My expectation for the project.

Please check my blog on this topic on www.modtechniques.blogspot.com

Negotiating Techniques

Negotiation is referred to as the style of discussing things among individuals in an effort to come to a conclusion satisfying all the parties involved. Discussions should be on an open forum for every one to not only participate but also express their views and reach to an alternative acceptable to all.
It is important how we negotiate with each other. One must know the difference between negotiating and begging. Do not stoop too low to get a deal closed. Negotiation must be in a dignified way. One has to be extremely patient and also understand the second party’s needs and interests as well. Never impose your ideas on anyone. Let everyone speak their mind and decide something which would favour one and all.
Let us go through some negotiation techniques in detail:

• The first and the foremost technique for an effective negotiation is one should be well informed with everything related to the deal. Find out even the minutest detail you think is important and you might require at the time of negotiation. Be prepared for everything. Remember the second party might ask you anything.
  Janet wanted to purchase a new laptop. She checked out the prices of almost all the leading brands along with their features before going to the outlet. She went well prepared and thus managed to crack the best deal and took the best quality laptop with the maximum possible discount.
  
• Take good care of your posture as well as your body movements. Look confident. While speaking, don’t look around or play with things. It’s just a discussion, no one will kill you if you are not able to close the deal. Don’t stammer in between or start sweating in front of others. The second party will take undue advantage if they find you nervous. Take care of your dressing as well. Don’t wear anything which is too casual. If you dress casually people will not take you seriously.
  
• Be very focused. One should be very specific what he wants. First ask yourself what is the purpose of this negotiation? What do you actually want? What is the affordable price for you? Be firm and stick to it. Be very specific and clear.
  
• Never keep things to yourself and crib later. Don’t assume that the other person can read your mind on his own. One needs to ask for what he wants. A mother will not feed her child unless and until he cries. Speak your heart out. If you are not satisfied with the deal, show your displeasure to others. Express them that you are not very happy with the price and it needs to be revised.
  
• Be a patient listener. Listen to others as well. Think about their interest and needs as well. Don’t ask for anything which would not benefit the second party. Don’t jump to conclusions and never interfere when the other person is speaking. Listen to the other party’s proposal as well; he might come up with something unique which you could not even think.
  
• Be realistic. Don’t ask for something you yourself know is not possible. Don’t quote anything just for the sake of it. One should be a little practical in his approach. Don’t ask for irrational discounts. Be logical. It’s nothing bad to think about your personal interests, but one should not be mad for it. If you want to purchase something, also remember that the store owner has to earn his profits as well.
  
• Don’t be in a hurry to close the deal. Take your time to discuss things among yourselves. Make sure you are deciding something which would be a win win situation for all. Never drag any discussion and make the conversation too long. Too much of pleading and persuasion result in a big zero and no conclusion can be drawn out of it.
  
• Know where to compromise. An individual has to compromise sometimes to come to an output. If you feel that if you accept some terms and conditions, things would be better and it would not harm you much, go ahead. Everyone needs to compromise sometimes or the other. Even in marriages, one partner needs to negotiate with the other for better understanding.
  
• Communication is also important in negotiation. Speak clearly and precisely. One should not confuse others. Playing with words is one of the biggest threats to negotiation. Don’t use derogatory or lewd remarks against anyone.
  
• For a third party it’s always better to sign a contract or have something in black and white so that no body backs out later. It’s always better to sign agreements in the presence of both the parties for better transparency. At workplace after every discussion and negotiation, emails or minutes of the meeting must be circulated among all the team members for everyone to get a clear and the same picture.

Courtesy: Management Guide

Preparing for a successful negotiation

 

Depending on the scale of the disagreement, some preparation may be appropriate for conducting a successful negotiation.
For small disagreements, excessive preparation can be counter-productive because it takes time that is better used elsewhere. It can also be seen as manipulative because, just as it strengthens your position, it can weaken the other person's.
However, if you need to resolve a major disagreement, then make sure you prepare thoroughly. Using our free worksheet, think through the following points before you start negotiating:

• Goals: what do you want to get out of the negotiation? What do you think the other person wants?
• Trades: What do you and the other person have that you can trade? What do you each have that the other wants? What are you each comfortable giving away?
• Alternatives: if you don't reach agreement with the other person, what alternatives do you have? Are these good or bad? How much does it matter if you do not reach agreement? Does failure to reach an agreement cut you out of future opportunities? And what alternatives might the other person have?
• Relationships: what is the history of the relationship? Could or should this history impact the negotiation? Will there be any hidden issues that may influence the negotiation? How will you handle these?
• Expected outcomes: what outcome will people be expecting from this negotiation? What has the outcome been in the past, and what precedents have been set?
• The consequences: what are the consequences for you of winning or losing this negotiation? What are the consequences for the other person?
• Power: who has what power in the relationship? Who controls resources? Who stands to lose the most if agreement isn't reached? What power does the other person have to deliver what you hope for?
• Possible solutions: based on all of the considerations, what possible compromises might there be?

