How can you coordinate roles and responsibilities when negotiating as a team?

1 Define your goals and strategy

Before you enter any negotiation, you need to have a clear and shared understanding of what you want to achieve and how you will approach the negotiation. As a team, you should discuss and agree on your target, reservation, and aspiration points, as well as your BATNA (best alternative to a negotiated agreement). You should also identify your main interests, priorities, and trade-offs, and anticipate the other party's position and needs. Based on this analysis, you can develop a coherent and flexible strategy that aligns with your team's goals and values.

2 Assign specific roles and tasks

Once you have a clear strategy, it is important to assign specific roles and tasks to each team member based on their skills, expertise, and personality. The leader should set the tone, direction, and agenda of the negotiation and make the final decisions. The spokesperson should communicate the team's proposals, questions, and responses, while building rapport with the other party. The analyst should collect and evaluate information, data, and feedback, and advise the team on the best options and alternatives. Finally, the supporter should provide emotional and practical support to the team as well as help resolve any internal conflicts or issues. Furthermore, you should define tasks and responsibilities for each role such as who will initiate the negotiation, make concessions, ask for clarifications, take notes, and summarize agreements.

3 Communicate and coordinate effectively

During the negotiation, you need to communicate and coordinate effectively with your team members, as well as with the other party. You should use verbal and non-verbal cues, such as eye contact, nodding, and hand signals, to signal your agreement, disagreement, or need for consultation. You should also use pauses, breaks, and timeouts to regroup and review your progress, strategy, and next steps. You should avoid contradicting, interrupting, or undermining your team members, and instead show respect, support, and appreciation. You should also listen actively and attentively to the other party, and acknowledge their perspectives and concerns.

4 Manage potential challenges and risks

Negotiating as a team can pose potential challenges and risks that you need to be aware of and manage. These include groupthink, free riding, conflict, and leakage. To overcome these, you should encourage diversity, creativity, and constructive feedback within your team. Additionally, set clear rules and norms for behavior and communication, and respect the other party's privacy and boundaries. Furthermore, ensure that each team member is held accountable for their contributions and results.

5 Celebrate and learn from your experience

After the negotiation, you should celebrate and learn from your experience as a team. You should recognize and appreciate each other's efforts, achievements, and strengths, and celebrate your collective success. You should also reflect and learn from your challenges, mistakes, and weaknesses, and identify areas for improvement and development. You should also follow up and maintain a positive and professional relationship with the other party, and ensure that the agreements are implemented and honored.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?