • More deductive, explicit, ‘spelled out’ approach

3. What problems can arise if no agenda? • No clear common sense of direction • Roles ambiguous or forgotten • Tendency to jump to problems first, without establishing big picture • Getting caught off guard by underlying assumptions about agendas

5. What went wrong? • No warm-up • No clarification of agenda • No clarification of each other’s interests or positions before actual negotiation • Okus group cedes to Levian ‘agenda’, and in an irritated way • Threat by Sean

6. exercise

7. Establishing positions/making your points • Taking the time to present and listen to each others’ proposals before deciding on solutions Note: This is often an iterative process, however. In other words, discussing solutions may lead to new or amended proposals Video

8. What went wrong? • Andrew is unprepared – and also not deductive – with regard to the Okus proposal • He also has bad delivery/connection to audience. • Sean jumping to (and demanding) solutions before exploring mutual interests: very ‘positional’ (in Getting to Yes terms)

9. Being clear about what you want or think …politely • Being clear: • When it is time to present your position/interests, get to your main points quickly, and provide supportive information after (deductive way). • Use highlighting and clarifying phrases if necessary (see handout) • Being polite: • Invite feedback, be inclusive • Balance indirectness and directness of language

10. Clarifying everyone’s interests Why is it important to take the time to do this? • minimizes the risk of misunderstandings and hasty decisions • Shows respect and concern for them • Allows you the time to better develop arguments to respond to their needs

11. What went wrong? • Everyone has own agenda, no common direction • Not much real listening going on • No one working together, even teams • No one leading an effort to keep focus • Negative tone, body language

12. How to do this? • Active listening to others • body language, verbal ‘backchannels’ • asking questions to better understand both the big picture and the details, the facts and the feelings • Try not to ‘fake it’! • Clarifying and explaining yourself video

13. What went right • Clear evidence of real listening • Francoise asking ‘on topic’ questions that elicit further information and clarification • Karen manages interruptions politely but clearly so that focus is maintained • Karen and Andrew working as a team HO & EX

14. Practice: clarifying/active listening • Remember your persuasive presentation topic • In pairs, you will take turns listening to the arguments of the other person on their topic (each person 10 minutes). • E.g: “I would like to convince you that you should buy a Stanford coffee mug…” • The listener will ask different kinds of active listening questions, and the speaker will clarify and explain further. Listener: ask at least 5 questions. • You should NOT actually negotiate or make counter-arguments yet in this exercise.