Communication and Negotiation Flashcards
1
Q
- Please can you define what communication is?
A
It is the imparting or exchanging of information from one person to another
2
Q
- What are the different ways you can communicate with your team
A
- In writing (email or letter)
- Speaking (in person or on the phone)
- Using visual aids (pictures or graphs)
- Reports or presentations
3
Q
- Please provide some advantages of written communication?
A
- Recordable, can be copied
- Good way to formalise a discussion or proposition
- Can convey complex ideas
- Can be circulated quickly (email)
- Can comply with certain contractual obligations (NEC clauses on communications)
4
Q
- Please provide some disadvantages of written communication?
A
- Uncertainty if it has been received or not.
- Can be difficult to convey tone in writing and language might be an issue.
- Might not be as useful as a picture or graph
- Much harder to ask questions or clarify a point
- Might not know if the recipient had understood the message
5
Q
- Give good examples of written information?
A
- Short and precise
- Clear and easy to understand
- Will structure with an intro, substance, and conclusion
- Use of charts/diagrams or pictures to enhance meaning
- The recipient understands the message without ambiguity
6
Q
- If you chair a meeting, how do you make it effective?
A
- Set an agenda with timescales and try to stick to it.
- Prepare for the meeting and have your documents ready in advance
- Be on time
- Take minutes
- Give everyone the opportunity to speak and contribute
- Understand the body language
7
Q
- What is the different between effective and efficient communication?
A
- Effective communication accomplishes a purpose, producing the intended or expected result
- Efficient communication is presented in a clear and concise manner, reducing effort and waste
8
Q
- What are the barriers to communication?
A
- Difference between verbal and non verbal (what you say and your body language are at odds)
- Individual perceptions
- Body language can distract from what you are saying
- Language or cultural differences
- Different time zones and locations
9
Q
- Explain what is meant by body language and give examples?
A
It is the unconscious signs that we make with our bodies that give away how we are really feeling or thinking. Shaking your head might indicate disagreement or folded arms can indicate someone is feeling vulnerable or defensive.
10
Q
- Name the types of body language and briefly explain?
A
- Passive – Defeated, over apologetic, understating, no eye contact.
- Assertive – Relaxed and balance, firm but friendly and maintain a comfortable distance
- Aggressive – tense, invading space, loud, clenched fists
11
Q
- What is a negotiation?
A
Discussion to reach a compromise or agreement. Parties through informal or facilitated negotiated process agree to settle an issue either at high level or in detail.
12
Q
- What could indicate the successful negotiation of a final account?
A
Both parties come away happy, costs agreed and within the client’s budget.
13
Q
- What things do you need to think about before entering into a negotiation?
A
- Do I have all the facts or information I need
- The character of the person you are negotiating with
- What the desired outcome is
- Strategy how are you going to approach this discussion do you want a quick negotiation or do you want to get into the detail.
- What are you delegated to accept in terms of money and or concession
- What can you concede in order to make a deal and what can you absolutely not give away.
14
Q
- What is your negotiating style?
A
- Compete – I win, you lose. Person might do whatever they need to in order to get what they want.
- Collaborate – Where you try to find the solution where both parties win.
- Compromise – Where both parties win and lose on some issues. You might trade off something you are not so precious for something that is an absolute deal breaker
- Avoid – The person might not want to properly get into the issue and may avoid directly talking about it. This might lead to an outcome where neither party is happy and both remain resentful.
- Accommodate – Swings and round abouts style used to preserve relationships so you may concede something you ideally didn’t want to in order to reach agreement and keep things moving.
I think I am a compromiser, where I understand things that I can concede on in order to achieve a larger more important aim.
15
Q
- When faced with a challenging negotiation how do you conduct yourself in a fair and professional manner?
A
- I always try and stay objective and enter the negotiation with the mindset of finding a solution
- I conduct my work ethically and to the required standards
- I always respect the other side and endeavour to understand their position
