INTEGRATIVE NEGOTIATION

INTEGRATIVE NEGOTIATION (Win-Win approach)

What is integrative negotiation?  

At times the only option you have when it comes to getting what you want is negotiation. Since negotiation will often depend on how you value both the result and the relationship with the party you are negotiating with, you have a choice to make, that is, distributive or Integrative negotiation. Integrative negotiation is also known as the win-win approach to negotiation, the idea being we want both results and relationship.

If you are going to make this approach work then;

1. Be willing to create a free exchange of information about objectives and wants
2. Find out why each party needs what they want. It’s the why that helps here
3. Find out where the interests of both parties dovetail.
4. Design new options, where everyone gets more of what they need.
5. Co- operate. Treat the other person as a partner, not an opponent

Skill and characteristics of effective integrative negotiators

If you are going to be successful with this approach as a negotiator then you will need to learn a number of skills such include;

1. Excellent listening skills (including the ability to indicate empathy or understanding of the other person’s viewpoint)
2. A holistic or system orientation: seeing the ‘big picture’ of supply chain performance rather than just the best deal for a single transaction
3. Abundance or added – value thinking
4. Maturity and assertiveness
5. Integrity trust: opening the way for information exchange and honest problem
6. Emotional intelligence

Tactics used in integrative negotiation

But you may be wondering as to the tactics you need to use so as to achieve the above, well  the Tactics of Integrative negotiation include;

• Typical integrative tactics reflect a ‘pull’ influencing approach, in which the aim is to align the interests of both parties ,this may take form of:
• Being open about your own needs and concern in the situation and seeking to understand those of the other party
• Collaboratively generating options  seeking to find those with genuine mutual or trade – off benefits
• Focusing on areas of common ground and mutual benefit, to keep a positive and collaborative atmosphere
• Supporting the other party in accepting your proposals, by emphasizing joint problems – solving offering additional informational or help with follows – up etc
• Maintaining and modeling flexibility by making and inviting reasonable counter – offers and compromise.

CONCLUSION

If the integrative negotiation is to be successful then part of your plan will have to account for a number of aspects since this approach is possible where both parties believe that there is a greater likelihood of benefit from working together than from competing or working separately, that is, there is a strong motivation to work together.Both of you have to broadly share common or joint goals. Both parties should be relatively confident in the process and their own problem – solving abilities. Finally, there is trust between the parties (at least sufficient to exchange information and begin the process)