The 5 most important types of negotiation style, explained.

A summary of the main types of negotiation style used in private life and at work.

Negotiating is not always easy. There is not even a single way to do it, so sometimes you have to know which style to choose.

In order to make it a little easier, we are going to review the most important types of negotiation styles to be able to observe the qualities of each one of them, the advantages that they offer for certain situations and therefore which is the most optimal depending on the scenario in which we are.

Characteristics of negotiation

To be able to speak about the types of negotiation style, it is convenient that first we try to deepen in this question in order to clarify the basic concepts that occupy us. Negotiation is an act of interaction between two or more individuals or entities in which each party seeks to obtain the best conditions for itself or for the group it represents..

The interactions underlying a negotiation can be simple or tremendously complex. Each person involved has his or her own idiosyncrasies, lives in a particular context, has very particular needs and experiences particular emotions in relation to the issue that concerns him or her. Therefore, the psychological issue will be very relevant, as we will see when reviewing the types of negotiation style.

It should be borne in mind that another fundamental characteristic of any negotiation is that it is based on the principle that each party is involved in the negotiation. it is based on the principle that each party involved must have its demands partially satisfied, since no one can obtain the total of what it was asking for, because that would mean that someone else would get it.because that would mean that the other party would be losing everything. On the contrary, everyone will have to give in, even if only in part.

As for the benefits we were talking about, it is important to distinguish between real needs and mere desires. Similarly, even if a party involved in a negotiation (through one of the types of negotiation style we will see) has set a certain benefit as a goal, this does not necessarily mean that this is the end result. As we have already mentioned, it is common to make compromises.

Another of the key issues in understanding negotiation is that whether or not an agreement is finally reached does not define this interaction.. In other words, two or more parties can negotiate on a given issue, and ultimately fail to reach an understanding, so no deal will be struck. But, even so, what has taken place has been a full-fledged negotiation, only it has not concluded in any agreement.

The different types of negotiation style

Now that we have been able to discover what is involved in the act of negotiating, we can go on to review the main types of negotiation style and thus appreciate the qualities of each of them and of course the usefulness they offer depending on the situation in which the negotiating parties find themselves. Let's take a closer look at them.

1. Flexible negotiation style

The first of the types of negotiation style we can find is the flexible one. This style is characterized by a predisposition to try to reach an agreement quickly, so that the actors involved will not dwell too much on the details or delve too deeply into the issue at stake.. They will only try to reach a reasonable agreement in the shortest possible time.

This type of negotiation style is common when the parties are faced with a problem of an isolated nature, for which everyone wants a quick solution. Therefore, they will tend to reach agreements that guarantee the satisfaction, to a greater or lesser extent, of all those affected. Fairness and balance will be the prevailing principles when negotiating.

This way of negotiating is particularly useful when an entity is faced with a problem that may result in the loss of a client, for example. In that case, it will be better to give in reasonably and in exchange maintain the business relationship with that person or organization.

2. Competitive negotiation style

When we talk about types of negotiation style, one of those that quickly come to mind is the competitive one. Contrary to the previous case, when the negotiating parties adopt a competitive style, will try to defend their positions in a much more aggressive way, and therefore their objective will be to give in as little as possible to the demands made..

Obviously, in order to use the competitive style, one must have a position of strength to support such an attitude. If this were not the case, it would be difficult to get the other party to give in to the proposals made, which generally tend to be very unbalanced, because they are beneficial for the competitive party and not so much for the other party.

It is important to note that an aggressive negotiation carried out in the competitive style must also take place within a framework of respect for the other party's interests.. Aggressiveness is shown in the demands made, but not in the tone used during the interaction, which, if it is to be successful, must always be cordial.

3. Collaborative negotiation style

Another of the most important types of negotiation style is undoubtedly the collaborative style. This is the classic style to be used when the people or parties negotiating have common interests or projects. Therefore, they know that everyone must do their part to reach the most favorable agreement for the common good, since this is the way in which everyone will benefit from it..

This way of acting is indicated, for example, for organizations that have been in a sector for a short time and therefore want to take advantage of a certain symbiosis to mutually benefit each other and thus grow and achieve a more relevant position. We can already see how the types of negotiation style have very different qualities and advantages, so we must choose wisely the most appropriate for each occasion.

4. Avoidant negotiation style

But these are not the only possible types of negotiation style. Another option would be the avoidant type. This is a special modality characterized by a conflictual relationship between the actors.. For this reason, it is possible that they do not wish to maintain the link and therefore avoid negotiation. This complicated situation may require the presence of a third party, alien to the interests of both, to mediate the interaction.

In this type of negotiation we can observe the discrepancy between the style, which is avoidant, and the interest, since in reality they do want to obtain a benefit, but do not wish to interact. These conditions can make the process more difficult and lengthy than those involved would like. An example of this scenario could be a judicial process, in which the judge himself dictates the benefits obtained by each party involved.

5. Accommodative negotiation style

The fifth and last of the types of negotiation style that we are going to study in this compilation is the accommodative style. This is a very peculiar way of negotiating, whose style would be at the antipodes of the competitive one, which we have seen previously. In this case, the party that opts for this style, not only will not defend its position fiercely, but will try to satisfy the other party as far as possible..

Indeed, what he will try to do is to accommodate his interlocutor, and to ensure that he benefits from the agreement adopted. But why would a negotiator act in this way? Because in some way, he will also benefit. Normally, this benefit is obtained by crystallizing a long-term business relationship.

Therefore, sometimes it pays to "let yourself lose", knowing that in return you are likely to gain, and gain a lot, in the future. It is still an investment, in which the capital invested is what has not been gained in that first negotiation, and the potential benefits are all the satisfactory agreements that can be reached in the future, if the good relationship with the other party is maintained.

This is a common way of negotiating in many commercial and supplier departments. It is the tactic of offering very interesting discounts in the first transactions, and thus to achieve the loyalty of a customer customer who may become a regular customer and therefore generate significant profits in the long run.

In any case, we must know which is the best type of negotiation style to use at any given moment, since we have already seen that the interests we have as well as the scenario in which we find ourselves can make one or the other the most appropriate at any given moment.

Bibliographical references:

• Fatima, S.S., Wooldridge, M., Jennings, N.R. (2001). Optimal negotiation strategies for agents with incomplete information. International Workshop on Agent Theories, Architectures, and Languages. Springer.
• Ganesan, S. (1993). Negotiation strategies and the nature of channel relationships. Journal of marketing research, 1993.
• Lanche, E., Michelle, R. (2016). Análisis de los tipos de negociación y su incidencia en la toma de decisiones con personas afines y no afines.
• Matos, N., Sierra, C., Jennings, N.R. (1998). Determining successful negotiation strategies: An evolutionary approach. Proceedings International Conference on Multi Agent Systems.