Business Lesson 9: Negotiations

Business Lesson 9
Negotiations

The objects of Negotiations are Agreeing, Disagreeing, Voting, and Closing a Meeting

There are different reasons why a meeting comes to an end. Time may run out, or all of the items in the agenda may be checked off. Some meetings will end earlier than expected and others will run late. The odd time, a meeting may be cut short due to an unexpected problem or circumstance.

Here are a variety of ways to adjourn a meeting:
* It looks like we’ve run out of time, so I guess we’ll finish here.
* I guess that will be all for today.
* If no one has anything else to add, then I think we’ll wrap this up.

Before closing the meeting, make sure that all the participants have been able to reasonably voice their opinions, whether or not they agree or disagree with the items on the agenda. There is a right and wrong time to agree and disagree. If they are in disagreement, they should state this, but they should never interrupt or talk over the current speaker. Any further comments or additional questions should be made following the initial explanation instead of consistent and persistent interruptions.
Voting can be done in two ways: the first is by a simple hand-raising vote.
* Ex: all in favour raise your hand.
The second is by casting ballots. This can be done at the end of a meeting and then counted by a neutral party.

Reminders:
There is almost always one last thing to say in all Negotiations, even after the closing remarks. The chair might close the meeting and then make a last-minute reminder. Instructions for tidying up the room may also be mentioned. (Ex. I almost forgot, the boss said that…).
* Don’t forget to put your ballot in the box on your way out.
* If I didn’t already say this, please remember to introduce yourself to the new trainees.

Thank You’s and Congratulations:
The end of the meeting is also the time to thank anyone who has not been thanked at the beginning of the meeting, or anyone who deserves a second thank you. Congratulations or Good-luck can also be offered here to someone who has experienced something new, such as receiving a promotion, getting married, or having a baby.
* Most of you probably already know this, but Tom’s wife just gave birth to a baby boy.
* As you leave today, don’t forget to wish Anne luck on the weekend. The next time you see her she will be happily married.

Follow Up:
In the closing remarks, the chair, or participants may want to discuss the date and time for the next meeting, when the minutes will be available, or when a decision should be made by. This is also the time to give contact information, such as how to send a question by e-mail or who to call regarding a certain issue.
* We’ll meet again on the first of next month.
* Next time we meet I’ll be sure to have those contacts for you.
* If anyone has any questions about anything we discussed today, feel free to send me an e-mail.
* The minutes from today’s meeting will be posted as of tomorrow afternoon.
* I’ll send out a group e-mail with the voting results.. And so on.

After all negotiations are discussions aimed at reaching an agreement.

Vocabulary List