NEGOTIATION

What is Negotiation?

Negotiation is a method people use to settle differences. In order to avoid argument and dispute, negotiation is needed to reach the agreement. There will be a negotiation process when each related people have different opinions, here, negotiation will play an important role to find out the best solutions of all.

What are the Negotiation Styles?

1.     Avoiding

This negotiation style is concerned with avoiding intra-personal conflict. It is characterized by sidestepping, postponing, and ignoring the issue or situation. This style of negotiation will be useful when the stakes of a negotiated outcome are not worth the investment of time or the potential for igniting conflict

2.     Accommodating

This negotiation style is concerned with the relationship between the parties. In this style of negotiation, the other side will be easily given concessions in hopes of strengthening the relationship, also will be very thoughtful to the other side which make them to be neglected their own needs, this is because they want to help the other side to get what they want

3.     Compromising

This style is in between accommodating and competing. It will be very useful to use this style when time is a concern or there is a strong relationship between the parties. In order to reach an agreement, this style need concessions from both sides. “Meet in the middle” or “Split the difference” solutions are used in this style.

4.     Collaborating

This style focuses on using problem solving methods to create value and discover mutually satisfactory agreements. Utilizes the creativity of both parties to find solutions to both sides’ interests. This style teds to be assertive about their need and cooperative with the other side.

5.     Competing

This style concerned with achieving their own goals regardless of the impact on others. This style is when one side wants to win the negotiation and the winning will make the think superior than the other side. Negotiation is viewed as a win or lose competition rather than a problem solving activity. In order to achieve their objectives, manipulative tactics such as attacks and threats are often used in this negotiation style.

Negotiation Process

In order to achieve a successful negotiation, a certain approach to negotiation is needed. The negotiation process includes the following steps:

1.     Preparation

The first step is to prepare everything that is needed to do the negotiation. This involves making sure all the pertinent facts of the situation are known in order to clarify your own position. Furthermore, before the negotiation is held, a decision needs to be taken as to when and where a meeting will take place to discuss the problem and who will attend.

2.     Discussion

During the discussion, the representatives of each side pouring their understanding of the situation and discuss it together. It will be helpful to take notes during the discussion or record the whole discussion just in case a clarification will needed in the future.  

3.     Clarifying goals

Each sides must clarify their goals. From the discussion, the goals, interests, and viewpoint of both sides need to be clarified thus future misunderstanding can be avoided. It is helpful to make a list of these things (goals, interests, and viewpoints) in order of priority. This clarification is a way to identify or establish some common ground.

4.     Negotiate Towards a Win-Win Outcome

This stage focuses on seeking for the most comfortable solutions both sides, or win-win outcomes, where both side feel they have gained positive things from this whole negotiation process. Win-win outcome is usually the best result of negotiation. Win-win outcome will be achieved if each of the point of view of both side has been taken into consideration.

5.     Agreement

Agreement can be achieved once all the things that is being negotiate has been cleared and both side feel satisfied with the outcomes. It is essential for everybody involved to keep an open mind in order to achieve an acceptable solution.

6.     Implementing a Course of Action

Based on the agreement, a course of action has to be implemented to carry through the decisions.

What are the Characteristics of Negotiation?

The characteristics of a negotiation are:

1.      There are minimum of two parties involved in a negotiation

2.      Nearly always in the form of face-to-face use of spoken language, gestures and facial expressions.

3.      Negotiation usually concerns things in the future that will come or has not happened and the negotiator wants to happen. Both parties have their own goals that they wish to achieve through the negotiation

4.      There is a clash of goals, that is, some of the goals are not shared by both parties

5.      There is an expectation of outcome by both parties in negotiation

6.      Both parties believe the outcome of the negotiation to be satisfactory

7.      Both parties are willing to compromise

8.      Both parties understand the purpose of the negotiation

9.      The end of the negotiation is the agreement taken by both parties, although the agreement is for example both parties agree to disagree.

Effect on Negotiation

A.     Positive effect

ü  In procedural terms, negotiation is probably the most flexible form of dispute resolution as it involves only those parties with an interest in the matter and their representatives. Like any method of dispute resolution, negotiation cannot guarantee that a party will be successful. However, many commentators feel that negotiations have a greater possibility of a successful outcome.

ü  The advantages of negotiation are that it limits the number of players to those involved in the dispute. This allows for a focused approach to problem solving.

ü  Assuming that the parties are negotiating in good faith, negotiation will provide the parties with the opportunity to design an agreement which reflects their interests.

ü  Negotiations may preserve and in some cases even enhance the relationship between the parties once an agreement has been reached between them.

B.     Negative effect

û  A particular negotiation may have a successful outcome. However, parties may be of unequal power and the weaker party (ies) may be placed at a disadvantage.

û  Where a party with an interest in the matter in dispute is excluded or inadequately represented in the negotiations, the agreement's value is diminished, thereby making it subject to future challenge.

û  No party can be compelled to continue negotiating. Anyone who chooses to terminate negotiations may do so at any time in the process, notwithstanding the time, effort and money that may have been invested by the other party or parties.

û  The negotiation process cannot guarantee the good faith or trustworthiness of any of the parties.

û  During the negotiations, in conveying the intentions sometimes there are any arguing with emotion that make the other party angry. Thus, it can lead to split both sides, damage business relationships and, be difficult to negotiate and make a deal in the future.

SOFTSKILL GROUP ASSIGNMENT #6

Asri, Ismadanti, Margaretha, Rahmaluttifah, Stacia, and Talitha

3SA01

HANDMADE

COMMUNICATION NOWADAYS

SOFTSKILL ASSIGNMENT #5 (Individual)

HOW TECHNOLOGY AFFECTS COMMUNICATION POSITIVELY & NEGATIVELY?

