Principled Negotiation = Principled Leadership

How we view negotiation — as something to be avoided, or as way to give in to the demands of others; as a compromise, or as a transaction — can influence our willingness to engage. When we view negotiation as an opportunity to lead, however, we may view it as a more compelling, welcoming opportunity. Leaders are expected to be problem-solvers, and so when viewed as “organized problem solving,” negotiation emerges as a core leadership skill.

Kouzes and Posner’s The Leadership Challenge identifies five leadership practices that are also instructive to negotiators [1]. Negotiating provides a chance to use many of these same practices in pursuit of our individual and collective goals. For example, the leadership practice of “model the way” encourages leaders to authentically set the example by aligning actions with values. Since negotiating behavior is significantly influenced by each party’s perceptions of the other, it stands to reason that authentically representing one’s negotiating goals and interests builds a solid foundation for value creation.

When we “inspire a shared vision,” the leadership practice that encourages leaders to “envision the future by imagining future possibilities and enlisting others by appealing to shared aspirations,” we as negotiators learn more about our partners’ interests. Indeed, joint goal setting, brainstorming and getting all parties working toward the same goal are keys to effective interest-based or mutual-gains negotiation. By anticipating and welcoming a robust “give and take” in our negotiations, we demonstrate our willingness to understand and work with the needs of others.

Finally, consensus builders know that we build the negotiating “team” when we “enable others to act,” another leadership practice noted by Kouzes and Posner. By building trust and creating strong affinity ties and social capital within the negotiating team, we increase the likelihood of better overall outcomes.

An Old English definition of “leadership” traces this word to “laed,” meaning to “guide on a journey,” or to “lay down the road” for others. Likewise, just as leaders guide others toward the fulfillment of an objective, negotiators can do the same in each negotiation “journey.” When viewed this way, principled negotiation emerges as critical to the practice of principled leadership.

Photo credit: The White House

References

[1] Kouzes, J. M., & Posner, B. Z. (2007). The leadership challenge. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.