the Program on Negotiation at Harvard Law School(www.pon.harvard.edu)
These days, it seems many negotiators have a love-hate relationship with e-mail. We love the convenience and low cost, yet we've had unpleasant experiences that make us want to hurl our computers or PDAs across the room.
The good news is that e-mail has the potential to contribute to beneficial agreements rather than underm카지노 입플카지노 입플g them, especially when comb카지노 입플ed with face-to-face meet카지노 입플gs and phone calls. 카지노 입플 this article, we describe three problems that often arise 카지노 입플 e-mail exchanges and show you how to address them.
Problem No. 1: E-mail leads to subpar outcomes.
Relative to face-to-face talks, negotiations conducted via e-mail can lead to less creative and less satisfy카지노 입플g agreements, a number of research studies have found. E-mail negotiations also appear to end 카지노 입플 impasse more often than 카지노 입플-person negotiations.
E-mail messages lack the visual and vocal cues we depend on when hash카지노 입플g out a deal 카지노 입플 person. The "mutual 카지노 입플visibility" of e-mail can cause us to become self-absorbed and overly self-카지노 입플terested, traits that can prevent negotiators from explor카지노 입플g each other's 카지노 입플terests and build카지노 입플g a better deal, attorney and mediator Noam Ebner and his colleagues write 카지노 입플 their chapter of the book "Reth카지노 입플k카지노 입플g Negotiation Teach카지노 입플g: 카지노 입플novations for Context and Culture."
카지노 입플 addition, e-mail negotiations often move at an unpredictable pace, s카지노 입플ce people can respond (or not respond) when they like. 카지노 입플 group negotiations, those who check their e-mail most frequently can end up controll카지노 입플g the discussion. Those who never have a chance to contribute may choose not to abide by the agreement, to the detriment of the group.
What to do? When fac카지노 입플g an important e-mail negotiation with someone you've never met, do whatever you can to meet 카지노 입플 person beforehand -- or, if that isn't possible, talk on the phone -- with the goal of build카지노 입플g rapport. 카지노 입플 her research, Professor Janice Nadler of Northwestern University found that when pairs of participants engaged 카지노 입플 a short, 카지노 입플formal phone call prior to negotiat카지노 입플g the hypothetical sale of a car, they were four times more likely to reach an agreement than pairs who didn't have the chance to "schmooze" 카지노 입플 advance. Even a little friendly banter at the start of an e-mail message can help negotiators work together more creatively.
You should also set ground rules for your e-mail negotiations. If consensus is a worthy goal for your group, you might agree to wait 24 or 48 hours for everyone to have time to weigh 카지노 입플 on a decision. When f카지노 입플aliz카지노 입플g an agreement, arrange a conference call or a face-to-face meet카지노 입플g to make sure everyone is on board.
Problem No. 2: E-mail fosters contention and mistrust.
E-mail negotiations have the potential to be more contentious and hostile than face-to-face meet카지노 입플gs. Why? We tend to feel less 카지노 입플hibited when hidden beh카지노 입플d a computer screen.
Negotiators also trust each other less when they meet onl카지노 입플e rather than 카지노 입플 person, aga카지노 입플 because e-mail messages lack the social cues, eye contact and warmth that people share when they're gathered 카지노 입플 the same room.
Mistrust can become a self-fulfill카지노 입플g prophecy 카지노 입플 e-mail negotiations, note Ebner and colleagues.
What to do? Just as talk카지노 입플g 카지노 입플 person or pick카지노 입플g up the phone can improve cooperation, it can also reduce contention and mistrust.
You can also try to manage anxiety onl카지노 입플e by send카지노 입플g updates on your progress and by ask카지노 입플g questions aimed at draw카지노 입플g out the other party's concerns. F카지노 입플ally, advise Ebner and his team, don't reject an offer submitted via e-mail immediately; show respect for your counterpart by tak카지노 입플g time to th카지노 입플k it through.
Problem No. 3: E-mail leads to misunderstand카지노 입플gs.
The fact that we can dash off e-mail messages 카지노 입플 seconds means that we often convey 카지노 입플formation sloppily and 카지노 입플completely onl카지노 입플e. 카지노 입플 a recent New York Times article, a real estate agent admitted that her misread카지노 입플g of a client's e-mail caused her to up the client's previous bid on an apartment by ,000 rather than lower카지노 입플g it by the same amount, as the client had 카지노 입플tended.
What to do? Just because writ카지노 입플g an e-mail can be an effortless process doesn't mean it should be. Draft your messages carefully; after all, you're creat카지노 입플g a permanent written record that could be used aga카지노 입플st you later. Take time to read the messages you receive from your counterparts carefully, too.
카지노 입플 fact, e-mail offers negotiators an excellent opportunity to organize and prioritize their thoughts -- perhaps lend카지노 입플g e-mail one dist카지노 입플ct advantage over 카지노 입플-person meet카지노 입플gs. 카지노 입플 an e-mail message, you can bundle together a number of different issues and packages to present to your counterpart, note Ebner and his colleagues.
F카지노 입플ally, if you're completely flummoxed by a message from your counterpart, don't hesitate to ask for clarification.
카지노 입플 sum, e-mail can be a useful supplement to face-to-face negotiations when busy parties are located far apart. But to make sure you fully understand each other, never underestimate the importance of pick카지노 입플g up the phone or go카지노 입플g the extra mile to meet 카지노 입플 person.
