Vista - SFU TEMPLATE - Module 6 (Soft skils)

Soft Skill: Negotiation

Introduction

As you embark on your journey through college and start contemplating your future career, it’s crucial to recognise the significance of soft skills. Among these, negotiation stands out as one of the most vital. Regardless of your chosen field, the ability to negotiate effectively can significantly impact your career success and personal growth.

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What is Negotiation?

Conclusion

Types of Negotiation

Why Negotiation is Crucial for Your Career

Developing Your Negotiation Skills

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Learning Objectives

Using Bloom's Taxonomy, the learning objectives for this negotiation activity, which reinforces negotiation as a soft skill, can be categorised as follows:

By following these learning objectives, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of effective negotiation techniques and how to apply them in professional email communication.

Creating

Evaluating

Understanding

Analysing

Applying

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Remembering

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Soft Skill: Activity

Negotiation exercises provide a valuable opportunity to identify your weaknesses and enhance your skills. While some people naturally excel at negotiation, everyone needs practice and development to reach their full potential.

A business analyst is an intermediary between a variety of people with various types of personalities: clients, developers, users, management, and data professionals. You have to be able to achieve a profitable outcome for your company while finding a solution for the client that makes them happy. This balancing act demands the ability to negotiate a mutual solution that everyone finds satisfactory. Whether you’re an experienced negotiator or a complete novice, how can you prepare to strengthen your negotiation skills? In this activity, you will be provided with six Business Analyst related emails that you have received from clients. Your task is to negotiate in the response to get the best possible outcome. The first one is done for you to give you an example.

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Example: Negotiating Project Scope with a Stakeholder

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Subject: Request for Additional FeaturesHi [Your Name], I hope you're well. After reviewing the initial project scope, I've realised that we need to add some additional features to meet our business goals. Specifically, I would like to include a customer feedback module and a real-time analytics dashboard. Can we discuss how we can incorporate these features into the current project timeline? Best regards, [Stakeholder Name]

Email from Stakeholder

Subject: Re: Request for Additional FeaturesHi [Stakeholder Name],Thank you for your email and for outlining the additional features you have in mind. I understand the importance of these enhancements to our business goals.Given our current timeline and resource allocation, incorporating these features will require some adjustments. Could we schedule a meeting to discuss how we might prioritise these features and possibly extend the timeline or adjust other project deliverables?Looking forward to our discussion.Best regards,[Your Name]

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Email from YOU

Email from YOU

Notes

You will notice here that the response is:

• Direct - it is short, punchy, and gets to the point

• Polite - the use of key terms, such as: “thank you” / “understand” / “Looking forward to our discussion” / “Best regards”

• Assertive - the response makes it clear that more time or adjustments will be needed

• Practical - it is realistic and uses professional language

We would like you to provide responses to the following five emails, from a variety of stakeholders, keeping those points above in mind:

Directness, Politeness,Assertiveness, Practicality

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Negotiating Budget with a Vendor

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Subject: Quotation for Software SolutionHi [Your Name],Attached is the quotation for the software solution we discussed. Please review the details, and let me know if you have any questions.Best regards,[Vendor Name]

Email from Vendor

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Write your answer using a text editing app such as: your phone or computers notes app, microsoft word, apple pages.

Negotiating Deadlines with a Team Member

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Subject: Project Task DeadlineHi [Your Name],I wanted to inform you that due to some unforeseen circumstances, I might not be able to meet the deadline for the current task assigned to me. Is there any flexibility with the deadline?Best regards,[Team Member Name]

Email from Team Member

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Write your answer using a text editing app such as: your phone or computers notes app, microsoft word, apple pages.

Negotiating Resource Allocation with a Resource Manager

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Subject: Resource Allocation for Upcoming ProjectHi [Your Name],We’ve received your request for additional resources for the upcoming project. Unfortunately, due to current commitments, we’re unable to provide the additional team members you requested.Best regards,[Resource Manager Name]

Email from Resource Manager

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Write your answer using a text editing app such as: your phone or computers notes app, microsoft word, apple pages.

