In my position, I\u2019m frequently asked some variation of the following question: \u201cHow do I get my internal stakeholders to support my negotiation?\u201d Whether these talks occur with a supervisor, Legal, Finance, or another stakeholder, internal negotiations are among the most frustrating. That said, there\u2019s something you can do to make them much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recently, I had dinner with a group of friends. We debated a variety of topics. Someone would throw out a fact about something, and those seated around the table got busy fact-checking in real time. They supported their \u201cfacts\u201d by mentioning \u201cresearch\u201d they\u2019d done, which typically included a glance at Wikipedia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Say what you will about Wikipedia, but it has billions of readers and more than 500 million page views every single day. What began as a community encyclopedia has become universal reference material. But it\u2019s still a crowd-sourced repository of knowledge: The primary source of editorial scrutiny comes from its billions of readers . . . or so we think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Any of us can become a Wikipedia editor, but there are only about a quarter-million volunteer editors per month worldwide. When it comes to creating content, only a quarter of the volunteer editors actually write new articles. So, the world\u2019s encyclopedia works like this: Almost everyone consumes (dinner party or not), a few edit, and almost nobody creates. Yet it\u2019s the<\/em> source of truth for so many.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, the creators run the place. They aren\u2019t paid, they\u2019re relatively unknown, they don\u2019t have official titles, and the only power they wield is the ability to create content for Wikipedia. But they decide the topics, how positions get framed, what information gets shared, and what gets omitted. The editors can tweak the words, but the creators set the terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I see the exact same dynamic play out in internal negotiations every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When I talk to people struggling to get internal alignment, it usually goes something like this: They walk into the boss\u2019 office and say, \u201cWe have a problem with a contract. What do you want to do?\u201d In that moment, they turn the boss into the creator. That boss then sets the terms, the framing, the strategy \u2014 and that becomes the plan. The person who brought the problem to the table becomes the editor or, worse yet, merely the reader. While a direction has been created, it may not feel like alignment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s the change everyone can make for better internal negotiations: become the creator.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let\u2019s play out the same scenario from the perspective of a creator: They walk into the boss\u2019 office and say, \u201cWe have a problem with this contract. Here\u2019s what I recommend: We go back to them with a revised term. We\u2019re prepared to extend the timeline in exchange, and I need your sign-off by Friday to make it work. If you can support that direction, I can get this resolved.\u201d The creator is now setting the terms, the framing, and the strategy. The boss is now the editor of the plan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Same problem. Completely different approach. Better alignment, and more satisfying. The second person didn\u2019t show up with a blank page and ask someone else to fill it. They showed up with a strategy based on a problem they framed. From that point forward, that framing becomes the basis for how everyone else sees the issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They framed it by making a proposal. That\u2019s a powerful move whether talking to superiors, peers, or even subordinates. They didn\u2019t ask for permission, which invites other creators to the table. A proposal opens the door for editors who can either choose to approve or help make the proposal better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Getting better at internal negotiations has nothing to do with status or title or authority. It has everything to do with showing up with a plan and making a proposal. Those who do that gain alignment a lot faster and easier than those who don\u2019t. Be a creator. Rely on Scotwork\u2019s expertise to help you show up with a plan, make a proposal, and gain alignment faster and easier than those who don\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Contact one of our experts today:<\/p>\n\n\n\n E: info@scotwork.co.nz<\/p>\n\n\n\n P: 021398644<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" In my position, I\u2019m frequently asked some variation of the following question: \u201cHow do I get my internal stakeholders to support my negotiation?\u201d Whether these talks occur with a supervisor, Legal, Finance, or another stakeholder, internal negotiations are among the most frustrating. That said, there\u2019s something you can do to make them much easier. Recently,…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":65,"featured_media":13275,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_legacy_url":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13274","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-negotiation-techniques"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n
Negotiation Training and Consulting to Help You Get Better at Internal Negotiations.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n