Style is critical

For a negotiation to be 'win-win', both parties should feel positive about the negotiation once it's over. This helps people keep good working relationships afterwards. This governs the style of the negotiation – histrionics and displays of emotion are clearly inappropriate because they undermine the rational basis of the negotiation and because they bring a manipulative aspect to them.
Despite this, emotion can be an important subject of discussion because people's emotional needs must fairly be met. If emotion is not discussed where it needs to be, then the agreement reached can be unsatisfactory and temporary. Be as detached as possible when discussing your own emotions – perhaps discuss them as if they belong to someone else.

Negotiating successfully

The negotiation itself is a careful exploration of your position and the other person's position, with the goal of finding a mutually acceptable compromise that gives you both as much of what you want as possible. People's positions are rarely as fundamentally opposed as they may initially appear – the other person may have very different goals from the ones you expect!
In an ideal situation, you will find that the other person wants what you are prepared to trade, and that you are prepared to give what the other person wants.
If this is not the case and one person must give way, then it is fair for this person to try to negotiate some form of compensation for doing so – the scale of this compensation will often depend on the many of the factors we discussed above. Ultimately, both sides should feel comfortable with the final solution if the agreement is to be considered win-win.
Only consider win-lose negotiation if you don't need to have an ongoing relationship with the other party as, having lost, they are unlikely to want to work with you again. Equally, you should expect that if they need to fulfill some part of a deal in which you have "won," they may be uncooperative and legalistic about the way they do this.

Courtesy Mind Tools

Improve Your Interview Appearance and Body Language

with Alison Doyle

Did you know that your body language can say a lot more about you than your words during a job interview? Learn to speak through your appearance and body language and create a positive impression so that you land the job!

View this video.