Negotiating Timeline with a Client

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Subject: Project Timeline ConcernHi [Your Name],I have some concerns regarding the timeline of our current project. We’re hoping to accelerate the delivery to align with our upcoming product launch.Can we discuss how we might expedite the process?Best regards,[Client Name]

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Email from Client

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Write your answer using a text editing app such as: your phone or computers notes app, microsoft word, apple pages.

Negotiating Change Requests with Development Team

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Subject: Change Request ImpactHi [Your Name],We’ve reviewed the recent change requests from the stakeholders. Implementing these changes will impact the current development timeline and resource allocation.Can we discuss how to proceed?Best regards,[Development Team Lead]

Email from Development Team

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Write your answer using a text editing app such as: your phone or computers notes app, microsoft word, apple pages.

Model answers

Now that you have had a go of answering the emails using the notes provided, click next to see the model answers.

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Negotiating Budget with a Vendor

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Subject: Quotation for Software SolutionHi [Vendor Name],Thank you for sending the quotation. I have reviewed it and have a few questions regarding the pricing.Given our budget constraints, is there any possibility of negotiating the price, or could we explore any discounts for long-term engagement? Additionally, are there any optional features that we could exclude to reduce the cost?Looking forward to your response.Best regards,[Your Name]

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Subject: Quotation for Software SolutionHi [Your Name],Attached is the quotation for the software solution we discussed. Please review the details, and let me know if you have any questions.Best regards,[Vendor Name]

Email from Vendor

Model answer

Model answer

Subject: Re: Project Task DeadlineHi [Team Member Name],Thank you for letting me know about the situation. While the deadline is tight, I understand that unforeseen circumstances can arise.Could we discuss what’s causing the delay and see if there’s any support or resources you need to meet the deadline? If extending the deadline is unavoidable, let’s discuss a revised timeline that works for both of us.Best regards,[Your Name]

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Negotiating Deadlines with a Team Member

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Subject: Project Task DeadlineHi [Your Name],I wanted to inform you that due to some unforeseen circumstances, I might not be able to meet the deadline for the current task assigned to me. Is there any flexibility with the deadline?Best regards,[Team Member Name]

Email from Team Member

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Subject: Re: Resource Allocation for Upcoming ProjectHi [Resource Manager Name],Thank you for your response. I understand the constraints you’re facing.However, the success of the upcoming project significantly depends on additional resources. Could we discuss potential alternatives, such as part-time allocations, temporary contractors, or reallocating existing resources from lower-priority tasks?I’m confident we can find a solution that balances our current commitments with the needs of this project.Best regards,[Your Name]

Subject: Resource Allocation for Upcoming ProjectHi [Your Name],We’ve received your request for additional resources for the upcoming project. Unfortunately, due to current commitments, we’re unable to provide the additional team members you requested.Best regards,[Resource Manager Name]

Email from Resource Manager

Negotiating Resource Allocation with a Resource Manager

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Model answer

Subject: Re: Project Timeline ConcernHi [Client Name],Thank you for sharing your concerns about the timeline. I understand the importance of aligning the project with your product launch.To expedite the process, we might need to prioritise certain features or adjust the project scope. Could we set up a meeting to discuss which aspects of the project are most critical to your launch and explore how we can reallocate resources to meet your timeline?Looking forward to your thoughts.Best regards,[Your Name]

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Model answer

Negotiating Timeline with a Client

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Subject: Project Timeline ConcernHi [Your Name],I have some concerns regarding the timeline of our current project. We’re hoping to accelerate the delivery to align with our upcoming product launch.Can we discuss how we might expedite the process?Best regards,[Client Name]

Email from Client

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Subject: Re: Change Request ImpactHi [Development Team Lead],Thank you for your assessment of the change requests. I understand that these changes will have an impact on our timeline and resources.Could we set up a meeting to discuss the specifics of the change requests, their priority, and how we can mitigate the impact on our current timeline? We might need to negotiate which changes are essential and which can be postponed to a later phase.Looking forward to our discussion.Best regards,[Your Name]

Model answer

Negotiating Change Requests with Development Team

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Subject: Change Request ImpactHi [Your Name],We’ve reviewed the recent change requests from the stakeholders. Implementing these changes will impact the current development timeline and resource allocation.Can we discuss how to proceed?Best regards,[Development Team Lead]

Email from Development Team

Well done!

