|  “Negotiating
Your Way
To Collaboration”
by
Michelle
Cubas
Michelle is an executive coach looking
at collaboration through the lens of leadership. What better way
to start the New Year? Michelle looks at issues of trust, fit, and
implementation and how they effect a true collaboration. She suggests
that leaders might approach collaboration through negotiation. An
approach that comes naturally to me, but probably not to everyone
… David Coleman
The art of the collaboration is simple.
It emanates from a desire to achieve a common goal or result. It
is a primary trait of my business hero model, the Multi-Dimensional
Leader ™.
In turbulent times, leaders
must advance thinking and offer tools that support a productive
environment.
A multi-dimensional leader's
objectives:
• Identify how
to communicate across - generations
• How to use multi-generational
awareness in your professional role
• Apply practical
tactics for integration of ideas.
In my coaching practice,
I have observed that collaboration is a dying art. People
are encouraged to be competitive rather than collaborative. Yes,
much lip service is spoken about cooperation. However, real collaboration
requires an authentic desire to accomplish the
project where everyone obtains results and gains something they
want.
Everything Is
Negotiable
The Multi-Dimensional leader
knows that negotiation skills are the key ingredients
to a successful collaboration.
Here are several ideas to
consider when approaching collaborations:
- How well do you know the interested party?
- What do you know of their business practices?
- What are the “gut feelings” you have about the people associated
with the deal?
- What do you want to obtain from the collaboration?
- What benefits can the other party bring to your relationship?
- What fears do you have about the outcome?
- What is the optimistic outcome of your collaboration?
- What do you have to offer the relationship?
- What will it cost you to pursue this together?
- What would it cost you to do it alone?
- What is the optimum outcome for you?
What Do I Need
To Know For Trust ?
Once you are comfortable
with the initial set-up above ways to collaborate, it is important
to establish the ground rules
.
• What does the
other party need to know about you and your company in order to
conduct effective business with you? (Eg. Attitudes, integrity,
beyond policies and procedures.)
• What are your
codes of conduct and behavior?
• Where are your
boundaries in pursuing this common goal? (What are you willing to
take off the table, what are “must-haves”, sacrifices, priorities
? . )
• As you proceed,
what safeguards do you have to dissolve the relationship with protection
for both parties? (Buy-sell agreement, joint venture corporation)
Intellectual Capital Issues
- Define what it is from the company's view.
- Who owns what?
- Privileges
- Exceptions
- Storage
- Use
- Licensing
Financial
- Seed money
- Shares
- Bonuses
- Profit Sharing
- Associate rewards
A key concept is to understand
how the following drivers are part of your business process.
Collaboration can only occur when the connected parties understand
the mutual impacts on their processes. The more clearly the rules
apply to these circumstances, the easier the collaboration becomes.
It is imperative to take
the following items into account when bidding, pricing or marketing
goods and services especially within for a collaboration
or partnership structure :
- Time (turnkey, projected completions)
- Resources (People, materials, income streams (grants) cash flow)
- Location (proximity to target market, access, distribution)
- Distribution
- Purchasing power (Eg. How does a small business price against
Costco?)
- Identified, duplicable, quality process (ISO, Six Sigma, Lean)
One side may be more adept
and qualified to deliver for the outcome of the
“greater good”.
Moving Forward
From Trust
Once the ground rules are
shared and agreed upon, the success or failure of the collaboration
will be founded on how well the rules are applied—selectively, globally
or equally. That message travels fast and sets the tone for future
negotiations. The hard impact is on the leader's credibility.
A principle I use from experience
is asking “What is best for the good of the house.” Individual sacrifices
may be incurred, however, at the conclusion everyone will benefit
more because of the applied, sound collaboration principles: distributed
fairness, personal safety (emotional and physical), preserved resources
and enduring satisfaction of a joint venture well done.
The Next Step
Begin your collaborations
with the desired results you want to achieve. Look over the process
from the other person 's perspective. Prioritize what you value
most and want to achieve. Define what you can easily “leave on the
table”. Strive toward common ground and shared benefits. Above all,
allow people to shine by giving them the tools to excel . Remove
as many barriers as possible. By your conduct, and watch them soar
!
Michelle Cubas is the
founder of Positive Potentials LLC, and has been involved with business
literacy since 1982. She can be contacted at (480) 922-9699 or at
www.positivepotentials.com
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