Always consider individual interests
Think carefully about any interests that may potentially be in conflict. Don’t expect your counterpart automatically to see how your request or proposal is fully aligned with the overall objectives of the organisation. This is the cautionary advice in an article on the website of the INSEAD business school.
You and your counterpart will often have conflicting views and perspectives. You may view priorities differently – especially if you are from different subject matter fields.
Remember that within an organisation there are unique KPIs, giving rise to a healthy tension. This is perfectly all right: generally speaking, it is necessary that different departments balance one another's interests in an effort to find the best solution for the organisation as a whole.
Don’t trust labels and assumptions
When you have been with an organisation for quite a few years, your experiences with certain colleagues, and sometimes backbiting and gossip too, can become a factor during negotiations. You can easily gain the impression that one of your colleagues is always there to help you. Or, on the other hand, that someone else is always trying to steal other people’s resources.
Such perceptions may not be exactly based on fact. Nonetheless, fixed images in our minds that we have about colleagues can often have an impact on our behaviour towards them.
People may often be labelled as selfish or, on the contrary, helpful on the basis of only a very few examples, when in reality their behaviour is dependent on the given situation. Too often we either give up on certain relationships or take them for granted. In both cases, the chances of our uncovering new opportunities or changing our view of colleagues are limited.
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