Advanced Negotiation Techniques

Book Preface

Welcome to our book on negotiation. For 25 years across 40 countries plus 26 of the American states, the Resource Development Centre Ltd (RDC) has been helping thousands of people conduct successful negotiations of every type. Many of our clients have been businesses striving to sell more successfully. Other clients have improved their buying skills. A few clients have used our techniques outside the business environment altogether—in many public-sector organizations and in such areas as international diplomatic services.

All have benefitted from our approach to negotiation, which is best summarized by the phrase “win-win.” The first “win” refers to our own side of the negotiation and indicates that we feel the result is a win for us. The second “win” indicates that the other party to the negotiation also feels that the result is a win for them. This approach aims to ensure that all parties to the negotiation realize they have achieved the best possible results. It isn’t about one party winning and the other losing. A satisfactory outcome leaves both parties feeling that they haven’t compromised too much, felt threatened or unnecessarily pressurized, or made sacrifices that they didn’t want to. This shared win is an important motivator for both parties to be committed to the implementation of the agreement. The RDC philosophy is centered on business ethics and a principled approach to negotiation that seeks to maximize the value of the outcomes for both parties.