http://video.about.com/jobsearch/Job-Interview-Body-Language.htm

Body language during a job interview

The rules as regards applying for jobs have been subject to enormous changes lately. In the past, people preferred a hand-written application letter. It is becoming more and more common these days to find a vacancy on the Internet, and to apply for it via the Internet as well. Quite often it is sufficient to place your C.V. on the web. Because of this, the application procedure often goes quicker, and now you can find yourself invited for a job interview before you know it. You can find information on the Internet about how to apply for jobs. Information can be found about how to write your application letter, the clothes that you should wear and how to carry out the interview itself. The importance of body language is often mentioned, but doesn't always get the attention it deserves. After all, before a word has even been spoken, your body language will have already given people their first impression of you.
What type of person are you?
By using words you can explain what type of education you have received and what experience you have gained since then. You can also show through words that you know what you're talking about and you can answer questions to clarify matters. At the same time however, your body language will also give out a lot more information. Based on your body language it can be seen if you come across as insecure or self-assured. It can also show if you are a busy or a quiet type and it helps give an impression of whether you are speaking truthfully or not. Body language can show if you not prone to stress. It can show how enthusiastic you are and if you are a nice person, someone who will take his work serious, but also someone who has a sense of humour and can enjoy a joke from time to time. The members of the application committee will ask you questions, but your answers won't only be oral. The committee will not only pay attention to what you say, but also to how you say it! Body language will determine first if it 'clicks', and sometimes all it takes is just a few seconds. Everybody uses body language, but it takes place mostly at a subconscious level. Through becoming more aware of your own body language, but also through recognising the body language of others, you can definitely increase your chances of getting the job.
Pay attention to time!
It might be a cliché to talk about arriving in time for a job interview, but I think it is still important to bring it to your attention anew. Your attitude or attention to time will also send out non-verbal messages. An interview for a job is seen as a very important appointment, and showing up too late for your appointment is therefore absolutely unacceptable. Missing the bus or getting stuck in a traffic jam are pretty lame excuses. After all, for an important appointment like this you should have taken that into account. It's much better to arrive way too early than even a little too late! If you are too early for your appointment you don't have to go in immediately. Sometimes it's better to walk around a little in the neighbourhood, because waiting for a long time in a hallway or a 'sweatbox' will not do your nerves any good. If it is very cold outside, it might be wise to go back inside about ten minutes before your appointment because it can be very unpleasant to have to shake an ice-cold hand.
The first meeting
After you have announced yourself at the reception or to an employee of the company, you will often be asked to take a seat. After a while someone will come to lead you to the interview area. Do not jump up immediately and offer this person a handshake. It's better to let the other person takes the initiative. Shake hands firmly, but not too powerfully and look straight at the other person. After this you will be introduced to the (other) members of the application committee. During this introduction it is better to walk around the table to shake hands with the committee members, instead of leaning over the table. With each greeting look directly at the other person, and say your name. Except for an internal application, don't assume that the other people know your name.
Choosing the right seat
After the initial introduction you will usually be directed to take a seat. If you are left to choose a place yourself, choose a place from where you can clearly see all the interview participants, and from where they can also see you. If someone is sitting half behind you, and you can't really see him, he may not get such a good impression of you because of this.
Tune your body posture
During your job interview try to adopt a posture that shows interest but still comes across as being relaxed. You can do this by sitting up straight in your chair at the beginning of the interview, with your back against the back of the chair. If you slouch or hang sideways in your chair, it might give the impression that you are not that interested in the job. However, sitting on the edge of your chair can come across as being a little tense and might give the impression that you feel uncomfortable.
You can change your body posture a little during the interview. For example, when someone says something it is good to turn a little with your shoulders towards this person and to lean forward a little. This shows an interest in what the other person is saying. You can emphasise this by tilting your head a little. It is also important to pay attention to the posture of your interview partners. In some cases you can achieve mutual tuning by adopting the same posture as the other person.
What to do with your hands?
Just the same as when you are giving a presentation, many people often regard their hands as obstacles during a job interview rather than a useful means of communication. That is why people often ask what to do with their hands. In a difficult situation we are often inclined to fold our arms across our body. This helps to give us a more secure feeling. During a job interview it is better not to do this, because folding your arms can be interpreted as a defensive move. It is better to let your hands lie loosely on your lap or place them on the armrests of your chair. From these positions it's also easy to support your words with hand gestures.
Movements: a dynamic interview?
Nodding your head while speaking is a good way of supporting your words or adding meaning to them. Hand movements can also help to liven up the interview. The fact that you dare to make movements with your hands during an interview might indicate that you feel at ease quickly. In most cases it is better not to make too many hand movements at the start of the interview but add them slowly throughout the interview. As regards this, pay attention to your interview partners as well: if they use their hands a lot to make things clear, you can definitely do this as well. When they don't make many movements, it is better if you don't either. Just the same as with body posture, it is important to tune your movements to those of the other person. Also pay attention to inadvertent movements that you may make sometimes due to nervousness. For example, shuffling with your feet or kicking against the leg of a table can be very irritating for other people. Drumming with your fingers or clicking with a pen also won't be a great contribution to the interview. So pay attention!
When should you look at whom?
During the job interview it is important to look at all the interview partners to an equal extent. By looking directly at the other person we are giving them a sign of trust. By looking directly at people we are also in control of the conversation. Looking directly at somebody or looking away actually serves as the dots and commas in our spoken sentences. When one of the committee members explains something or poses a question, keep looking at this person for as long as he or she is speaking. This shows that you're listening. While he is speaking he may also look at the other people, but every time he wants to emphasise something he will look at you again. You can then nod to encourage him to continue talking. At the end of his question, he will keep looking at you and then tilt his head up a little to invite you to give an answer. When you answer a question, you will look first at the person who posed the question, but while you answer you should take turns looking at the other interview partners as well. You should direct yourself again to the person who posed the question when you want to emphasise something and at the end of your answer.
Also pay attention to the body language of your interview partners
Apart from paying attention to your own body language, it is also important to see how your interview partners are behaving. The postures and movements of other people can give you an impression of how you are coming across to them. This can serve as a warning at an early stage that you might be doing something wrong that you are not being aware of. For example, when the committee members are of the opinion that you hold the floor for too long or you annoy them with your interruptions, they will show their irritation at first through their body language. When the committee members shake their heads, sigh or fold their arms and lean back, you can take this as a sign of displeasure. Usually it is not yet too late to change this. You see, it also applies to your interview partners that their body language takes place subconsciously. However, don't wait too long because then their irritation will transfer to their consciousness.
Do not worry too much about tension
Knowledge of body language can help you improve the mutual tuning during the interview. You can use this knowledge to hide your nervousness a little, but actually this is something you shouldn't worry about too much. Many applicants are nervous during an interview and of course they would much prefer not to let this nervousness show. However, it's not such a bad thing to be nervous. The committee members will understand this. Your nervousness may even show that you feel this job is important to you. If you weren't nervous, and therefore sit a little nonchalant, it might indicate that you are not that interested. Also realise that the job interview is more than just a means for the employer to determine which of the candidates is most suitable for the job. The job interview especially is a moment of mutual acquaintance. It's a first meeting with people that you might soon work together with. Therefore the boss should actually be just as nervous as you!
Frank van Marwijk

