12/10/2015

Howwouldyoufareattheglobalnegotiatingtable?AgendaTheWorldEconomicForum

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Howwouldyoufareattheglobalnegotiatingtable?
ByDonaldArmbrecht
Dec92015

Youreagreatnegotiatorathome,buthowwouldyoufareontheworldstage?
Strongnegotiatingskillsinoneculturecanactuallybeadisadvantageinanother,
accordingtoErinMeyer,authorofGettingtoSi,Ja,Oui,HaiandDa.
Someculturesareemotionallyexpressive,eveninthemeetingroom.Laughing,
raisingyourvoiceorphysicalcontactbeyondahandshakecanbeconsidered
normalincountriessuchasItalyandSpain.WhereasintheUnitedStatestheresa
leveloffriendlinesswithlimits.Meanwhile,businessculturesincountrieslike
GermanyandJapancanfindsuchbehaviourinappropriateorunprofessional.

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Howwouldyoufareattheglobalnegotiatingtable?AgendaTheWorldEconomicForum

Howconfrontationalapersonis,orhowmuchtheyexpresstheirdisagreementina
meetingroom,candifferfromculturetoculture.Tosome,confrontationisnecessary
forclearcommunication,whileothersonlyfeelcomfortablearguinginmoresubtle
ways.
Tacklingthestereotypes
Notallemotionallyexpressiveculturesarealsoconfrontational,andviceversa.
Germanpeoplehaveareputationforbeingbluntinacalmandrationalway,which
canbeusefulinnegotiations.InFranceorItaly,ontheotherhand,onemightexpect
toseeamorepassionateexchange.Meanwhile,theculturalstereotypeforSaudi
ArabianandFilipinoculturesistobeemotionallyexpressivewhileatthesame
timeavoidingconfrontation.
Butwhataboutthosepeoplewhodobusinessandconductnegotiations
internationally?Meyeridentifiesfiverulesofthumbforthissortofdiscussion.
1.Adaptthewayyouexpressdisagreement
ThedifferencebetweenIcompletelydisagreeandIamnotsureIunderstandyour
pointcouldmakeorbreakanegotation.Doyouknowwhichoneisappropriatein
theculturewhereyouaredoingbusiness?
2.Knowwhentobottleituporletitout
Isnowthetimetoassertyouropinion,orshouldyouadoptasoftandgentletone?
3.Learnhowtheotherculturebuildstrust
Cognitivetrustisbasedonhowmuchfaithyouputinsomeonesaccomplishments
orskillshowreliabletheyare.Affectivetruststemsfromanemotionalcloseness,
wherepartnershipsaremorelikefriendships.Youneedtofigureoutwhichtypeis
mostvaluedbythecultureyoureworkingin.
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Howwouldyoufareattheglobalnegotiatingtable?AgendaTheWorldEconomicForum

4.Avoidyesornoquestions
Didtheyreallymeannooraretheytellingyouthatthesubjectneedsfurther
discussion?Differentculturesviewthewordsyesandnowithvaryinglevelsof
complexity.
5.Becarefulaboutputtingitinwriting
Insomecultures,anemailtosumupyourconversationcouldbeperfectlynormal,
whileinothersitisaclearsignyoudonttrustpeopletorememberwhatyou
discussed.
Haveyouread?
4techniquesthatwillmakeyouabetternegotiator
GermanyvChina:whataretheculturaldifferences?
Wherearethefemalepeacebuilders?
Author:DonaldArmbrechtisafreelancewriterandsocialmediaproducer.
Image:AbusinessmanwalksthroughtheTokyoInternationalForuminabanking
districtincentralTokyo.REUTERS/ThomasPeter
PostedbyDonaldArmbrecht15:59
Allopinionsexpressedarethoseoftheauthor.TheWorldEconomicForumBlogisanindependentandneutralplatform
dedicatedtogeneratingdebatearoundthekeytopicsthatshapeglobal,regionalandindustryagendas.
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