06/05/2020

Daily Buzz: The Art of Email Negotiation

How to facilitate a productive discussion virtually

With remote work, email negotiations are probably unavoidable. To do it well, don’t expect a virtual back-and-forth to play out the same as an in-person negotiation. Virtual communication is different, and the physical separation and lack of visual cues can lead to misunderstandings and trust issues.

“Email messages tend to be more aggressive and self-interested. People have reduced feelings of social obligation in email interactions,” said negotiation advisor Jack Nasher on Forbes. “Visual anonymity and remote distance decrease the likelihood of loyalty to the negotiation (continuation norm), making it more likely that negotiators will exit the current negotiation.”

To ensure you’re negotiating effectively via email, make an effort to establish a personal rapport, as you would if you were meeting face to face. Lead things off by sharing something about yourself that’s not related to business. Or you could lead with humor.

“Email transactions containing humor tend to lead to increased trust and satisfaction levels, higher joint gains, and greater individual gains,” Nasher said.

It’s also important to be direct and to the point, since written communications can be misinterpreted. Before hitting send, re-read your email to make sure your message comes across clearly.

“If there’s any doubt, save the mail as a draft and come back to reconsider before sending,” Nasher said.

Please select this link to read the original article from Associations Now.