The president of a medium-sized western ski area presented the Forest Service with a well designed and carefully thought out expansion plan. When the forest supervisor expressed reservations about portions of the plan, the president reacted with anger, refusing to discuss the possibility of modifying his plan in any substantial way. The forest supervisor, in turn, responded negatively and approval of the expansion plan was delayed for over a year.
Although personalities can’t be changed with software, the delay might have been avoided had the CEO prepared for his presentation by acknowledging his own tendency to anger, the forester’s tendency to “get his back up” and had he devised alternative strategies. Negotiating software could have assisted in before-the-fact evaluation of the characteristics of the negotiators and the anticipation of the give and take that is part of the negotiating process.
Like all so-called MBA-ware, negotiating software usually relies heavily on the users’ knowledge, intelligence and wisdom and upon his ability to express thoughts. These software applications do not think—they ask leading questions that result in suggestions for a logical organization and expansion of approaches to negotiating.
Planning for negotiations is tedious, but critical to success. “Flying by the seat of one’s pants” is a poor negotiating tactic.
The Art of Negotiating for DOS by Experience in Software, Berkeley, Calif., like its brainstorming counterpart, Idea Generator Plus, is easy to master and easy to use even by those who have an aversion to computer software manuals. In a hypothetical employment contract negotiation in which I acted out both the employer and the employee roles, I was guided through defining the objectives and needs of each side of the negotiation. Details, strategies and an evaluation of the negotiating climate were added and all factors rated by each side on a 1 to 10 scale. The rating process helped me to evaluate the importance of negotiation factors, indicating those items of lesser importance that might be sacrificed or compromised in the negotiating process. The Art of Negotiating helps keep the negotiating plans on track by limiting the influence of side issues and finally suggests possible tactics, approaches and countermoves.
This software and the accompanying hard-cover book, “The Complete Negotiator” by Gerard Nierenberg, emphasizes the goal of win-win negotiating in which each party emerges with his or her major objectives met. This $195 software package is a management tool, applicable to the preparation for procurement, regulatory agency, community or other negotiations. Despite the minor annoyance of having to use the F10 key for every entry, *The Art of Negotiating* is well worth its price tag.
Unfortunately, win-win solutions can result only when both sides have negotiated in good faith resulting in mutually satisfactory terms. Negotiations with an enemy or unscrupulous adversary can be dangerous. Remember Chamberlain and Hitler at Munich. Chamberland thought he had won “Peace in our time.” Hitler knew he had won time and territory and that he had humiliated and intimidated his negotiating opponents.
Negotiator Pro is a jazzy bit of business software by Beacon Expert Systems of Brookline, Mass. Like The Art of Negotiating, it was written by a law professor who has taught negotiating skills to students and colleagues. It is jazzy because, when started, the software spouts a distracting, repetitive jazz tune. Fortunately, by deleting the jazz file from the program directory, one can get down to the business of using this excellent product without intrusive sounds.
Negotiator Pro seems to have everything: An on-screen manual, suggested words and phrases applicable to specific situations, information on the negotiating styles of other countries including Japan, China and Korea, profiling the negotiating personalities of both parties and numerous suggestions, hints and ideas.
I have negative reactions to acronyms—OSHA, FICA, FUTA, etc. This program features one of the least attractive sounding, but most useful acronyms; BATNA, the Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement. BATNA suggests that, under some circumstances, the best thing to do is to walk away or even capitulate when the other party holds all the cards.
When printed, the resulting plan, much like a lawyer’s briefing notebook, helps organize thoughts and perceptions about the negotiations and the negotiators. This $149 package comes in DOS, Windows and Mac versions.
Both The Art of Negotiating and Negotiator Pro are effective primers in preparation for serious negotiating. For “life or death” negotiating situations, however, I’d prefer the more difficult, more comprehensive, more detailed Negotiator Pro.
More Brainstorming Software
My recent SAM article on brainstorming software went to print before I could add Mindlink Problem Solver by MindLink Inc. of North Pomfret, Vt., a $295 Windows and Mac brainstormer. The user starts in the MindLink “Gym” where one’s idea generating abilities are exercised—a mental workout—before entering the more pragmatic idea generation, wishing and problem-solving phases of the program. I found this package’s manual less helpful then others, but discovered that maneuvering in MindLink was a lot of fun, using absurdities, poetry, stories and wishes to stimulate new ideas. Though my personal preferences are for Idea Generator and Idea Fisher, MindLink is an effective lighthearted, often humorous approach to thought stimulation.
Because I was unable to obtain a full review copy of Inspiration by Inspiration Software of Portland, Ore., I relied on a demo disk and other’s opinions in commenting upon this highly-rated software. Inspiration, a favorite of many reviewers, provides a visual, flexible presentation of ideas and interrelations. One writer called it “computerized mind mapping.”—V.M.M.
