Finding an effective negotiation style for women is challenging since this area has been dominated by men for a long time and there are very few female role-models. Without mastering the negotiation techniques appropriate for women, the female negotiations handicap themselves in business.
Some of their common errors are confusing negotiation with confrontation, believing that tough exterior communicates confidence and effectiveness, focusing on weaknesses, and failing to see negotiation as a possibility (Colb et al. 1). As a result, the leadership styles of female executives are seen as ineffective which prevents them from moving up the career ladders in business. Women are encouraged to change their perceptions of their roles as leaders and transform their approach to negotiation. Otherwise, many skillful and talented businesswomen will continue lagging in this career field.
Integrating Writing and Negotiation Skills
Carolina Lyons Lawrence teaches business reporting techniques for business majors; she believes that combining proposal development with oral presentation and negotiation skills is the best strategy for this subject. Her course is divided into 6 sessions – two 75-minute sessions for proposals, presentations, and negotiation skills development (Lyons Lawrence 54).
Developing their proposals, students will not be limited in word count but will decide on the appropriate length of a proposal independently and apply critical thinking for the selection of a topic. The part about negotiation skills contains a strong theoretical basis for a better understanding of the concept covering negotiation strategies, elements, and the most common errors in the process. The oral presentation part will require the delivery of proposals in front of a class, as well as the knowledge of teamwork skills and specificity.
Works Cited
Colb, Deborah, et al. “Stumbling Blocks at the Negotiation Table for Women: Why Companies Should Pay Attention to Their Bargaining Skills.” Negotiating Women, Inc., 2005, pp. 1-5.
Lyons Lawrence, Carolena. “Integrating Writing and Negotiation Skills.” Business Communication Quarterly, vol. 65, no. 2, 2002, pp. 54-66.