10 Common Obstacles to Avoid When Negotiating

In negotiating, it is absolutely important to remember at all times that you are dealing with other persons who are in every material detail different from you. Their values, motives and expectations are also different. To make headway with such persons therefore, you must be absolutely certain to avoid all obstacles that can obstruct you from coming across clearly to them when you want to make a deal with them. Anything that directly or indirectly impacts on this ability should be avoided at all costs. Some of these obstacles are:

01. Poor communication. Whether written or spoken, poor communication is a major obstacle to negotiations and deal-making. If you are incapable of communicating clearly to your negotiating partners what you want from them or need them to do, your chances of making a deal are severely limited. Same situation plays out when they too are unable to communicate to you what they want from you. Conflicting communication is a deal-killer any day. 

02. Non-congruent personalities. When you do not “flow” with a particular person, it is difficult to negotiate with or to make deals with such a person. This is one obstacle that must be avoided.

 

03. Different perceptions of same issue. There is not likely to be a meeting point in negotiating with persons whose views on same issues are not in tandem with yours. When perceptions are different, it is difficult if not impossible to know what concessions to give that will meet the other person’s expectations. Striking a mutually beneficial deal in such circumstance is near impossible.

04. Non-congruent goals. When negotiating partners are not working towards same goals, striking a deal is not very likely. This is another obstacle that should never be overlooked in negotiations. When goals are non-congruent, both parties hardly know when they meet the expectations of each other.

05. Contradictory expectations. This prevents mutually beneficial deals from being struck. If you do not know what the other side wants, it is impossible to provide them what they need.

 

06. Inconsistent values and beliefs. When your values are not consistent with those of your negotiating partners, anything you do may be offensive to them. That can create a major conflict capable of jeopardizing the deal being negotiated. Depending on the cultural differences between the negotiating partners, their use of language and mannerisms may be offensive to others. These can create a major obstacle to negotiations.

07. Subtle coercion. No one no matter their stations in life likes to be forced to do something they do not like or are unwilling to do. If any party in the negotiations senses that they are being coerced to make a deal, no matter how subtle the coercion is, it could create suspicion and resistance. That scenario can create a major obstacle to the deal.

08. Poor timing. As the saying goes, “there is time for everything.” When you do not get the timing right, you could create an obstacle to the negotiations.

09. Third parties outside the immediate negotiating environment. Too many negotiators usually spoil the deal. When there are third parties involved in the negotiations who are not immediately visible, that creates an obstacle to successful negotiations.

10. Unsuitable negotiating environment. Naturally, any environment you are directly impacts on who you can meet with and what you can discuss. An unsuitable negotiating environment is an obstacle to successful negotiations.

Unresolved conflicts during negotiations primarily prevent deals from being struck. The obstacles that cause conflicts when identified in good time can be avoided. Avoiding obstacles paves the way for smooth negotiations and successful deal-making. That is what smart entrepreneurs need in the day-to-day running of their businesses. They need to avoid these obstacles because without negotiations and deal-making, it is difficult for entrepreneurs to make money or even to run any business successfully.