Negotiation and communication articles

Basics of group decision making and problem solving (04/10/2012)
... Majority Vote: The decision is based on the opinion of the majority of its members. Decision by Leader: The group gives the final decision to its leader. 5 advantages of group decision making: Greater knowledge: because of the number of people involved, each with differing experience, knowledge, points of view and values, a larger number and variety of ideas for solving a problem can be produced. Greater skills: Even the best qualified individual cannot have all of the skills to reach a complex goal. Some people excel at coming up with the ideas while others focus on plans, numbers and figures....

Conflict Mediation (12/30/2011)
... Make sure you follow up on the matter. If it has been suitably dealt with, compliment your colleagues. If the problem is disrupting team performance and the associates involved are unable to solve it on their own, set up a meeting at which both people will be present. In your planning for the meeting, gain an understanding of the issues by establishing the nature of each person's problem. Are the issues real or are they simply misunderstandings? Prepare a meeting room in which you have two chairs facing a flip chart or chalkboard....

Commitment: Team (12/27/2011)
... Record members' concerns on a flip chart to ensure that everyone understands the issues. Work with your team to remove obstacles to success. Ask for ideas for solving problems that the team can handle, and offer your own ideas for areas where you have control. Get the team as a whole to work out criteria for measuring progress and determining when the project goal has been reached. Determine the long- and shorter-term goals of the project, and get them approved by the appropriate level(s) of management....

How to take advantage of working in a multicultural environment (12/27/2011)
... If you are working with people whose cultural attitudes towards time and punctuality differ from yours, bring up and discuss the difference, and try to negotiate a mutually acceptable solution. Remember that different cultures have different degrees of comfort with physical closeness. What might appear standoffish to one person could seem a violation of personal space to another. Be careful about touching until you have a clear understanding of a person's distinction between friendly and offensive behaviours. Find out the best way of communicating with each person....

Separating Partners From Nonpartners (12/20/2011)
... Devoted to good of organization; aggressive and domineering negotiator; blunt and direct; totally task-oriented. Executive Dominant but not domineering, directive but permits freedom, consultative but not participative, sizes up people well but relates only on a surface level, cordial but at arm's length. Organization-oriented; high task concentration; assertive negotiator; adroit strategist; flexible and resourceful. Integrator Egalitarian, supportive, participative, excellent interpersonal skills, a born team builder, a catalyst who is adept at unifying conflicting values. Shares leadership; permits freedom of decisions and delegates authority; welcomes ideas; open and honest negotiator who seeks win-win relationships....

Closeout Meeting Agenda/Key Review Meeting Agenda (12/08/2011)
... External closeout meetings may also include an effort to get the customer’s signature on acceptance documents. The external closeout meeting is normally held prior to the internal closeout meeting. Sample External Closeout Meeting Agenda Participants: (Names/Organizations) (This will include the internal or external customer, as well as key team members to field questions regarding project performance or outcomes.) Date: Time: Place: 1.0 Project Overview The project overview should be provided by the project manager or his designee....

Developing Relationships with Co workers (09/11/2011)
... Put yourself in their shoes. Be accepting. Don't waste time trying to change people. You can't. You can, however, change your behaviour towards them....

Politics in the Office: A Survival Guide (09/08/2011)
... Don't get involved in every issue. Pick those that give you a good chance of being on the winning side. Get a sense of what senior people are thinking. Look at issues from their perspective and join the side that aligns with real power-brokers. Only fight battles you're likely to win....

How to make life more pleasant in the office (09/06/2011)
... Treat other people's incoming faxes as important. Take them to the intended recipient right away. Clean out the three-hole punch. Close filing cabinet drawers when you're done. Take your turn watering the office plants....

Agreeing Through Negotiation (09/06/2011)
... Vendors often mistake this process for negotiation. They call it "negotiating price" when they really mean "discounting price." Discounting price is not negotiation because the suppliers cannot win. They can only limit their losses. If their margins are not directly attacked, they will be subjected to other forms of price pressure such as requests for free goods and services, advertising or promotion allowances, free carrying of inventory, and so on....

