A Closer Look At Talent Acquisition And Development

by Daniel Freeman, Senior Consultant at Scotwork

Picture this, you’ve been tasked to consider candidates for a role of which negotiation is a core requirement; what are you looking for in that person? The ability to assess someone on their negotiation credentials is not as straightforward as measuring the number of negotiations they have done or deals they have closed. Negotiation can be a subtle skillset, and knowing what to look out for can make the difference in being able to understand someone’s true potential. In this article I’ll be giving some clarity around some of the core principles of negotiating and how to apply that to a talent acquisition and development lens. All this should hopefully lead you to a better understanding of negotiation in general, and the ability to assess your candidates in terms of their understanding of negotiation.

Having a ‘negotiation mindset’

Negotiation can mean different things to different people. You’d be surprised at the variation of responses you can get when asking someone ‘what does negotiation mean to you?’. When we think about conflict and how we resolve it, it matters how your negotiators approach conflict situations in your business. Quite often, you might find that the single goal or tactic used is to convince and persuade the other side until they either agree with you or just give in to your demands. This can be powerful and effective when done right, however overuse of this and relying on this as your only strategy can lead to a damaged relationship and, in some cases, worse off in terms of a deal. A skilled negotiator will understand when to use this approach effectively, and when they need to move onto something else. You should test your candidates on what they would do when ‘selling their idea’ isn’t working. Negotiation is a trading process, and true negotiation will mean that they need to change their tactics and start finding out the flexibility of the other party and what they would need in order for your business to achieve its objectives.

Preparation is key

Skilled negotiators are obsessed with preparation. They are clear on their objectives, how to read the power balance and what they are prepared to concede in order to get what they want. You should be asking your candidates how they prepare and what they are thinking about when they are preparing for their common negotiations. Do they plan in advance what information they need to get, and the questions they will ask to get that information. Test them on their objectives; do they know what a good deal looks like to them, and what their red lines are. Do they have a structure for preparation, and what does that look like. The making of a great negotiation is in the preparation.

Being curious

To agree to a deal, there has to be value in it for both parties, your candidates should understand this simple principle. The process towards a deal is paved by both parties understanding the flexibility of each other and building the deal together. What’s crucial in this process is finding out what is important to other party, and to do this we have to ask questions. Seems obvious to say, but great negotiators have to be really clear on what is most important both to themselves, and the other party. Sometimes people are too focussed on reacting to what has been said, rather than questioning why they might have said it. For example, did they reiterate part of a proposal because it is a priority and key to getting the deal over the line. You should be looking out for those candidates that have a natural curiosity about the other party, this natural curiosity is what unlocks information, new opportunities and truly understanding the other parties’ needs.

Building Value

One of the key components of negotiation is seeking to build value. The goal is not to fight off demands and only pushing for what you want, a skilled negotiator should be able to spot opportunities to trade for value at any point. You should focus on the ways your candidates build their deals and add value, for example, are they clear on their trading variables before the negotiation? How do they respond to demands from the other side; do they first asses if they can trade value to achieve their own objectives, or do they only try and argue their case throughout. When the other party have last minute demands, do your candidates give in to get the deal done, or do they try and trade up to the last moment. Trading and building the deal should be engrained in all your negotiators.

Managing the process

When we say ‘managing the process’ of a negotiation, we mean controlling the flow and being aware that there is a structure and process we adhere to in order to understand where we are and what we need to do in order to achieve our objectives. Skilled negotiators have a structure in place, they know how to use questions to direct the conversation, when to make proposals and how to slow down, stop or speed up the negotiation. What would be useful for you to know, is how your people would handle a situation where they have been told ‘no’, how they manage meeting resistance or unforeseen obstacles. If maintaining relationships are important, are they able to demonstrate how they would navigate rejection, time wasting and difficult people, all while continuing to move the process forward and retaining those long term relationships.

In summary, be clear on what you should look out for when analysing someone’s negotiating credentials. Ask questions about their preparation; do they have a preparation structure and how do they plan for their current negotiations. Get an idea of what they think a successful negotiation looks like, if your organisation values deal building and long-term relationships, then this should be part of their mindset. How they build deals should also be important to you, are they aligned on creating and building value? Test how they look for opportunities to create value and how they trade in order to build the deal for both sides. Negotiation is at the heart of our organisations, and the more we understand what a great negotiator looks like, the better equipped we are to choose and develop the right people and build better deals benefitting everyone.

About the author

Daniel Freeman is a versatile, focused Consultant with years of experience in client-facing roles and a concrete understanding of how to build strong professional relationships in challenging business environments.

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