Leadership Programme for Women UNAIDS

21 November 2019

Political Acumen, Leadership Influence and Strategic Negotiation

Beverly Hyman, Ph.D.

Facilitator

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Objectives

1. Use 3 “hooks” to strengthen the content of your persuasive presentations. 2. Use guidelines for non-verbal communication that usually convey

credibility, authority and responsiveness in presentation of self. 3. Answer 10 important questions about effective negotiation to enhance

your negotiating skills. 4. Employ 10 guidelines in framing influential discussions and negotiated

outcomes. 5. Use the template DESC to prepare for complex and conflictual

conversations to give you a better chance of a positive negotiated outcome and to better manage challenging staff.

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Credibility and Influence Credibility comes across through both the verbal (content) and non-verbal (delivery/process) channels. You cannot be credible if your delivery is not credible. You cannot be credible if your message is not supported credibly.

Credible Delivery Credible delivery conveys: Authority of the Speaker, Enthusiasm (positive or negative) of the speaker, Responsiveness to the Audience on the part of the speaker. The following list is subject to some cultural differences, but also reflects growing international standards among professionals in the UN, international NGO’s, global businesses and government communities. Research among educated men and women a generation ago showed significant differences in non-verbal communication between professional men and women. Current research, including cross cultural research, shows considerable closing of the gap between gender differences among women and men professionals. Deliberate and sustained eye contact with each person in the meeting Capacity to smile appropriately Sufficient voice volume, conversational tone and (unhurried) speed Relaxed but erect posture, not stiff or slouched Arms extended a bit from the body rather than “plastered” to sides of the body; this conveys taking up more rather than less space Visible and empty hands used at times for emphasis, not held higher than waist height; hands on the table, not in your lap when sitting at a table Quiet legs and feet; ability to take a stand and hold it—to be still and in control of one’s body Dress appropriate to the occasion and not highly distracting from the speaker’s message

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Credible and Influential Content Provide three types of supports for credible content: logic, emotion and authority. Logic: Logical appeals present observable evidence of value to a specific person or audience. For example: Our one-year pilot study proves that using this programme innovation we were able to reduce the spread of infection from mothers to infants by 31%. Emotion: Emotional appeals usually cannot be proven by observable evidence, but convey a proposition that appeals to the emotions, values, morals, ethics, and/or humanity of a person or an audience. For example: As we refuse to see the impact of HIV/AIDS on our communities, what we see are communities with no young men in them, orphans, and fathers and mothers mourning their children. Authority: Authoritative appeals rely on the credibility of people held in high esteem by the audience or based on the experience of others the audience can identify with. The direct personal experience of the audience can also be a source of authority. For example: When we provided this same education and prevention programme in the prisons in neighboring countries of X,Y,Z in this region, health-related costs in the prisons dropped by 25% and HIVAIDS related deaths of prisoners and guards reduced by 30%. Our Regional Director has said this is her highest priority, to complete our push to have every prison system in the region as a UNAIDS beneficiary.

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Exercise Directions: At your table team select one persuasive presentation topic from the list of four Bev provides below. Select one person to deliver your presentation to the rest of us. The presentation shouldn’t take more than about 3 minutes. The rest of us will provide feedback on the quality of your 3 appeals (authority, emotion, logic) and the strength of your delivery. Put your objective on a flip chart. Don’t read your presentation. Deliver it from a few notes. Choose any one of the following topics and objectives. Write your objective up on a flip chart for the rest of us to see. No need to put your 3 (logic, emotion, authority) persuasive arguments on the flip chart.

(1) Develop your presentation for civil society leaders including religious leaders and parents on the importance of condom distribution for young people in their community to prevent HIVAIDS. Objective: The audience will agree to permit UNDAIDS to conduct education and distribution among 16 to 24 year olds through school programmes and community center programmes.

(2) Convince a prison system panel of officials that they need HIVAIDS prevention for prisoners and guards in this Central Asian country. Objective: The audience will agree to enable UNAIDS to conduct education and distribute condoms throughout the prisons in the country targeting both prisoners and guards.

(3) Convince a beneficiary that we cannot and will not be able to provide them with aid and assistance, technical or substantive, if they are not in compliance with UNAIDS’s rules and regulations for beneficiaries.

Objective: The executive staff of this NGO will agree to comply with the record keeping UNAIDS requires and permit audit of their records and expenditures by an external auditor in order to remain a beneficiary.

(4) Convince the Minister of Women and Gender Equality and his staff to agree to promote and train women in communities to work with peers to prevent HIV transfer from mother to child.

Objective: The Minister and his staff will agree (a) to work with us to identify a large, at risk community where (b) we will initiate a pilot programme to last six months (c) in which we identify, select and train local women from the community to receive our training and (d) then take on an agreed on caseload to communicate to community peers information on HIV prevention of mother-child transfer.