Conflict Prevention (09/05/2011)
... You don't have to agree with their point of view, but you can agree with their right to be angry. Listen to others. Give people a chance to influence you without cutting them off or developing a rebuttal before they have even finished expressing their idea. Maintain a cheerful disposition. It is hard for people to pick an argument with someone who has a positive demeanour....

Delegation (09/05/2011)
... Here are some examples of the latter group: routine jobs; collecting data; attending routine meetings unrelated to your major tasks. WHO Decide who would be suitable to help you reduce your workload. Consider their interest in the tasks; their available time; their skill levels. If you identify people who have the time and interest but not the appropriate skills, offer to train them in the new tasks. HOW Meet formally or informally, as the situation dictates, with the people to whom tasks will be delegated....

Conflict Between You and Others (09/03/2011)
... Simply approach him and say, "Could the two of us sit down and discuss our differences? I'd really like to do that." An acceptance will set the climate for a collaborative, adult-to-adult problem-solving session. Find a neutral venue where your colleagues cannot observe you. Collect your thoughts so you are well prepared. Make some notes so you don't forget what you intend to say....

Negotiation Tactics (09/01/2011)
... Even if the parameters are broad, you and your colleague will both focus on the objective instead of beating each other up. Establish ground rules for the negotiations. This is particularly useful if the negotiation has typically created conflict and emotional outbursts. You might both agree to listen to each other without interruption; respect each other, even though you may disagree on issues; be flexible on the less important issues. State your needs clearly and firmly....

Employee Recruiting (08/23/2010)
... The personality and abilities of the candidate are naturally of material importance. If the candidate is being considered for a senior executive position, it is important to assess his or her decision-making and analytical abilities, creativity in problem-solving, and personality. A manager's leadership and interpersonal communication skills are priceless from the organization's point of view. Obviously, the composition of the necessary qualities changes from one position to another, and in many positions, leadership skills are less essential. Headhunter services specialize in identifying many personal qualities in order to best match the employees to the right positions and companies....

Skills Needed by People in Sales Jobs (08/13/2010)
... A lack of good people skills is one of the most common reasons that people on the fast track get derailed on their way to the top or dethroned once they get there. The farther up you are in an organization, the more you need people skills to be successful. It makes sense. You must work through people to get things done. You can’t do it all yourself....

How To Negotiate Price (08/12/2010)
... I read a lot of business magazines. I subscribe to some. Some I receive free as a professional courtesy. But there are some that I refuse to take for free because it’s going to take me time to look at it. Based on the value that I perceive I will derive from it, I choose to decline some of these free publications....

Manage Multiple Customer Priorities while Working from a Distance (08/03/2010)
... Think carefully about how you will communicate. Give the people you are communicating with time to plan. Build in time for periodic face-to-face meetings. Rotate meetings with people in different locations. Use weekly audio teleconference calls to keep people up to date on changes in products or services or for training....

Getting Job Interview Help for Aviation Jobs (05/26/2010)
... One of the common employer interview questions that may make or break your chances of getting the job is "Why choose us?" or "Why should we hire you?" In this case, you have to tell your interviewer about what you can do to ensure their success. Emphasise that your experience and qualifications meet the company's needs. Sometimes interviewers ask about certain real-life scenarios, such as making an emergency landing or calming down an unruly passenger, which will test your crisis management and decision-management skills. On the other hand, if you do not have the extensive experience yet, you have to literally 'sell yourself' to your prospective employer. In this case you may impress the interviewer by dressing smartly and having an in-depth knowledge of their company....

How to face group discussion (05/23/2010)
... If you keep these few tips in mind, you surely will crack the face to face group discussion in a more apt way. Also, once you appear in a G.D you might feel a bit nervous. But, do not let that stress you out, relax, take a deep breathe, feel confident and take it on! If you believe in yourself and have a basic knowledge of the topic, you can easily bring out your view point in front of every one else. Even if you get a topic that you are not familiar with, try and think about it, make out the possible points of discussion and go on! In either case, what ever you speak should be valid and make sure to speak out in full poise....