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5.5 Ways to Possibly Solicit Cooperation When Negotiating

When negotiating, how do you solicit cooperation? You can browbeat someone. You can cajole them. You can be very amenable to their every whim, and yet, you may still be unsuccessful at soliciting their cooperation. The one thing you must do, in order to give someone what they want and need is to understand why they want and need what they’re seeking. The following are 51/2 ways you can solicit cooperation when negotiating.

1. Be honest:

a. Where and when possible, be honest. Some situations may require that you ‘shave the truth’, but unless you’re negotiating in a hostile situation, one in which the other negotiator is not being as forthright as he should, walk the path of truth. The truth, applied with sincerity, will tend to engender support for your cause. Always strive to be honest, but weigh the cost of doing so, depending upon the situation in which you negotiate.

2. Know mental strength:

a. You must know your strengths and weaknesses, along with those of the other negotiator, in order to solicit cooperation. Seek to understand the mindset of the other negotiator before attempting to sway her. Understand her ‘true’ source of motivation and cater to it. Before soliciting her assistance, reveal yourself as a nonthreatening entity that only seeks understanding, in order to be understood.

3. Know your target:

a. Three questions to ask the other negotiator are, what do you want? What are you seeking? How will you know when you’ve received/achieved it? By asking such questions, you’ll receive her ‘measuring stick’ for that which is important to her. In addressing her needs, you will have an unequivocal ‘mark’ upon which to aim and to measure the outcome based on what she seeks from the negotiation.

4. Consider begging:

a. Yes, I said it! If all else fails, when the stakes are high and none of your attempts bear fruit, consider begging to solicit support. With some individuals, such actions are very appealing. Just be mindful of whom it is that you beg, because it can also be a ‘turn-off’.

5. Speak in the positive:

a. When communicating, express your positions in the positive. Instead of saying, ‘I don’t think point ‘A’ warrants much merit, say instead, ‘I prefer point ‘B’. In so doing, you’ll be infusing the conversation with positivity. You’ll also subliminally, plant the thought of being positive as you solicit support.

5.5 Let it go:

a. Never be afraid of ‘letting go’. You won’t be able to convince everyone to ‘see’ things your way. Some people will never sense the value you possess. In such cases, find others with whom to negotiate. When you negotiate, you should have alternate sources from which to receive what you seek. In addition, by showing that you’re willing to ‘walk away’, you can enhance your position.

As you negotiate, if you apply the appropriate strategy to solicit cooperation, in the right manner, and at the right time, in the right place, more often than not, you’ll get the assistance you seek… and everything will be right with the world.

The Negotiation Tips Are…

· Always remember, in a negotiation, timing is everything. Just because someone is not amenable to your offer today does not mean he won’t be agreeable tomorrow. Assess his desirability to ‘connect’ with you, and time your attempts to solicit his support when the time is best suited for him to do so.

· Consider the size of the ‘emotional stage’ the other negotiator wishes to stand on and how she wishes to be perceived. If she wants to be recognized as being magnanimous, ‘feed’ that need in her. By addressing the need that has her highest desire, you can assist her in achieving the emotional feeling she’s seeking and she’ll be more willing to assist you.

· When negotiating, always strive to align your actions to match the outcome you and the other negotiator seek from the negotiation.

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How to Handle Questions and Objections During a Sales Presentation

This is the moment most presenters dread – you ask if anyone has any questions and pretty much everyone puts their hands up. On one hand you’re flattered because obviously people are interested but on the other hand you’re scared stiff because you don’t know what people are going to ask, whether you’ll know the answer or if you’ll look incompetent and lose the sale.

Here are some simple tips to follow that can get you through the tough situations:

Handling Questions

• Take control of the process and tell the Customers when they can ask questions – at the end of the presentation or at particular points during the presentation. Decide what will work best for you.

• Prepare in advance – think of the questions that will probably come up and prepare your answers in advance. Having analysed the Customer, you should have some idea now what the typical objections will be so have answers ready to tackle these

• Listen to the full question – do not interrupt half way through and assume you know what they’re going to ask

• ‘Listen’ to the body language – is it defensive, what cues can you pick up from how they are asking the question or the gestures they are making?

