The Project Book

CHAPTER 24 NEGOTIATE EFFECTIVELY

I recently rewatched the excellent movie Bridge of Spies, in which New York insurance lawyer James Donovan (played by Tom Hanks) negotiated the release of both U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers and an American student in East Berlin, Frederic Pryor. Reading up on the true story behind the film, I was in awe of the negotiating skills that Donovan deployed.

Projects are one long negotiation. According to the Corporate Executive Board’s Australia Key Imperatives report, if you want to succeed as a leader, then you need to be proficient in negotiation management. From getting the people you need to complete the planning process to resolving conflicts between stakeholders to securing meeting rooms for workshops, your ability to strike mutually acceptable compromises will be key to ensuring you have what you need to be successful. On the very day of the project closure meeting, you’re likely to have to persuade decision makers that this meeting is more important than others they may have scheduled. It’s a never-ending process.

But we’re not all wired to be negotiators. Most of us are uncomfortable with confrontation, which is why we avoid it. With some basic skills, however, you can change the way you do business and greatly improve your chances of success.

Negotiation is a four-stage process:

1. Prepare. Assemble the facts, figures, parameters (time and cost) and options (for mutual gain). Understand your best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA), ...