Negotiating and influencing
Skills for police communicators
Introduction
Successful negotiating and influencing magnifies the
impact of your professional knowledge and experience
As a police communicator, you probably already
negotiate and influence every day!
We will share those experiences and discuss some
tips to hone your skills
Definitions
What does negotiating and influencing mean to you?
Negotiation
• “A process where two or more parties discuss their differing
views and try to resolve an issue affecting all the parties”
Influence
• “A party’s ability to persuade the others to reach an agreeable
outcome”
Types of negotiation
Formal (usually written and planned in advance)
• Terms/prices for a purchase
• Agreeing objectives for a communications strategy
• Terms and conditions for a new job
Informal (often verbal and/or ad-hoc)
• Changing the approach taken by a journalist
• Gaining support for an idea
• Persuading an officer to be interviewed
When have you had to negotiate and influence?
Preparing for negotiation
Research the context and external factors
What’s your desired outcome?
• Needs – what you cannot do without
• Wants – what you would prefer to have
• Motives – reasons behind needs and wants
What’s the other party’s desired outcome?
Prepare evidence to support your outcome and/or challenge the
other party’s
What were your needs, wants and motives - and those of the
other party?
Potential outcomes
Win/Win
• The outcome is agreeable to both parties
Win/Lose
• One party achieves the outcome they want
Lose/Lose
• The outcome meets neither party’s objectives
No agreement
• No outcome can be reached
Compromising for a
Win/Win
Both parties must feel
benefit for a compromise to
work
• Exchange ‘wants’ to ensure
you both meet your ‘needs’
Only compromise for a
Win/Win
• Why compromise if someone
still ‘loses’?
Is Win/Win always the best outcome?
Benefits of a Win/Win outcome
• Both parties leave in agreement, even if they don’t achieve all
they wanted
• Foundation for lasting, trusting relationships
Sometimes a Win/Lose may be acceptable
• Short-term relationship
• Quick outcome needed
• Issue too critical to compromise
What was the outcome in your example? Did you
compromise?
Negotiation tips
Agree agenda and time available
Listen carefully to other party
Ask questions to build understanding
Refer to preparation, but be ready to adapt
Clarify their wants and needs
Look for points of commonality
Use evidence not emotion – remain calm!
Fairly consider their evidence
Leave with agreed actions and timescales
Negotiation pitfalls
Compromising too early or for little return
Talking too much and failing to listen
Making assumptions, rather than clarifying
Failing to adapt your initial analysis
Not respecting others’ views
Lying or exaggerating your evidence
Taking things personally or ‘point-scoring’!
Desire to reach agreement regardless
• Adjournment is sometimes the better option
Negotiation skills vs. ability to influence
Police communicators inherently have many of the
essential skills for negotiation
• Researching evidence to support your cause
• Preparing persuasive messages
• Communicating clearly, including listening
But you may not feel you have enough influence, even
inside your Force…
• In very hierarchical organisations like the police, rank can
intimidate and may lead to seniority of parties being the decisive
factor
Experience + knowledge = influence
Situational status
• “The relative status of an individual in a particular situation,
based on the role they are performing in it.”
Your experience and knowledge can be a more
powerful influencer than seniority
• You are the communications specialist!
• Would the person you are negotiating with discount a specialist
from another field, such as a finance expert or scenes of crime
officer?
• If they ignore your advice, they carry the risk!
Balance of power
Identify who has the most power
• What’s the status quo? Who does this favour?
• Who has the most to win or lose?
• What track record do you both have?
You may choose not to negotiate
• If the status quo already favours you
• If your balance of power isn’t similar or equal
In your example, was situational status apparent? Who
had the most power?
We’re only human!
Negotiating and influencing is ultimately an interpersonal
skill, not a hard theory
• People we like have more influence over us than people we don’t!
• Personality effects your level of influence
Work out the other party’s personality traits
•
•
•
•
Preference for stats or anecdotal evidence?
In it for personal gain or organisational benefit?
Are they risk-averse? Can you minimise risk?
Are they open to change?
Did personalities affect your example?
Increasing your influence: Shorter term
Be friendly, professional and firm if needed
Build rapport
• Remember names (record them if you need to)
• Positive reinforcement and empathy: “That’s interesting but...” not
“You’re wrong because...”
• Active listening skills (signal your attention)
• Non-verbal communications, such as mirroring
Be yourself, play to your strengths
Be aware of the ‘politics’ even if you don’t want to get
involved in them!
Increasing your influence: Longer term
Circle of champions
• Built through fair interactions over time, even if the other party initially
disagreed with you
• Advocates will build your influence indirectly
Choose the right time to influence
• When the other party is receptive and/or the balance of power is in
your favour
• When the outcome really matters
Continually horizon-scan
• Monitor your Force’s context and internal politics
• Identify issues requiring negotiation and initiate it
Further information
Try the books above (or others!)
Research ‘Choice Architecture’ online
Discuss successful N&I with colleagues
Discuss as a development area with your manager
Any questions?
Nick Cloke
Head of Media &
Corporate Communications
@nickcloke