Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Team negotiations : tools

As the leader or a team member, we can use tools to map the current state and correlate it visually to the desired state. It will help us to focus our efforts on what areas that we need to influence.
It’s a political perspective. “Politics” has a negative connotation of manipulation and bureaucracy. However your role requires your success in politicking to represent your team’s/department’s/company’s interests. In this form, political is defined as how you align your interests.

->Stakeholder Mapping Tool
-plot where each stakeholder lies in terms of Impact & Support on a 2x2 grid. This graphical spectrum will help you make coalitions or determine where the easiest consensus can be found. If you need the entire team buy-in, you can see where the majority of your focus must be.

->Commitment Chart
Next list all stakeholders on a Commitment Chart to strategize where each member’s current commitment and desired state are. This continuum will also allow you to minimize the effort in bringing the team along. Possibly, all members do not need to ‘love’ the idea, simply ‘not opposing the idea’ may be enough.
-identify the ‘blockers’ and work to move 'blockers' into other categories (acceptance, support, devoted) through other sources of power
  • reward
  • coercion
  • compromise

[ Tool samples ]

Coalitions are an important tactic in negotiations. In order for your solution to have a fighting chance, you must find endorsements from others. Focus on one group at a time and show them how your preferred solution aligns with their interests. With each new collaborator, your common solution gains credence and strength. Eventually a coalition can become the majority or at least a strong voice to be heard.

Need more information on :

1. How do you get people to reveal their interests?

2. Discovering the gap between their needs and the proposed solution.

  • what are their concerns
  • do they need proof/data (logical minded)
  • has their solution been heard (sympathy)

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