• Think about your own body language – whilst you may feel defensive when someone asks a question, keep your gestures open – arms at your side, direct eye contact, smile, lean forward

Answering Questions

• Repeat the question back to ensure you have understood

• If you don’t know the answer….. TELL THEM. Do not try and muddle your way through the answer or make something up, your body language will give you away and someone else may know the actual answer and you will lose all credibility.

• If you don’t know the answer, open it up to the group and see if anyone else knows. This is known as Boomerang – where you boomerang the question back to the group. If you’re not good at ‘thinking on your feet’ this can also give you a chance to think about the answer. Answer it by saying, “Great question! What do the rest of the group think? Would anyone like to share their thoughts?”

• If you don’t know and no one else knows either, have a ‘Parking Lot’ for the questions (could be a flipchart on the wall or just your notepad) and commit to finding out the answer for them.

• When replying to a question, involve the whole audience – begin eye contact with the questioner, then the other audience members and back to the questioner at the end of the answer.

Dealing with Objections

• Keep calm – you can handle this!

• If things do start to become difficult to handle then politely suggest that the conversation be taken offline. Depending on the objection, some of your answers could be:

o “You have made a very valid point and I want to discuss this further. Can I suggest we take this offline and have a more focused conversation after the presentation?”

o “Thank you, that is a great point/question and I’d like to involve my colleague / Manager of that department / my CEO in answering your concern. Let me take that away and I’ll arrange a separate meeting later this week where we can discuss further. What’s your availability?”

• If you feel someone is deliberately trying to challenge you, then you could use humour. BE VERY CAREFUL though as it can come across as sarcasm and you may appear defensive

• Do not deflect the criticism or blame another colleague – it will seem your Company is not working as a team or communicating well. Even if an objection is not based on anything you have done, accept the feedback on behalf of your Company in an appropriate manner.

• Do not agree with or join in any maligning of the Company – your job is to represent the business and you must safeguard its name and reputation – be professional at all times.

• Be conscious of your body language and facial expressions – keep your gestures open and your face neutral. Avoid eye-rolling, frowns and smirking, this will only antagonise the objectioner!

• Be attentive whilst the objection is being made – actively listen with head nods and direct eye contact. If the other audience members become restless, manage them and ask them to be quiet (respectfully, of course!). Do be conscious of the group through and if the objection is taking a lot of time or the person is being argumentative then take control and suggest taking it off-line (see previous examples).

Some other things to consider if you’re put on the spot:

• Nonverbal cues can help restore order and make you appear calm…. Even if you’re not!

o Strong eye contact

o Upright posture

o Unwavering focus

• The more animated your ‘opponent’ becomes, the calmer you should be

• Keep vocal inflection to a minimum, talk neutrally

• Keep focused on the key messages you want to deliver – if you get a difficult question, repeat your main point and do not waffle, keep to the areas you are comfortable talking about.

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Audition Tips for Actors, Presenting Your Best Talents

After attending the “IndieLink: Actors Program” at Film Independent, I came away more aware about the many variables that go into auditioning. The evening started with a Q&A with Julia Kim, a Los Angeles Independent Casting Director (CD). The session awakened my interest in this phase of the industry and I have fleshed out her comments where relevant.

She talked about the selection process, about how a casting director can help get a project off the ground. Considerations such as the name game, recognizable faces, availability, and budget are instrumental in assembling a worthy cast. She also touched on how some directors have weak communications with actors, they over direct, give too many comments, or unable to trim down suggestions to actable terms.

The selection process entails suggesting actors for various roles based on availability, experience, and demands of role. The CD culls this list down, and calls those remaining for auditions with the director, sometimes the producer. Selection process continues with call backs, negotiations, and eventual signing of cast members.

If you come in with a prepared scene, select one that displays both your range and character type. Emotional range is another consideration as is the ability to choose strong intentions that fit the scene. She said to keep the scene short, two to three pages at the most.

