| |
| |
|
Negotiation Information |
|
|
|
Better Internal Proposals
A colleague of mine has a problem. We belong to the same association and he's been trying for quite some time, without success, to get support for one of his proposals. His lack of results came to mind when a reader asked for ideas about making internal proposals more effective. As she noted in her message, it's necessary to make a business case for proposals, including costs and returns. She's right, and I agree wholeheartedly. In fact I just finished a proposal to an organization I work with and had it accepted on that sort of basis. But, I think all good proposals start where my colleague has trouble. They start with a clear and concise statement about the project: "This is what I recommend, this is the issue (problem or opportunity) it addresses, and these are the consequences (benefits) of doing what I recommend." I frequently come across situations where ideas don't fly because the person making the proposal hasn't prepared that kind of analysis and statement. While the virtue of the ideas seems apparent to him or to her, it's not at all apparent to others. I've referred to it elsewhere as the 'Everybody knows' syndrome. To do the analysis, and later write the statement, start with a description of the action that you want taken. In just a few words, write down the what you want to see happen, and how it changes the status quo. For example, I recently went to a meeting with a proposal that went like this: Change the duration of our event to four weeks from the current duration of six weeks, to reduce our costs during a slow period. Next, name or list the people or functions involved. Who will take the action? Do you want just one person to act, or several, or many? And, if it involves a multi-stage action, set out the stages. For example, "I would like this committee to formulate a recommendation we can put to a vote at the annual meeting." Follow that with a list of people and organizations affected by the action. Be thorough in this consideration; it's all to easy to forget the peripheral players. And very often peripheral players make a critical difference to our plans. Now, is there a timeline or sequence of events that needs consideration before a decision can be made or implemented? Almost everything we do in large modern organizations is interconnected to other people and resources. And, what about contingencies? Does your proposal depend on something else happening? Having thoroughly explored the proposal and its implications, we now turn to costs and benefits, the business case. What are the tangible and intangible costs? In the intangibles column, make at least a mental note of the emotional costs that key stakeholders will pay. The same is generally true of benefits, or the returns if we're talking about financial components. Remember the important role emotions often play in decisions. In summary, then, take a strategic approach to internal proposals, an approach that identifies the issues, the players, and the consequences. This exercise allows you to be clear and concise because you have thought your way through the proposal carefully, and you know the key issues. Robert F. Abbott writes and publishes Abbott's Communication Letter. Learn how you can use communication to help achieve your goals, by reading articles or subscribing to this ad-supported newsletter. An excellent resource for leaders and managers, at: http://www.communication-newsletter.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Negotiation - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Communicate Using Space What Is Proxemics?The study of the communicative aspects of personal space and territory is called proxemics. Everyone is surrounded by an invisible zone of psychological comfort that follows us everywhere we travel. Lets Make a Deal Smart buyers will always ask for a better price. Unfortunately, too many sales people and business owners automatically think that reducing their price is the most effective way to respond to this request. Just Ask! Ask and you shall receive & knock and it shall be opened &send an email and see what happens.As a student of personal finance you are probably familiar with the advice to negotiate with your credit card companies to get a lower interest rate. Better Internal Proposals A colleague of mine has a problem. We belong to the same association and he's been trying for quite some time, without success, to get support for one of his proposals. Determine Your Rate And Negotiate Carefully With Unreasonable Clients Consultants who offer executive assistant or computer services on a virtual basis must know their value and be prepared to gauge their billable rate to meet the circumstances.At some point everyone encounters potential clients who expect professional work at rates that are less than appropriate. Embarrassed To Discuss Your Prices? Seven Common Reasons We Cant Talk About Them Last week, a wonderfully-skilled electrician installed a new light fixture for us. He was competent, courteous and efficient. A One Stop Financial Solution Amy Wright, 34, was extatic when her realtor showed her the three bedroom townhome overlooking the lushious golf course. It was exactly the home she was looking for. Barter: Its Not Just for Doctors Anymore Time was, in the country, the local "doc" was as likely to get paid with a couple of chickens as a couple of dollars. Doctors these days won't stand for that, of course, but while some people have moved completely away from barter and stayed there, others have embraced it wholeheartedly. The Most Powerful Persuasion Skill Youll Ever Learn Criteria ElicitationThis is without a doubt the most important persuasion skill that you can learn. If you'll learn to apply this to every situation in which you find yourself you'll be amazed at the positive results! Many of the hypnotic skills I'll be sharing with you have a parallel in old sales training techniques. Managing the Sales Negotiation Process How many times have you heard:"You've got to drop your price by 10% or we will have no choice but to go with your competition.""You will have to make an exception to your policy if you want our business. How to Change Somebody's Mind Believe me, it's not easy! And sometimes, it doesn't work at all.But while researching my book on how to produce more memorable writing, I stumbled upon these "mind changing" ideas from multiple sources. Negotiate to Your Advantage The hardest and most important part of any negotiation is knowing when to walk away.Few things are sweeter than a successful negotiation session where both parties leave the table with a winning solution. Negotiate Your Way to a Better Salary 1. Be persuasive: It's hard to force your boss to increase your compensation, and trying to do so can potentially damage your working relationship. Negotiating Technology Contracts Have you ever tried to negotiate a deal for software, computer equipment, or consulting services with a technology company? The task can be daunting. Unfortunately, the sales forces of most IT companies are armed to the hilt with techniques to get the best deal for them, and not necessarily the best deal for you. Negotiations: The Art, Science, & Sport of Online Deals Negotiations can seem as complex as physics, and in fact, people go to college to study the science of negotiating just as they would the laws of nature. At the same time, negotiation is like an ancient art form, some sort of Zen mental jujitsu. Avoiding and Accomodating in Negotiation The avoiding approach to negotiating is characterized by losing, leaving, and withdrawing. No commitments are made, and behavior is impersonal. Where to FIND the BEST Employees -- Obviously, you might logically say, "that is good!" You would most certainly be on track feeling good about everyone in your area having a job. Getting everyone working and being more self-sufficient is our logical goal. Dont Be Afraid Of Silence In any conversation with two or more people, there is a tendency to want to talk all the time to fill any awkward silences or gaps that appear in a conversation.However, if you think of the conversations that you have with your closest friends or family, you will notice that there isn't the same need to fill these gaps, as silences between you are comfortable. Are You Scaring Away Potential Customers? When you are trying to make a sale and ask someone to fill out a credit application and new account form, do your potential customers turn around and run to the competition?Author Michelle Dunn, in her new book "Become the Squeaky Wheel," explains how you can avoid scaring customers away and keep them coming back. First, find out what your competition is doing, do they have a credit policy? If they do, what is included? What does their credit application look like? How many forms do new customers have to fill out? Do they have good paying customers? Look online, a lot of business website will have their credit applications available online. How To Make An Inflexible Bureaucrat See You As A Person Inflexible Bureaucrats Are Characterized by:1. Cares little about your happiness in life 2.
|
| Good Credit Loans | home | site map | School Bus Clothing | Florida Pool Heating |
| © 2006 |
