You and Your Coworker: When You Disagree… Negotiate（在线收听）

You and Your Coworker: When You Disagree…  Negotiate

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Anticipate shock tactics. Good negotiators know that “shock tactics” are a normal part of serious negotiation discussions. Always maintain a sense of decorum, even when others appear angry, frustrated or disgusted. Your decorum signals your willingness to continue the discussion—but on civil terms.

Don’t be afraid of ultimatums. Negotiators sometimes use ultimatums to force an end to discussion or to resolve an issue on their terms. When confronted with an ultimatum, maintain a calm, dispassionate attitude, and don’t simply give in. If the discussion continues, you’ll be able to continue working toward your objectives. If negotiations are cut off as the result of an ultimatum, chances are the outcome wouldn’t have been favorable to you anyway.

Look at the big picture. If you and your coworker agree on the big picture, you can agree “in principle” to your mutual objective—and pursue the details later. An agreement in principle often removes a major stumbling block to successful negotiations, since it may put you and the other person on the same side.

Look for “yes” opportunities. Remain on the lookout for points you and the other person agree on. When negotiations are not going well—even when they seem doomed—agreement on a relatively minor point can often change the tone of the discussion. When you hear a “yes,” thank your coworker and reaffirm your desire to conclude an agreement.

Remember that winning isn’t everything. In a productive negotiation, both sides give away something in order to gain something of greater value. Don’t enter a negotiation with the intention of browbeating your opponent or “winning” the deal. Instead, seek to arrive at a win-win outcome that leaves both you and your coworker enthusiastic about the result and eager to negotiate again.

Vocabulary Focus

big picture (n phr) a wide view or perspective of a situation or problem

on the lookout (idiom) to search or watch carefully for something or someone

doomed (adj) [du:md] certain to fail, die or be destroyed

win-win (adj) [win win] relating to a situation in which you cannot lose, whatever choice of action you make, or in which all the groups involved will gain benefits

Specialized Terms

browbeat (v) 威吓，恫吓 to try to force someone to do something by threatening or using strong and unfair persuasion

解决分歧的最佳途径——协商

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预期对方会使用吓阻战术。高明的谈判协商者都知道在重大的协商过程中，“吓阻战术”的运用是很正常的一部分。即使当其他人显得愤怒、挫败或厌恶时，你还是要保持庄重有礼的态度。你的端庄有礼，象征着你乐于继续磋商——但要以文明理性的方式。

无惧最后通牒。协商者有时利用最后通牒来迫使讨论结束，或者以他们的方式对议案做成决议。面临最后通牒时，保持冷静沉着的态度，别因此就退让。如果讨论持续进行，你可以继续朝目标努力。如果因最后通牒之故而导致协商中断，那么很可能就算继续谈下去，其结果也将不会是你所乐见的。

蓄眼在大局。如果你和同事对整体大局有共识，你们可以“原则上”同意双方的共同目标——之后再继续研究细节。在原则上达成共识，通常也就除去了阻碍成功协商的主要绊脚石，因为它将使你和对方有一致的立场。

寻求“肯定”的机会。持续留意你和对方都一致同意的看法。当协商进行得不顺利——甚至要宣告破裂时——在次要观点上的一致看法经常能够改变讨论的基调。当你听到的答覆是“是的”时，谢谢你的同事，并重申你对达成共识的渴望。

切记胜利并非一切。在建设性的协商谈判中，双方都会为了获取较大利益而放弃某些东西。不要抱持着恫吓你的对手或“赢得”的意图来进行协商。反倒应该致力达成让你和同事都乐见，并渴望再度协商的双赢结局