How do you negotiate in a team and coordinate roles and responsibilities?

1 Define your team goals and interests

Before you enter a negotiation, you need to align your team goals and interests. This means clarifying what you want to achieve, why you want it, and how you will measure success. You also need to understand your team's priorities, trade-offs, and alternatives. By defining your team goals and interests, you can avoid internal disagreements, present a unified front, and negotiate more effectively.

2 Assign your team roles and responsibilities

Once you have defined your team goals and interests, you need to assign your team roles and responsibilities. This means deciding who will do what, when, and how during the negotiation. For example, you can assign a leader, a spokesperson, a note-taker, a researcher, or a devil's advocate. By assigning your team roles and responsibilities, you can leverage your team's skills, knowledge, and personalities, and avoid confusion, duplication, or omission.

3 Prepare your team strategy and tactics

After you have assigned your team roles and responsibilities, you need to prepare your team strategy and tactics. This means developing a plan of action, based on your team goals and interests, and the information you have gathered about the other party. You also need to anticipate the possible scenarios, challenges, and opportunities that may arise during the negotiation. By preparing your team strategy and tactics, you can increase your confidence, flexibility, and creativity.

4 Communicate with your team and the other party

During the negotiation, you need to communicate with your team and the other party. This means expressing your team's position, interests, and concerns clearly, respectfully, and persuasively. You also need to listen actively, ask open-ended questions, and acknowledge the other party's views and emotions. By communicating with your team and the other party, you can build rapport, trust, and understanding.

5 Manage your team dynamics and conflicts

Throughout the negotiation, you need to manage your team dynamics and conflicts. This means monitoring your team's performance, morale, and cohesion, and providing feedback, support, and recognition. You also need to address any issues, disagreements, or tensions that may arise within your team or between your team and the other party. By managing your team dynamics and conflicts, you can maintain your team's focus, motivation, and unity.

6 Review your team results and learnings

After the negotiation, you need to review your team results and learnings. This means evaluating your team's outcomes, processes, and behaviors, and identifying what worked well, what didn't work well, and what can be improved. You also need to celebrate your team's achievements, appreciate your team's efforts, and share your team's insights and feedback. By reviewing your team results and learnings, you can enhance your team's satisfaction, learning, and development.