Communication is a process by which information is exchanged between individuals through a common system of symbols, signs, or behavior (https://www.merriam-webster.com/). We can communicate with people directly or indirectly. When we want to deliver information directly, we can meet them and speak our thought face-to-face.  Meanwhile, when we want to deliver information indirectly, because of some reasons, we can communicate through words to explain our ideas. Nowadays, we can communicate to other people in easy way like using communication technology. 

Communication technology is a media which uses the technology for communication.  It has revolutionized the way people communicate. Besides, it also has improved our lifestyles and changed the face of the entire communication process in today’s world. As in yin and yang that shows everything in life always have two sides, there are positive and negative impacts of communication technology:

A.   POSITIVE IMPACT

1.     Most of the business depend on technology for communication. It because communication technology has many benefits to organization such as: (1) cost saving by using instant messenger instead of normal telephone, (2) cost saving for paper by using email instead of letter, (3) video conferencing instead of travelling to meetings, (4) e-commerce web can access to larger, even worldwide market, instead of sales catalogues, and (5) Flexible response, which means organizations with good communications can respond to changes quickly such as handle customer relations and improved supply chain for goods and services.

2.     Communication technology create long distance communication become easier and faster. Gone are the days when you have to send the physicals letters and wait for days to get them delivered, or visit phone booth just to make a call to your friends. Now there is instant messaging and video calling options like email, WhatsApp and much more to deliver your message quickly. Thus, communication nowadays has no barrier.

3.     Communication technology has helped in mass communication. An email or newsletter can be sent to multiple people at the same time-saving effort and time. It is specially used in offices by increased frequency without calling a meeting requiring printing of the materials into a saving money by emails and it is also used in colleges as a mode of communication to do group homework.

4.     Communication technology make new friends, gain new interests, and build relationship. Communication strengthened relationship, so people can always keep in touch with their friends whenever and wherever they are.

B.   NEGATIVE IMPACT

1.     The cost of using communication technology may cause a number of problems for organizations.  A lot of hardware and software is expensive, both to purchase and to maintain. Besides, the system usually requires specialist staff to run it. These extra costs should be offset by the positive effects of using communication technology, but if an organization gets its cost-benefit analysis wrong it may lose money.

2.     Near yet far, which means although communication technology connect people who are far, however it makes people who are near become far due to the reduce of interaction. People seem busy with their gadget to communicate with people who are in other place, and they ignore or do not pay attention with someone who is talking in front of them. Therefore, technology can have risks of reducing person-to-person interaction which lead people to feel isolated and unhappy because they do not get the chance to meet and talk with other people.

3.     A misunderstanding often happen when communicating by technology. Because we express our thought using words, therefore if we do not deliver our thought with proper words or language the other people will not understand the meaning of the message itself. It also can lead to a problem due to incorrect and misleading information and ruin the relationship.

4.     Communication technology can impact on interpersonal communication. This can lead to lacks essential interpersonal skills (the ability to express the ideas and thoughts to others face-to-face). A major reason for this tendency is increased frequency of communication through texting.

In conclusion, as you can see, technology affects communication positively and negatively. The positive points of the technological elements of communication cover up the negative points. It all depends on how we use technology; use the communication technology wisely and don’t abuse the technology for malicious motives. If this happens, technology will then prove to be a complete boon to mankind!

WHY LISTENING IS SUCH A BIG CHALLENGE FOR MOST PEOPLE?

Speaking is easy; listening is difficult. Many people actually just remember a little of what they are said to them. In the course of a lifetime, so much time is spent mastering hard skills, but little time is spent polishing essential soft skills or interpersonal skills. Listening is one of them.

In everyday life, people always complaint about their job, their assignment, and speak about their life goals but they don’t want to listen other’s advice because they feel like they are Mr. / Mrs. right. Besides, many people don’t want to listen other people because of boring topic. If someone starts on a long monologue about something that is not interesting, people tend to be hard to concentrate and keep attention. Because when people talk about something that is not interesting, it takes a huge effort of concentration to process their words, focus on them and not everything else on the environment. Technology is one of the culprit in this factor. When we use social media, there is so much going on, so it’s difficult to focus on what people are saying to us, especially when the topic is not interesting. Moreover, people don’t want to listen if the topic they are talking is out of the topic. Some people feel bored when someone who talks to them, but he/she talks for a long, long time, loses what he/she was originally talking about.   

It's hard to listen. We want to do our own thing and not listen to someone talking. We used to leave conversations when people talk about something we are not into. Some people even don't hang out with other people because they don't want to hear some boring stories.

But if we are talking about ours, then we will do the same thing in return by listening to what they say. I think that is polite and I think it's selfish to expect everyone to listen to what you want to talk about, but you never do the same for them in return. I have been brainwashed into taking into consideration others' needs and feelings, and I think we should feel guilty if we are all take and no give. Though I suppose, as long as you don’t expect others to listen to you either, your attitude is fine.

Think of listening as a skill that must be mastered. Nobody is born knowing how to read and write. These essentials skills are mastered by constant practice. Similarly, listening has to be learned the same way. One way to remember what people say is to repeat back to them what they are saying, so that the thought is understood and remembered. It also can prevent misunderstanding. However, don’t expect to become a good listener overnight. It takes time, patience, concentration and hard work. You can start by slowing down. Just because everything around you is happening quickly doesn’t mean you have to follow suit.  Apply the brakes, focus and you’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you hear. In short, just remember although listening is such a big challenge, but when you listen to someone, you also appreciate other people as the way you appreciate and love yourself.

*ASRI JUL MEGITA (11614748) - 3SA01