How can you use active listening to negotiate better contracts?

Active listening is a communication skill that involves going beyond simply hearing the words that another person speaks. To actively listen to someone you must pay close attention to, and understand, what is being said. You pay close attention to verbal and nonverbal cues, probe the speaker when necessary, and offer comments to make sure you understand what they're saying. Active listening involves paying attention to what someone is saying as well as their emotions and thoughts. It changes a conversation into a dynamic, two-way, and non-competitive exchange. The capacity to actively listen is essential for developing effective communication, avoiding misunderstandings, and building trust in both personal and professional contexts.

Active listening is a critical skill for any anyone leading teams and engaging with stakeholders, as it underpins the ability to understand deeply and navigate the complex interplay of needs, concerns, and aspirations inherent in these relationships. Practicing active listening means creating a culture of trust and openness within their team, where people feel valued and motivated to collaborate, thereby enhancing productivity and fostering innovation.

Escuchar de forma activa es oir con atención, para entender y actuar en consecuencia, es decir usar la capacidad auditiva para comprender lo que la otra parte explica, informa o se?ala sobre un asunto o tema de conversación. En el tema que nos ocupa, una exposición clara, atrae mas facilmente una escucha activa por parte del receptor. Es gracias a esa comprensión ligada a lo escuchado con atención, que se generará un hilo conductor donde apareceran preguntas y respuestas para sacar conclusiones y compromisos por ambas partes al final de la exposición.

Active listening in contract negotiations involves fully concentrating on what the other party is saying and processing the information to gain a deeper understanding of their perspective. Establishing eye contact, keeping your posture open, nodding, and using other non-verbal cues to show that you are interested in the conversation are the first steps. Additionally, you should refrain from interjecting and instead give the other person space to completely express their ideas and worries. Asking open-ended, clarifying, questions helps you to understand their perspective. This establishes rapport with the other person and demonstrates your sincere interest in coming to a mutually beneficial agreement by actively listening to them.

La expresión oral es la primera plataforma de comunicación humana. Es por ello que captar mediante una escucha de forma atenta en el momento presente hace que se genere un ciclo de interes, curiosidad y toma de decisiones. Escuchar de forma activa sirve basicamente para descubrir, indagar, y comprender información que el emisor quiere trasmitir con el fin de obtener una respuesta verbal o acción del receptor.

The benefits of active listening in contract negotiations include: (1) Establishing trust and building rapport between the negotiating parties; (2) Allowing you to gather important information about the other party's needs, their priorities, and their goals; and (3) Enabling you to communicate effectively and persuasively for your client. All of the above are crucial for achieving a positive outcome for you, and your client, and are crucial for strengthening the contractual deal.

Oir de forma activa (escuchar) para captar, entender e interpretar la información del agente emisor es vital para llegar a una negociación efectiva. Mediante el uso de esta habilidad de la concentración mental, se producirán vínculos y acuerdos en función del nivel de exposición del trasmisor.

Active listening during negotiations may be fraught with difficulties. One difficulty in negotiations is that they can be emotional and tense, which can make it hard to concentrate on listening to the other side. Furthermore, it can be difficult to comprehend or follow the complex legal or technical language used in negotiations. Ultimately, negotiators have to strike a balance between the necessity of promoting their interests and viewpoints and the need to actively listen to the other party. All of these challenges can make it difficult to engage in effective active listening during contract negotiations, but doing so is crucial for reaching a fair and mutually beneficial agreement.

Los retos de una escucha activa dentro del contexto de la negociación de contratos se relacionan con el interés, el propósito, las normativas y los limites para plasmar en forma escrita variables como: minutas de control, cláusulas contractuales, expedientes de progreso, aclaratorias de procesos, pautas (plazos o condiciones) de ejecución de proyectos, resolución de conflictos, o cualquier otra información relacionada con el buen desempe?o de un proyecto.

During the negotiation, distractions can be a problem because it's easy to become sidetracked by your own thoughts or external factors. It's imperative that you stay mindful and focused in the here and now, listen to what the other person is saying, and fight the urge to multitask. Another challenge comes from emotional reactions. It's imperative to keep your emotions under control and act professionally throughout the negotiation process because letting your emotions take over can sabotage a successful negotiation. So, take a moment to collect your thoughts and breathe before responding. Lastly, the use of unfamiliar language, cultural or technical jargon can complicate active listening so ask open-ended questions to clarify issues.

(a) In the high-stakes environment of PE negotiations, I've found that silence, used judiciously, can be a powerful aspect of active listening. In one particularly tense negotiation, allowing moments of silence after key points or proposals were discussed provided all parties with the opportunity to reflect and consider their responses more carefully. This approach often led to more thoughtful and constructive contributions to the negotiation, facilitating a deeper understanding of each party's position and leading to more effective problem-solving (b) Establishing a feedback loop is a critical component of active listening in PE negotiations. This involves not only listening to and understanding the other party's position.