Persuasion Negotiations and Networking Persuasion has been defined

Persuasion, Negotiations and Networking

Persuasion has been defined as ‘an ongoing process in which verbal and nonverbal messages shape, reinforce and change peoples’ responses. Though “persuasion” and “influence are often used as synonyms, there are some subtle differences between the two: Ø Consciousness: Persuade consciously, influence unintentionally Ø Resistance: Persuasion is the form of influence that is employed when the target shows resistance Ø Direction: Persuasion is one way while influence is reciprocal Ø Success: The punch-line is persuasion is successful influence. However, we can influence people without persuading them

Six main steps to persuasion Ø Adoption– start doing something Ø Continuance –keep doing it Ø Improvement –do it better Ø Deterrence – do not start doing something else Ø Discontinuance – stop doing something being done previously Ø Reduction – do it less

Sequential stages in Persuasion Ø Ø Ø Exposure to the message Attending to the message Becoming interested in it Understanding it Learning how to process and use it Accepting it Memorizing it Retrieving it when required Using it when making decision Reinforcing actions Consolidating the decisions based upon the success of the actions

Processes and outcomes in organizational persuasion Manager Attempts to alter Eventual success Beliefs, feelings Knowledge Behavior No immediate change; sleeper effect operates Changes in Beliefs / feelings Knowledge behavior Immediate success Deterioration No change Increased Resistance To future persuasion Resulting in No change in Beliefs, feelings, Knowledge, behavior Failure Boomerang effect Employee’s Forewarning / Inoculation

Categorization of Persuasion attempts Greek philosopher Aristotle categorized the persuasion attempts into three types: Ø Emphasize the rationality of the message (logos) - logical proofs Ø Evoke the emotions of the listener (pathos) emotional proofs Ø Understand the credibility of the persuader (ethos) - personal proofs

Logical Proofs 1. Logical argument (comprehensible, emphasized, advantages and disadvantages explained, supported by statistics and case studies) 2. Repetition (persistent) 3. Reciprocation (Trade off, pay off) 4. Scale of request (Door in the Face DIF tacticsinitially big request and then tone down and Foot in the Door FID tactics – initially a small request is made and then on the basis of response gradually scaled up) 5. Scarcity value (newly scarce, competition for a scarce resource, possible loss)

Emotional Proof Ø Threat / fear Ø Consistency and commitment (secure public proclamation, make the decision voluntary, get the person involved in practical activity) Ø Moral appeals ( duty to carry out, positive self feeling, esteem of others, appeal to altruism – could you do this for me and altercasting –a good and caring person would do this)

Personal Proofs Ø Power (expert power, information power, legitimate power, referent power, coercive power, reward power) Ø Attractiveness Ø Relationship

How employees influence / persuade managers In general, employees use five main strategies to influence / persuade their managers: Ø Assertiveness (stand up and openly state) Ø Ingratiation (yes person, flattery, buttering) Ø Rational argument and discussions (logical proofs) Ø Sanctions (legal actions, strikes, cease work) Ø Coalition (gang up)

Negotiations Definition and Issues • It is a transaction between two or more parties, each of which is to some extent reliant upon the other to satisfy what seems to be incompatible goals • Each is dependent upon the other to satisfy those wants producing the classical context for negotiation • Although shrewd negotiator does not guarantee managerial success, experts in this field manage their work more effectively • Managers spend between 30 to 50% of their time negotiating.

When to Negotiate • Difference of interests, ideas or objectives or at least a perception of it • Joint resolve to strive towards constructive ways of resolving the differences (negotiating in good faith) • Shared interest to resolve the dispute (judicious mix of competition and cooperation – coopetition); a lose situation leaves both the players worse off • Interdependency of each side being reliant on others to meet its requirements • Concessions by each party to accommodate the other on the basis of give and take till agreement is reached

The Basic Rules • Communicate either directly or through a third party; a negotiation takes place anytime two or more people are communicating and at least one of these has a goal in mind. Verbal and non verbal communication play a very important role in the process • Misrepresentation including concealment, evasion, half -truths and lies are regarded as breaking the rules • Inherent tension to balance the needs of maximizing one’s personal profit, and maintaining positive relationship with the other party – controlled proactivity is the key

