TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01 - TRADOC - U.S. Army

TRADOC Pam 525-3-7-01The Army Leader as NegotiatorThe shift from training foroperations within sharply definedinstitutional chains of command, to theconduct of highly decentralized, diverse,and collaborative operations involved infuture full spectrum operations, hasplaced a high value on negotiation skills.Such negotiation will occur withincoalitions as well as with non-militaryactors. America’s strategic success infuture full spectrum operations may welldepend on an expanding range of skillsthat leaders at all levels require—particularly junior leaders—thatincludes negotiation skills.Negotiations have immediate tactical importance, operational significance, and potentialstrategic implications. Traditionally Army leaders have a great deal of experience negotiating butnot necessarily in contexts of ambiguous authority, limited political guidance, and significantcultural diversity. Too many military leaders approach negotiation simply as a battle of wills,skillful posturing and tactical positioning, rather than as a collaborative search for mutuallyacceptable solutions. While the confrontational approach is appropriate in some circumstances,leaders facing complex day-to-day challenges of influence need to develop a more sophisticatedunderstanding of negotiation and a robust repertoire of negotiation approaches that takes accountof the various cultural perceptions and expectations of those they hope to influence.A successful negotiator begins by reflecting upon the assumptions they bring into the processand develops the skills to identify and test assumptions in each negotiation. Negotiators considermany possible measures of success and develop their abilities to choose a proper measure for thegiven situation. As part of their preparation, negotiators must be ready to seek new instructions,if those given do not seem suitable. They need to develop the techniques to prepare fornegotiation instantaneously or over time. Leaders need to develop approaches to negotiation,ranging from principled bargaining (a joint problem-solving approach), to positional bargaining(one of many tactical approaches), with myriad variations in between. In addition, a negotiatorneeds to develop the skill of “changing the game” when facing the hard bargainer and inmanaging the communication and relationship dynamics of negotiations in different cultures.Lastly, the leader needs to learn from each negotiation and leverage lessons from one interactionto the next. Of course, leaders also need to be able to manage and coach other negotiators.191