Negotiate Successfully With DISCerning Communication
Mastery of DISCerning Communications provides an added dimension to our negotiating skills. Learning to speak DISC – the language of behaviors fluently gives you a distinct advantage when conducting negotiations.
Approaches to negotiations can be classified into four groups:
Dominance ??Inducement??Steadiness ??Conscientiousness
Understanding and mastering the nuances of each approach??is essential to successful negotiating. Getting comfortable using the language of each style and being able to respond appropriately them is one requirement of power negotiating.
??Action Plan: Negotiating with the Dominance (D-Style Negotiators)
Your Outlook
Develop a strategy that concentrates on their goal of personal control of their environment and fear of having someone take advantage of them.
Remember the D style negotiator wants to win and be seen to be winning. This has implications for how you let them feel at the end of the negotiation.
Your??Demeanor
Limit amount of socializing.
Get to the point.
Respond to their task-related/result-oriented needs.
Be business-like.
Ask ???what??? questions that focus on their concern for results.
Accept their bluntness.
Show desire to achieve added results.
Getting them on board
Make your case and highlight the key options available.
Do not present only one option.
Make it clear that you understand that the choice is theirs. You can’t afford to appear desperate or too deeply wed to getting them on board.
Don???t try to push them to make a choice or to accept your recommendations.
Develop a long-term win-win relationship by:
Ensuring efficiency and delivering everything as promised.
Drawing attention to your proven successes. The D Style negotiator wants to be linked with winners.
Focusing on helping them to achieve their goals either as an integral part of the agreement or as a bonus.
Keys to remember! ??The D Style negotiator does not like:
Waiting
Idle chatter
Slow responses
Indecision
Overly structured requirements
Being dictated to??or losing control of the situation
Your arguments should always include phrases like:
?????This means that you?????????
???The benefit of this to you is??????
???The competitive advantage for you is ???..???
Case study
??Bill was part of a group of friends who wanted to sell the idea of sponsoring a radio program to his boss ??? D. The group included highly trained sales reps and an elaborate sales presentation was developed. The presentation was derailed as Bill recognized that his boss was getting impatient. He went straight to the bottom line cost/benefit figures. D actually thanked Bill for not wasting his time with the ???sales talk??? and approved the sponsorship.
Useful comparison
The approach above may not work well with the I style because:
The relationship is an important factor in their decision-making.
The ??approach may not work well with the S Style because:
The S Style would prefer to get a full understanding of how the entire project would come together. They would prefer to have all the nuances and possibilities explained. There should be no surprises.
The approach might work with the C Style with some adjustment:
The C Style is not keen on what they consider meaningless chatter. So a direct reference to the hard facts is appealing to them.
It is not likely that a quick decision will be made. You should also be prepared to leave support documentation with C and to follow up for a decision later.
Action Plan: Negotiating with the I-Style Negotiators
Your Outlook
Develop a people-oriented approach.
Emphasize how your agreement??increases their influence and approval by others.
Your interaction
Be casual and friendly.
Relate to their feelings and aspirations.
Be enthusiastic about the possibilities
Ask ???Who??? questions and make people-related statements that might??influence them.
Respond with empathy to their feelings or doubts.
Use feelings statements and give testimonials of others??? successes.
Gaining their co-operation and commitment
Use an upbeat approach that inspires them to action.
Lay out what you need in simple, actionable terms that can be implemented without a lot of detailed preparation.
Work to make execution enjoyable.
How to Develop a Long-term Win-Win Relationship:
Ensure there is minimal detailed action on their part. Take care of the paperwork.
Avoid complicated responses ??? Keep it simple.
Expand their sphere of influence and extend their network.
Remain responsive, informal and open in your dealings.
??Your arguments should always include phrases like:
?????People will respect you for?????????
???This will distinguish you?? from other organizations??????
???You will be among an elite group with organizations like?? ???..???
??? We have simplified the administrative process so that?????????
??Case study
The negotiator??goes off on discussions that are not strictly related to the points that you want to present. Your response could be:
???Listen, I really want to spend some time and talk to you about that. Allow me to share something with you quickly and then we can get back to this hot topic.???
(This has actually been used to maintain focus on a trend of thought without dampening the other party’s ??desire for social interaction).
Useful Comparison
This approach may not work well with the D Style because:
Points raised by the D Style are likely to lead to a decision one way or another. Some care should be taken to evaluate the relevance of what they want to share??before pushing it aside.