Preconditions for Negotiations • Experiencing an initial incompatibility (or even perceived) of interests • Relying on the cooperation of others • Agreeing that negotiating is a better and a viable option • Able to interact and communicate (preferably face to face) • Have some degree of power and influence on other party to modify their position • Being prepared to accommodate the other’s point of view • Hopeful that the outcome will be acceptable to both the parties (a win situation)

Strategies – Flexibility is the Key • Unilateral concession – appeasement, buying peace. Done to give a friendly signal, respect relationships, lack of assertion, expect the other party to reciprocate • Competition or “Go to War”. The aim is to defeat the other party and get more out of the transaction. Zero sum distribution pay off and is a win lose situation. The option of ‘Power Negotiation’ gets you the win while leaves the other party thinking that they are the victors • Individual gain or “Smash and Grab” with the sole objective of maximizing gain for self; short sighted strategy shuts the door future interactions • Cooperation or “Brother in Arms” allowing both the parties to benefit from the deal. Variable sum pay off

Cooperative Win Situation • • • Accepting as a goal, best possible position for both Separating people from the problem Building mutual trust Avoiding deeply entrenched positions Exploring need behind positions (could be other ways of meeting them) • Looking for value added positions for both instead grinding the other side down • Agreement to be reached based on reason and principles; emotions to be kept away This approach ensures both parties enjoy higher joint benefits than are available with compromise (retail chain promoting in their own areas)

Stages in the negotiating process • • • Planning and preparation Opening Exploring Bargaining Reaching settlement

Stage 1 - Planning and Preparation • • Abraham Lincoln had said, “If I had nine hours to cut a tree, I shall use six hours sharpening my axe Clarify purpose and establish goals; is negotiation necessary, what must I come back with (target point or range, bottom line BATNA – best alternative to negotiated agreement) Identify the issues: Considerations to be introduced, prioritize and interlink the issues Gather information about the subject, about the other party, potential areas of agreement and conflicts and decide the type of negotiations to pursue Formulating the agenda, choosing the location modalities of agreement and rehearsals

Stage 2 - Opening • Create a suitable climate: Pleasant surroundings, no distractions, use of We instead of I, start with relatively non contentious issues to create some level of agreement • Build a facilitative relationship: Be a good listener, emphasize shared difficulties, correct verbal and non verbal signals, avoid cheap one up man ship, spending some time with personal introductions • Orienting proceedings towards business matters: Stick to the agenda

Stage 3 - Exploration • Probing beneath surface level of wants and positions • Seeking a panoramic view of other’s issues

Stage 4 -Bargaining • Finding an opening level: Shifting the goal post to favor the other party, providing ample space between opening bids and targets, create an atmosphere that the final outcome appears more attractive to the other party • Going first or second i. e. get in first with an opening offer or wait for the other to make a beginning • Making concessions • Cultivate friendly relationship impose deadlines • Appear resolute and firm; do not make agreeing to concessions a habit

Stage 4 – Bargaining contd. • Reducing others resistance to making concessions by persuasive arguments, objectivity (book price of car), offering face saving devices, threat or ultimatum, salami slicing (ask for full get at least half) logrolling (trade offs – accept car price if agreed to provide free service for one year) good guy / bad guy and fait accompli (agree now, discuss later)

Golden rules of making concessions Do: • Allow sufficient room for adjustment • Trade concessions rather than donate them • Concede slowly, grant in small chunks • Concede in areas that are less value to you • Monitor effect of concessions Do not: • Give concessions unconditionally • Set inappropriate expectations by initial largesse • Concede too early • Make concessions without computing their values to you • Engage in tit for tat concessions

Stage 5 – Reaching Settlement • • • Cues suggesting agreement No further concessions Closing the deal Positive ending Documenting the agreement (respecting either party’s sentiments) • Implementations considerations (good settlements explicitly address the difficulties that may be encountered and ways to resolve them)