You have completed this soft skills activity. We hope you have enjoyed the programe and picked up some new skills and information!

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To develop your negotiation skills, focus on building strong communication, persuasion, and conflict resolution abilities. Practise clear and assertive communication by expressing your needs and interests confidently while remaining respectful of others. Enhance your persuasion skills by presenting compelling arguments, using evidence and logic to support your position, and understanding the perspectives of others. Develop your conflict resolution skills by identifying common goals, finding compromises, and maintaining a positive and collaborative attitude. Practise strategic thinking by preparing thoroughly for negotiations, anticipating potential challenges, and developing contingency plans. Lastly, seek opportunities to engage in negotiations in various contexts, such as academic projects, internships, or part-time jobs, to gain hands-on experience and improve your abilities.

Identify key terms and phrases used in professional negotiation emails (e.g., "thank you", "understand", "Looking forward to our discussion", "Best regards").

• Differentiate between the negotiation needs and context of each stakeholder email.

• Analyse the given example email to understand the balance between directness and politeness.

• Create tailored responses to the five stakeholder emails that address their concerns while achieving a favourable outcome for your company.

• Design a negotiation strategy that can be adapted to various scenarios involving different types of stakeholders.

There are various forms of negotiation, each playing a crucial role in different contexts. Distributive negotiation involves dividing a fixed amount of resources between parties, often seen in salary discussions or price negotiations. Integrative negotiation focuses on finding win-win solutions that benefit all parties, common in collaborative projects and partnerships. Multiparty negotiation involves multiple stakeholders with diverse interests, requiring careful coordination and compromise. Team negotiation includes groups negotiating on behalf of their respective sides, necessitating strong teamwork and alignment. Finally, informal negotiation occurs in everyday interactions where agreements are reached without formal settings or structures.

• Explain the importance of directness, politeness, assertiveness, and practicality in negotiation emails.

• Summarise the main points of the stakeholder emails provided.

Negotiation is a foundational soft skill that underpins your ability to succeed in any career. By developing your distributive, integrative, multiparty, team, and informal negotiation skills, you will be better equipped to build relationships, advance in your career, enhance productivity, and foster innovation. Start honing your negotiation skills now, and you’ll set yourself up for a successful and fulfilling professional journey.

• Compose negotiation email responses that effectively incorporate directness, politeness, assertiveness, and practicality.

• Demonstrate the ability to maintain a professional tone while addressing various negotiation scenarios.

• Assess the effectiveness of different negotiation strategies in achieving a mutually beneficial outcome.

• Critique sample email responses to identify areas of strength and opportunities for improvement in negotiation techniques.

Effective negotiation plays a fundamental role in building relationships, career advancement, performance, productivity, and innovation. Strong negotiation skills help build trust and rapport with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders by demonstrating your ability to reach fair and mutually beneficial agreements. They enhance career advancement opportunities, as employers value individuals who can navigate complex discussions, resolve conflicts, and secure advantageous deals. Negotiation boosts performance and productivity by facilitating smooth agreements, reducing misunderstandings, and ensuring that resources are allocated effectively. Additionally, the ability to negotiate effectively enhances innovation, as it encourages creative problem-solving, the exploration of new opportunities, and the development of partnerships.

Negotiation is the process of discussing and reaching mutually beneficial agreements between two or more parties. It involves understanding the needs and interests of all involved, finding common ground, and developing solutions that satisfy everyone. Effective negotiation requires a combination of communication, persuasion, conflict resolution, and strategic thinking, allowing you to achieve favourable outcomes in various situations.