Yesterday I suggested that “people negotiate differently – and behave differently – during the negotiation process. We can observe different styles of negotiation and how different types of behavior can affect the outcome of negotiations.”

I also said “There are four basic styles of behavior and these are determined by the way in which people relate to one another. How can you ensure that you approach people in the correct way?” “Knowing About Social Styles” developed by Merrill and Reid, is a theory which I have discussed in several of my articles and it is very useful to have a thorough understanding of it when negotiating. In the Social Styles Model there are four basic “styles”, or preferred ways of interacting with others.”

So today, let’s look at the characteristics of, and how we should negotiate with each of the “Social Styles”

Driver: The Director

• Assertive, but not responsive

• Task, rather than people oriented

• Decisive and determined

• Controlled emotions

• Set on efficiency and effectiveness

• Likes control, often in a hurry

• Firm, stable relationships

• Stubborn, tough

• Impatient

• Inflexible, poor listener

To Negotiate With Drivers:

•   Plan to ask questions about and discuss specifics, actions and results

•   Use facts and logic

•   When necessary, disagree with facts rather than opinions, be assertive

•   Keep it business-like, efficient and to the point

•   Personal guarantees and testimonials are least effective – better to
 provide options and facts

•   Do not invade personal space

Expressive: The Socializer

• Assertive and responsive

• Reactive, impulsive, decisions spontaneous, intuitive

• Placing more importance on relationships than tasks

• Emotionally expressive, sometimes dramatic

• Flexible agenda, short attention span, easily loved

• Enthusiastic

• Strong persuasive skills, talkative and gregarious

• Optimistic, takes risks

• Creative

To Negotiate With Expressives:

•  Seek opinions in an area you wish to develop to achieve mutual  understanding

•  Discussion should be people, as well as fact, oriented

•  Keep summarizing, work out specifics on points of agreement

•  Try short, fast moving experience stories

•  Make sure to pin them down in a friendly way

•  Remember to discuss the future, as well as the present

•  Look out for the impulse buy

Amiable: The Supporter

• Not assertive but responsive

• Dependent on others

• Respectful, willing and agreeable

• Emotionally expressive

• Everyone’s friend, supportive, soft-hearted

• Low risk taker, likes security

• Group builder

• Over-sensitive

• Not goal orientated

To Negotiate With Amiables:

•  Work, jointly, seek common ground

•  Find out about personal interests and family

•  Be patient and avoid going for what looks like an easy pushover

•  Use personal assurance and specific guarantees and avoid options  and probabilities

•  Take time to be agreeable

•  Focus discussion on how

•  Demonstrate low risk solutions

•  Don’t take advantage of their good nature

Analytical: The Clinician

• Not assertive, not responsive

• Precise, orderly and business-like

• Rational and co-operative

• Self-controlled and serious

• Motivated by logic and facts

• Not quick to make decisions

• Distrusts persuasive people

• Like things in writing and detail

• Security conscious

• Critical, aloof, skeptical

• Excellent problem solver

• Likes rigid timetables

To Negotiate With Analyticals:

•  Take action rather than words to demonstrate helpfulness and  willingness

•  Stick to specifics. Analyticals expect salesmen to overstate

•  Their decisions are based on facts and logic and they avoid risk

•  They can often be very co-operative, but established relationships take  time

•  Consider telling them what the product won’t do. they will respect you  for it and they will have spotted the deficiencies anyway

•  Discuss reasons and ask ‘why’ questions

•  Become less responsive and less assertive yourself

If you are serious about developing not just your negotiation skills, but also your all-round communication skills, I do advise you to familiarize yourself with the “Social Styles” model.

News: Please look out for a very special post tomorrow, and do have a great w/e!

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