Negotiating Skills • Controlling emotions (engaging in war of words are mutually detrimental) • Building trust (It is the heart of relationship and negotiation is no exception) • Exchanging information (quality outcomes depends on having high resolution pictures of the other side) • Promoting clarity ( Behavior labeling – can I ask you a question, and testing understanding and summarizing) • Using reasoned argument (retaliatory counter proposals are counter productive; do not give too many reasons to back your argument)

Books Referred • Communication skills for effective management By--- Owen Hargie, David Dickson and Dennis Tourish • How to make winning presentations by Paul R. Timm, Ph. D • The Effective communicator John Adair • Business Communication By Namita Gopal • Business communication – Harvard Business Essentials

Networking ü A power that comes from a spirit of giving and sharing ü A willingness to honor (benefit) ourselves, our relationships and our connections with the universal flow ü An organized way of creating links with people we know, with the people they know for a specific purpose ü Giving, contributing and supporting others without keeping score ü Ensuring the right to ask a favor without hooks ü The four stages of networking are LEARNING INVESTING NURTURING KEEPING

Networking Types 1. Loner (little or no networking) 2. Socializer (may have wide circle of friends but knows little of substance about personal skills and resources) 3. User (tries to make sales or pitches on the first encounter, keeps score when giving favors) 4. Builder (out there for others whenever needed; if they can not help, they usually know someone else who can

Stages of Networking 1 – Learning stage 1. Maintaining high self-esteem 2. Positive cycle of consciousness 3. Developing conscious strategy of giving and sharing (be helpful and seek help, trust and persistence) 4. Research for potential contacts 5. Prepare yourself, start the network adventure (thrill, challenge, trepidation, excitement) and get into the network; keep your introduction clear, concise, personable and interest generating

Positive cycles of networking Positive self-concept Likes self High self-esteem Ability to separate self from the job Believes in ‘I can make things Happen’ Positive Networking Open expansive World view Outward going, clear honest interaction Flexible, can take criticism Action based lifestyle

The Networking Pyramid Few Many Network partners Other network partners that you know and call Most often to chat, offer or seek advice Advocates Contacts who are openly promoting the benefits of networking with you and others Contacts Prospects to whom you have offered support And advice on one or more occasions Prospects Individuals who, research confirms, meet The effective networking criteria Suspects People who appear to be open to an Approach to offer you support

Stages of Networking 2 - Investing The investing stage simply involves each person in making deposits (or an investment) of time and energy, into building high quality relationships with their contacts. The strategy could be ü Establish the right image ü Carry your updated (informative) business card ü Focus on your skills and not your job ü Build up a clear picture (database of the person you met) ü Build relationships and not card collection agency ü Develop good listening skills ü Ask good questions ü Do not make rash promises, match your actions with your words

Stages of Networking 3 - Nurturing ü ü Look for niche channels and opportunities Long-term contacts and referrals Be systematic in your follow up Be seen and get known; remember that you are also there to offer and give and not see what you can get ü Look for interesting events and make efforts to attend ü Take active part in the group and be confident ü Make way to the network spiral mode

The Network Spiral More opportunities Larger network More well known More leads More contacts Well connected person

Networking stages 4 --Keeping Effective networking is only a systematic way to relate positively to people in the world around you. ü Cultivate and fortify you listening channels – listening for success; active listening makes the difference ü Encourage the contacts to talk ü Be persistent (constant, tenacious, fixed, resolute, steadfast). Being half hearted gets you nowhere. ü Maintain the momentum; “avoid the burn and churn” policy. Having invested time and energy in building your contacts, you would need to retain them and make them grow

Networking Competencies ü Temperament / disposition ü Strategizing abilities ü Organizational skills ü Nurturing abilities ü Communication skills ü Social involvement ü Persistence

Networking – Do’s and Don’ts Dos ü Ask for help ü Be friendly, warm & sincere ü Remember names ü Stay in touch ü Carry your business cards ü Be persistent & follow up ü Be seen and known to be well connected ü Be helpful, prepared to give Don’ts ü Be impatient ü Expect too much ü Have hidden agenda ü Be insensitive to values, beliefs and cultural differences ü Lose sight of your own goals and objectives ü Fail to follow up when given leads ü Network in a style that does not suit your style

QUESTIONS ? ?