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Definitions

Your Audience—Suit your appeals to what your audience cares about and needs. If you have multiple stakeholders in the audience, for example donors, government ministers, UN agency partners and NGO’s, address issues on the minds of each of these groups so you embrace all. Your Objective—State what you need the audience to agree to or do, a specific action, by the end of your presentation. State it again at the end. Your Logical Appeal—This includes reference to data, to objective studies with outcomes, and demonstration of causality between actions and outcomes. Your Emotional Appeal—This includes appeals to ethical and moral behaviour, appeals to shared values, a compelling story of an individual or group that plays on the emotions along the spectrum from joy to sorrow, from failure to triumph. Emotional appeals also include the speaker’s genuine enthusiasm and use of colorful language. Your Authoritative Appeal—This includes reference to people in prominent and respected positions in your organization or partner organizations who support your objective. It also includes the audience’s own experience with your proposition that leads them to the same conclusion. It includes citing the opinions of those with recognizable expertise such as economists, historians, political scientists, physicians, senior managers who are well respected, the personal experience of people in the audience, etc.

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WHAT’S YOUR NEGOTIATION IQ? DIRECTIONS: WORK IN TEAMS TO ANSWER THE QUESTIONS YOUR TEAM IS ASSIGNED.

1. How should you respond when the other person starts off with an extreme

point of view in a negotiation, one that is very far from your position?

2. What happens when we approach a negotiation as a win/lose battle? When should you avoid win/win negotiating outcomes?

3. Why is it important to understand the overt and covert “interests” of your opposite in a negotiation? How can you do this in advance of and during the negotiation?

4. What personal qualities do you want to communicate to the other person as a negotiator? How might you need to adjust this depending on the stance/attitude/persona of your opposite in the negotiation?

5. List things you might be able to offer in negotiations that are not likely to affect your position or mean you are giving in to the demands of the other side.

6. Explain the importance of each of these in negotiation: persistence, creativity, joint problem solving.

7. What are some useful ways to respond to threats and ultimatums from the other side in a negotiation?

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8. How can you interpret “No” from the other side so it means something other

than “No!”? What should you do if the negotiation is going all right but then breaks down to an impasse over a particular point?

9. When are you at the greatest disadvantage in a negotiation?

10. Why should you ask lots of questions in a negotiation? What is the difference between an open question and a closed question? What does it mean to return a question?

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Communication Guidelines for Influence & Negotiation 1. Is win/win not win/lose; frames the negotiation as joint problem solving...

There is no attempt to lay blame, establish right or wrong. There is instead a focus on common goals and getting to a successful solution for both parties. This is joint problem solving.

2. Is persistent.

Most people abandon their cause much too soon. Be a pleasant “broken record.” Keep revisiting the issue; don’t give up. Be enthusiastic, demonstrate how much you care. Plato said: “We get the behaviour from people that we accept.” Unless you are persistent, you are in danger of giving in to poor or unacceptable behaviour.

3. Has a concrete actionable objective (SMART).

Before you enter into an important negotiation or attempt to influence another, decide what you need to get the other person to agree to. It should be something specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and have a time frame.

4. Understands and uses the power of open questions and the return. It is often easier to open a conversation through asking open questions than through taking positions. Asking questions enables you to gauge how near or far your two positions are about a subject. It provides you with insight into the other and an opportunity to mirror their language. Open questions often start with How, Why, If this happened, What if.

If someone is highly aggressive and tries to put you on the defensive, do not respond to the challenge or “attack” by defending your argument. Instead, throw the challenge back to the challenger. Ask the challenger to explain his or her challenge. This is the return.

5. Offers alternatives to NO; Enlarges the pie. The alternative to “no” is not just “yes.” Other alternatives include negotiating the delivery time and the scope of what will be done. Try to put more possible approaches and items on the table to enlarge what can be negotiated. Would a draft rather than a finished product be a possibility? Would getting assistance in the way of added resources be a possibility? The more alternative solutions you can create, the greater chance you will come to mutual agreement. Sometimes enlarging the pie means helping the other to see the potential negative consequences for them of not coming to a negotiated resolution.

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6. Provides concrete examples. Ask for and provide concrete examples. Try to limit the abstractions in the conversation. Be forthcoming. Offer written documented examples of what you are suggesting to help the other person see the approach you are taking.

7. Is empathic/addresses the interests of the opposite.

Sympathize with the other person’s dilemma or problem. This doesn’t mean you are going to do anything about it or “give in.” Sympathy and empathy are great communication. They warm relationships. Don’t underestimate your opposite’s need to save face in the negotiation and have some of their overt and covert interests met. Complete victory in a negotiation often means making an enemy for life.

8. Uses meta-communication. If the communication is unsatisfactory and you are not making any progress, raise that to a verbal level. Communicate about the communication if it is not going well.

9. Builds small agreements/Rewards tit for tat. Actively listen. As you listen reflect back what you hear, summarize any areas that you and your opposite are in agreement about. It is important to keep pointing out agreements rather than emphasizing where you differ. Every time your opposite makes a positive move in your direction, reward it by providing movement in their direction to keep the positive momentum going.

10. Stays calm, respectful and patient/Maintains optimism.

Forging agreements and influencing the actions of others takes time, patience and respect. Hang in there. Maintain a spirit of optimism and communicate this. Optimism is the grease of good communication. If your opposite gets angry or indignant, be firm. Draw the line and do not accept any abuse. Describe the potential consequences for them of a failure to negotiate.

