Negotiation is art and science working together but should never be left to luck, explains Christopher Parr
The art of negotiation comes with practice. It’s possible to learn the skills needed for influencing others; identifying the issues to present and articulating ideas and proposals to draw a good response.
The science of negotiation exists within the global research and study that has been done in the field. The Harvard Law School is a notable player in this area; and, is where I was fortunate, some years ago, to attend their short Programme on Negotiation.
Luck in negotiation can play a part. It’s possible to be in the right place, at the right time. However, relying on luck is a haphazard approach that I do not advocate. As teachers are prone to say: fail to prepare and prepare to fail...
“The key point is that you need to open your mind to the whole picture of the negotiation before you go into it.”