What is Presentation? Presentation is the term we use to refer to all kinds of purposeful communication. When we plan, prepare and create a message to deliver to others, we are making a presentation

Presentations The key is ‘articulation’. The ability to capture the attention of an audience and deliver one’s message, in such a way that it is received with interest and changes beliefs, opinions and actions. Simultaneously, the prospect of facing such an undertaking can be extremely daunting. Four categories of presenters have been identified: ü Avoiders ü Resistors ü Acceptors ü Seekers

Presentation / Presenter Four types of presentations: ü Informative ü Persuasive ü Energizing ü Entertaining The presenter needs to be perceived and received in an accommodating manner. The audience perception are based on Ø How the presenter looks and sounds Ø What the presenter does and says Ø What the audience already knows or is told about the presenter

Make Presentation Work for You • Overcome presentation anxiety: Prepare, relax, don’t be self conscious, build your personal credibility, be realistic about your intent, remember both you and your audience need each other • Avoid Pitfalls: Avoid ineffective language, open to feed back • Discover your audience: Assess listener’s needs and expectation and adjust to it accordingly • Plan your Approach • State and build around key ideas: Be clear about your central theme and arrange them for clarity and impact • Build beginnings, bridges and endings: Arrange fluid and flowing thoughts • Get your message across: Be professional and avoid overuse of notes • Give them something to look at : Good graphics

Presentations - Tips u Use headlines: According to the advertising guru, David Olgilvy, five times as many people read the headlines as they read the body of the copy u Insert frequent crossheads: Use short headings to break your text and summarize the key issue of the next section. They improve both comprehension and recall. u Insert illustrations: Pictures and cartoons convey a human dimension to the message u Use bullets, asterisks and marginal marks: Particularly important when listing disparate points u Indent the first line of the paragraph; this increases the speed of reading

Presentation - Tips u Consider carefully the type / size of font you use (appropriate? ) u Never write at length in capitals –IT MAKES READING DIFFICULT. u Use the HATS to check the style of your document. This means looking at 1. Headings: Do you have enough of them and they appropriately reflect the subject matter 2. Access: Is the important information easy to locate 3. Topography: Have you used appropriate type faces, sizes and alignment 4. Space: Is the presentation neat or cluttered u Avoid errors in typing, spelling, numbers, dates, etc. This reflects you as being careless; first impression counts

What it takes to be a successful presenter ü Poised : in control of self and the audience ü Competent: the speaker has some level of competence ü Trustworthy: Speaker is fair, reliable, honest and mindful of the audience’s interest and not self seeking ü Committed: Commitment to the message delivered ü Dynamic: Dynamism carries its own message through energy and forcefulness ü Sincere: Dynamism without sincerity is worthless ü Respectful: Must show respect towards the audience ü Attractive: “Handsome is who handsome does”

Content of the presentation ü Identify the aim and clarify the objectives ü Research the type of audience (charismatic, thinkers, sceptics, followers controllers) ü Research the issue ü Select the method of delivery (Impromptu, Extemporaneous, Memorized, Read) ü Prepare the visual aids (not too many, uncluttered, tasteful use of colors, mix of pictures and graphics) ü Decide how to handle the questions

Techniques of effective presentation ü ü ü ü Use of appropriate language and avoidance of jargons Suitable pace of delivery Visual aids Sub summaries, signposts and links Emphasis of the key points Verbal fluency Precision Dynamic body language (reach out the audience, break barriers) Stimulus variation Appropriate examples Immediacy (engaging interpersonally with the audience) Avoiding distractions Appearing natural and uncontrived

Techniques of effective presentation: Keeping the audience engaged Most speakers confront some members of the audience who are disruptive (inattentive, talking to others). You need to breakthrough to grab their attention and hold on to it: Ø Change what you’re doing Ø Ask a question Ø Ask for a show of hands Ø Put your audience in the hot seat Ø Add humor Ø Use visuals to good effect

The Setting ü Location ü Shape and size of the room ü Acoustics ü Equipment ü Power sockets ü Furnishings ü Décor ü Lighting ü Temperature

Questions? parijatroychowdhury 1@gmail. com