On assigned scenes, the normal prep time is four days, however, some productions companies are slow in sending out sides and you may end up with only two days to study and memorize the script. A good agent can help speed up this process, and with email transmissions, script should arrive giving you adequate prep time.

Casting directors usually allot only ten minutes for the audition. Thus, be ready to take advantage of this time. It means having your picture and resume handy, comment productively on them, and being ready to answer the all-important question, “Tell me about yourself?” You should also have the scene memorized, off book, and have selected strong choices about character’s intentions and emotions. Also, consider such things as dialogue delivery, gestures, facial expressions, pace, timing, and the styles of acting.

Of the twenty actors that performed that evening, the common fault was that they seemed rushed and did not use pauses to their advantage. Common reasons for pausing include search for word, change of mind, reflect on what’s heard, or set up punch line. Pauses combined with looking away can disconnect attention with the other person and create internalizations the audience can visualize. By creating focal zones for recalls, problems, and avoidance issues, the actor allows the audience members inside his head, letting them speculate what he’s thinking and/or feeling. Combine with facial expressions, gestures, and the scene’s context, these eye behaviors departmentalize issues and make internalization more apparent.

Another suggestion was to add more variety to the performance. This is done by giving the scene more peaks and valleys, stronger reactions to what the other character says, and creating an arc to the character, e.g., going from happy to angry. Instead of a one-note portrayal, add levels of vulnerability to the piece. Well-placed mannerisms and gestures also help flesh out the characterization.

Before starting, slate name and give the CD what and where particulars about the scene. For instance, the scene takes place in a courtroom where I play a lawyer questioning a witness in a murder trial. Likewise, come into the scene with an attitude and physicality of the character along with applicable behaviors. This establishes your character early on and hooks the viewer into your story. Sometimes this requires adding elements not found in the script. Acknowledging the setting or environment of the scene should also be evident in your presentation. For instance, an argument in a restaurant would be portrayed differently than one taking place in the living room.

Predictability is another issue and if you take the scene in an unexpected direction, you are more likely to be remembered and considered. The ability to make bold powerful choices and implement them honestly is a trait CD’s love. This is especially true when using an over done audition scene. The issue of contrived, forced emotions was also brought up. Emotions are what drive the story forward, especially in drama. Being able to portray the whole spectrum of feelings with integrity is a skill few actors achieve. While the actor may feel the emotions deeply, they must also be readable and appear authentic to the audience.

Be into the scene and acknowledge the other character through feel, think, act sequences. This progression of behaviors pulls the audience into the piece. It’s reacting and using behaviors such as awareness, reflections, realizations, expectations, or weighing of options. Such behaviors keep them asking that most desirable question, “What’s going to happen next?”

The genre of the scene is another consideration and demands a certain style of acting. For instance, in comedy, timing is highly calculated and precise. Timing is the ability to sense what is going on in the mind of the audience and using this time dimension to create the optimum response, e.g., laughter, tension, or surprise. Likewise, in comedy, reality tends to be suspended and unbalanced whereas in drama it tends to be lifelike and logical.

With several actors, Miss Kim gave suggestions and had them do the scene a second time. Sometimes the CD does this to improve the actors understanding of the scene or explore a technique the actor might not know. Such repetition often reveals how well the actor takes direction and his dramatic dexterity. As such, in rehearsing a scene, it can be beneficial to attempt a number of approaches assure flexibility.

One last item covered was the resemblance of your picture to your live persona. Sometimes a flattering photo does a disservice as it conjures up impressions that are not you. Catching your essence, your potential in a photo demands more than making you look attractive or handsome. It gets into what dynamic your photo evokes, your ability to portray compelling characters. Sometimes it’s the thought or emotion going on in your head. Other factors include attitude, lighting, and camera angle. Characters in films come in a variety of types and looks, and trying to remake your image into something you are not restricts your ability to find work.

The craft of good acting has to do with making and implementing choices. Knowing what to do, knowing how to do it, and knowing how to do it well. Developing solid auditioning skills is an essential part of that craft.

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