The Interview: Body Language Do's and Don'ts

Your heart feels ready to leap out of your chest. Beads of sweat build on your forehead. Your mind is racing.

It's not a full-blown interrogation -- although it may feel like it -- it's just a job interview. While it's no secret that job interviews can be nerve-racking, a lot of job candidates spend a significant amount of time worrying about what they will say during their interview, only to blow it all with their body language. The old adage, "It's not what you say, it's how you say it," still holds meaning, even if you're not talking. You need to effectively communicate your professionalism both verbally and nonverbally.

Because watching your nonverbal cues, delivering concise answers and expressing your enthusiasm at once can be difficult when you're nervous, here's a guide to walk you through it:

Have them at "hello"

Before you walk into the interview, it's assumed that you will have done the following: prepared yourself by reading up on the company and recent company news; practiced what you'll say to some of the more common interview questions; and followed the "what to wear on your interview" advice. So you're ready, right?

Some hiring managers claim they can spot a possible candidate for a job within 30 seconds or less, and while a lot of that has to do with the way you look, it's also in your body language. Don't walk in pulling up your pantyhose or readjusting your tie; pull yourself together before you stand up to greet the hiring manager or enter their office. Avoid a "dead fish" handshake and confidently -- but not too firmly -- grasp your interviewer's hand and make eye contact while saying hello.

Shake your hand, watch yourself

If you are rocking back in your chair, shaking your foot, drumming your fingers or scratching your... anything, you're going to look like your going to look the type of future employee who wouldn't be able to stay focused, if even for a few minutes. It's a not a game of charades, it's a job interview. Here's what to do (and not do):

Don't:

Rub the back of your head or neck. Even if you really do just have a cramp in your neck, these gestures make you look disinterested.

Rub or touch your nose. This suggests that you're not being completely honest, and it's gross.

Sit with your armed folded across your chest. You'll appear unfriendly and disengaged.

Cross your legs and idly shake one over the other. It's distracting and shows how uncomfortable you are.

Lean your body towards the door. You'll appear ready to make a mad dash for the door.

Slouch back in your seat. This will make you appear disinterested and unprepared.

Stare back blankly. This is a look people naturally adapt when they are trying to distance themselves.

Do:

Sit up straight, and lean slightly forward in your chair. In addition to projecting interest and engagement in the interaction, aligning your body's position to that of the interviewer's shows admiration and agreement.

Show your enthusiasm by keeping an interested expression. Nod and make positive gestures in moderation to avoid looking like a bobblehead.

Establish a comfortable amount of personal space between you and the interviewer. Invading personal space (anything more than 20 inches) could make the interviewer feel uncomfortable and take the focus away from your conversation.

Limit your application of colognes and perfumes. Invading aromas can arouse allergies. Being the candidate that gave the interviewer a headache isn't going to do anything in your favor.

If you have more than one person interviewing you at once, make sure you briefly address both people with your gaze (without looking like a tennis spectator) and return your attention to the person who has asked you a question.

Interruptions can happen. If they do, refrain from staring at your interviewer while they address their immediate business and motion your willingness to leave if they need privacy.

Stand up and smile even if you are on a phone interview. Standing increases your level of alertness and allows you to become more engaged in the conversation.

Credits to Careerbuilders.com

Group dynamics 2

Group norms: refers to the accepted way of behaving in a group.
Work groups establish norms, which govern what is acceptable, and what is not.
Coalitions: People begin to form coalitions in twos or threes in a work shop situation.
A facilitator deals with this by splitting them for the next workshop activity or asking them to sit by people they do not know right at the beginning of the workshop.
Typical roles
Common goals: Work group members need a common goal if they are to work constructively together.