This approach may not work well with the S Style because:
The S style would prefer to get a full understanding of what is being said and its relevance. What you deem to be ???not strictly relevant??? may be a major sticking point in the negotiation.
This approach re the C Style:
The C style is not likely to wander off on tangents or to be distracted by them.
The challenge you might face is their insistence on getting concrete evidence to support your claims. In such cases, you might have to make a firm commitment to present or send the information within a certain time frame.
Action Plan: Negotiating with the S-Style Negotiator
Your Outlook
Explain how the outcome??will provide the support they need.
Emphasize how this will be simplifying and stabilizing for their existing relationships and practices.
Do not highlight the changes aspects.
Emphasize the issue of trust.
Your interaction
Be informal and low pressure.
Be methodical and move step-by-step.
Be sincere.
Ask ???How??? questions and “How” statements that show concern for both completion of tasks and preservation of the relationship.
Accept and share their feelings.
Offer ongoing support.
Probe for real concerns. The might suppress expressing their true feelings.
Gaining their co-operation and commitment
Detail exactly what you expect??from them.
Sincerely support their decisions.
Seek a firm commitment without pushing.
How to Develop a Long-term Win-Win Relationship:
Show them respect and give them personal attention.
Provide assistance wherever possible.
Offer repeated and predictable follow-up to assure them of stability.
Your arguments should always include extensive use of words like:
??We
Let us
Together
??Case study
??Situation
We would have very positive meetings in the negotiations.?? However, somehow it never produced any breakthrough agreements. It just appeared to drag on and on.
Response:
Take a more proactive approach to getting a commitment.
After taking care to clear up issues, present a step-by-step move to action.
Pause to get approval for each step.
Summarize the agreements which should then be equal to the commitment which was being sought.
(This was used to get commitment from a client who just did not seem to have the capacity to say YES without prodding).
The above approach may not work well with the D Style because:
The D Style wants more??control over the process and to work to their own decision-making agenda.
The above approach may not well with the I Style because:
The I style may enjoy the interaction and may not be in a hurry to push for a commitment. Deepening the connection will ultimately guarantee the commitment.
The above approach re the C Style:
The challenge with the C Style will be the desire to complete their ???due diligence??? exercise. They may want to go through extensive analysis and evaluation.
A modification of this approach would be to establish a step-by-step schedule related to what information will be presented and the deadlines for a response to the information. That way there is clarity as to how the process will move to completion.
??Action Plan: Negotiating with the C-Style Negotiator
Your Outlook
Be prepared to explain and defend your??performance record.
Be sure to be accurate and appeal to their quality and reliability concerns.
Come armed with data-driven evidence.
Your interaction
Get down to business swiftly, but tactfully.
Respect their privacy.
Recognize and respect their expertise.
Be business-like, logical and provide reassuring evidence.
Be ready to respond to ???Why??? questions.
Give them opportunities to express knowledge, strategies and apprehensions.
Answer their pressing questions well.
Gaining their co-operation and commitment
Offer options in a framework that reflects their priorities.
Suggest balanced and informed criteria??to assist decision-making.
Support their demand for logical processes.
How to Develop a Long-term Win-Win Relationship:
Ensure that they get special assurances re: reliability and the maintenance of quality standards.
Summarize and review decisions – verbally & in writing.
Pay attention to documentation.
Your arguments should include phrases like:
?????This approach is supported by a study done by?????????
???In comparison with XYZ, our product does ?????????
???The latest ABC report supports the view that ??????..???
??Case study
??Situation
The client has an interest in using assessment instruments for its own internal HR needs as well as for its career guidance services. After lengthy discussions and pilot testing, the HR Director decided to break away from the group and initiate his own purchase. The career services department continues to evaluate their options.
Lesson learned:
What did not work well with the career group was the thinking that pilot testing of the assessment in the client environment would be sufficient to get them to make a buying decision.
One lesson learned is that it required an in-depth comparison of their available options. Since the options being considered were not put on the table by the client it was extremely difficult to make progress.
The evolving strategy is to tap into other sources of information within and external to the client organization. That information is then embedded in a new round of talks that speaks more directly to facts and considerations that are in the mind of the client.
(This is being used to get commitment from a client who has been in a seemingly never ending quest for more information.).
The above approach and the D style:
The D Style is not likely to go through such an extensive investigative process.
The above approach and the I style:
The I style is not likely to go through such an extensive investigative process.
??The above approach re the S style:
This approach may work well with the S style because it would give them a better opportunity to get comfortable using the product or service. For that reason, a pilot project accompanied by follow up discussions is usually a good way to get the S Style to commit.