Behavioural Intelligence, Impact And Influence In Negotiation - What's Your Style?

Negotiation is an interpersonal process where each party wants to achieve a certain level of influence. Influence means causing others to change their thinking, feelings or behaviour in some way as a result of your words or actions. Your motivational values - the ways you view the world and how things go - will create preferred ways of operating which are important to take account of.

Your influencing style is a preference built from the motivational values that have served you well in the past. Your point of view about how the world works will influence you in what you prefer to do and influencing is just one particular form of behaving. Your style is likely to be one or a combination of two of the following:-

Rewards and Punishment - You tend to use pressures and incentives to control the behaviour of others; offering rewards for compliance and threats of punishment or deprivation for non-compliance. You openly use praise and criticism, approval and disapproval and judgements of right and wrong. You might enjoy a reputation for being a tough battler or hard character, the one people cross at their peril

Participation and Trust - You tend to listen actively, drawing out contributions from others and showing understanding or appreciation where contributions are forthcoming. You tend to focus on the strengths and positive resources of others and are willing to give others freedom and personal responsibility in work. You may be known for your ability to involve and engage others and draw out their strengths.

Common Vision - You seek to mobilise the energy and resources of others through appeals to their hopes, values and aspirations. This style also works through fostering the feelings of strength and confidence that are generated by being one of a larger group which shares a common purpose. Your team, group and community building skills are likely to the characteristics that people associate with you.

Logical Persuasion - You use logic, facts and thinking to persuade others. You can lead with ideas about what to do and how to do it based on the logically correct option. You collect evidence and arguments in support of your proposals and discount or even dismantle ones which you see as wrong. You might be known as the one who can surgically take apart a badly thought through idea. Operating within your preferred style of influencing will be energising. The energy generated might, though, mean you continue with that style at the expense of the relationship and therefore the result you want to achieve. Behavioural Intelligence skills include noticing when a change of style (and behaviours) is required.

No style is inherently good or bad but it's important to recognise your preferences and make conscious decisions, not be ruled by your emotional reaction or gut instinct. Your brain (specifically your prefrontal cortex) is there to help you manage your behaviour but you have to help by slowing down a little and allowing the interrupt (about 0.6 seconds) - that is the essence of Behavioural Intelligence.