Mgt 445 - Communication and Personality in Negotiation

Communication and Personality in Negotiation

Roberto E. Reyes

MGT/445

March 26, 2012

Stephanie Edens

Communication and Personality in Negotiation

We know negotiations are part of our everyday lives. A teenager tries to talk his mother and father into allowing him to use their automobile, during the week end with friends, and no adult supervision. The young man will enter into negotiations with his parents to convince them of the reasons they should grant him that privilege. He will proceed to enumerate his good qualities, like maintaining an GPA of 4.0, performing his assigned chores, as an exemplary son.

The parents will most likely reply by voicing their concerns and worries for his safety. In this paper will describe a negotiation situation in which I participated in when purchasing a brand new Hyundai, Accent in 2004. I will also analyze the roles of communication and personality in negotiations and how they contribute to or detract from the negotiation.

Communication and Negotiations

Before presenting my negotiation example I want to emphasize the importance of effective communication in any negotiation. "Effective Communication is directly proportional to an effective negotiation (Management Study Guide, 2012). Negotiation takes place when the parties involved develop their own way of agreeing on a solution they both will accept as a way of overcoming their differences, in the absence of fixed or established rules or procedures for fixing the differences between them (Lewicki, Saunders, & Barry, 2005, "Chapter 1, The Nature of Negotiation").

Communications is a conversation in which each individual describes his or her point of view while listening to what the other individual is trying to say. During this discussion of outlooks, suggestions are made, and concerns are analyzed. The objective is to resolve

differences between both parties by reaching a resolution that will add worth to both of the negotiating parties (Lewicki, Saunders, & Barry, 2005, "Chapter 9, Communication Skills for Effective Negotiations"). When communicating with the other parties involved in the negotiations it is important to express one's point of view into a positive dialogue by selecting suitable words and phrases pertinent to the discussion and that will not contain the use of foul language.

When communicating with parties involved in negotiation it is vital that the parties comprehend the message completely enabling them to understand the logic of the arguments.

This type of communication calls for the use of proven effective communication techniques to avoid the downfall of speaking just for the sake of it, you should be assertive, clear, and concise in presenting arguments, and always be prepared to listen to the other parties' arguments.

An important element of our daily communication with others falls under the category of nonverbal communication, which will be transmitted through our body language, head movements, tone of voice, posture, and facial expressions. All of these play an important part when participating in negotiation with others. Nervousness or uncertainty will be perceived as a weakness by the other party, and they will use it to their benefit during the negotiation. As long as one is clear on expectations, interests, and explains them in a clear manner to the other party, negotiations will conclude in a fair and positive way for all parties involved (Lewicki, Saunders, & Barry, 2005, "Chapter 6, Use of Nonverbal Communication").

Personality and Negotiations

A pleasant disposition is vital to an effective negotiation between the parties involved (Management Study Guide, 2012). Personalities are like opinions, every person has one, and are all unique to that individual and thereby the same negotiation conducted by a different person will be different in the manner it is conducted. Any communication during a negotiation must