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Case Studies in Developing Negotiation Skill & Political Acumen

Directions: In your table teams discuss each of the following case studies.

(1) Diagnose what the interests of the other side are. (2) Be ready to state your objective—what do you need the other person

to agree to do by the end of the negotiation. (3) Decide what you can offer as leverage in order to get what you want.

What can you offer your opposite to enlist their agreement? Are there consequences you can use that your opposite has not considered and that could be provided as an important inducement to the other side?

(4) Describe the persona you would adopt in this negotiation. How do you want to come across to help a successful outcome?

1. You are in a meeting with representatives of the ministry of health in this

country. The ministry’s data on HIV/AIDS mortality and your UNAIDS’ data on HIV/AIDS mortality are wildly different. Not surprisingly the numbers that you have are much larger than the government’s. You are pretty sure that one reason for this huge difference is that doctors, clinics and hospitals in the country misreport cause of death because of pressure from families who wish to avoid stigma for the deceased. You need to agree on how you will proceed to work together despite this wide separation.

2. You work closely with a colleague who has been in the section longer than anyone. She is well-liked; she is a hard worker. A serious problem is that she has terrible problems adapting to new technology. The last time a new system was introduced to the section she became useless for months at a time. She panics. She throws up her hands and says: “I can’t.” Of course over a long time she does finally let herself master the new software, but it is really painful for you since your work and hers coincide so much. You are forced to pick up her work and yours during the long learning time. At the moment you are both extremely busy and short-staffed in the unit. The supervisor has let you know the new software system will be implemented in the next 2 months and that you are in charge of ensuring that your team of two are ready for it. The supervisor turns a deaf ear to your concerns about your colleague’s “techno-phobia”. You need to get her to agree on a procedure for the two of you to get up to speed on the new technology that will not put all the burden on you.

3. You supervise the work of a relatively new staff member. She is a perfectionist. Her work is very accurate and complete, but her time management is unacceptable. She misses deadlines which delays the work of others and can even result in avoidable crises. Her work is 30% slower than anyone else in the unit. Others on the team are getting

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resentful about this. You need to get her to agree to a solution for this problem.

4. The government of …..istan agreed to supply a million dollars a year for 5 years towards HIVAIDS prevention programmes for youth in their country in partnership with the UN. This is new for them. They have recently emerged as a low middle income country which precipitated this change. They have not contributed before; they actually don’t even have legal mechanisms for doing this. They approved the programmes, but the money has not been forthcoming and you can see they are really dragging their feet.

5. You are a senior programme manager in UNAIDS. There is a new ultra

conservative government and a new minister of health in the country. You have gotten the opportunity to attend a small meeting with key senior people in the new ministry. This meeting provides a chance to negotiate some of what the terms of your agency’s relationship is going to be like with the newly appointed leadership of this crucial ministry. The new government and the new minister of health have a reputation for very conservative opinions including a lack of support for programmes for reproductive health including HIV/AIDS. The minister has been profiled in popular magazines because he came into politics recently after a highly remunerative career as the CEO of the biggest pharmaceutical company in the country. The ministry have indicated they plan to write new reproductive health policy.

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Negotiation Template for Leadership Communication

DESC

Frame your SMART objective D – Describe the situation/alternatively use open questions to ask them to. Come to agreement on what the issue/problem is that must be solved. E -- Express how you feel about the situation (provide your level of enthusiasm) S – Specify (state your objective)—get feedback—find out how near or far you are from one another and from agreement C – Consequences (provide positive consequences if possible; raise negative consequences that they have not counted on)—get feedback 1. Describe ….provide the specific background. Use recent, concrete examples.

Avoid generalities such as ‘Always,” “Never.”

2. Get feedback to see of the other can agree with your view of the situation. Ask questions before going on.

3. Express….state how you feel about the situation. People are influenced by feeling as well as logic.

a. “I feel concerned” b. “I feel let down” c. “I feel angry” d. “I feel worried” e. “I feel disappointed” f. “I feel confident”.

4. Specify….state your objective as an action you want them to take 5. Consequences…..state these whenever you can as a positive. If you cannot

achieve your objective with positive consequences, negative consequences may be appropriate. Don’t rush into judgment and negative consequences. Coercion often back fires.

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Role Play: Negotiation Acumen & Leadership Communication

Directions: Your table team will be assigned one role play. Divide your team in two and pick one person to play each side of the negotiation, one who is seeking to achieve their objective and one who is seeking to thwart it and achieve a different goal. Divide the team in two so each half of the team can prepare their “side” of the negotiation. If you are the person seeking to accomplish your objective:

First decide what your SMART objective is.

Next map out your DESC script. You may invent appropriate additional information to fill in what is needed.

Next decide what questions you will ask to encourage two way communication and gather information from them.

Develop a persona/attitude that you think will serve you well in the negotiation

If you are on the opposite side

Come up with stumbling blocks and alternative solutions that might prevent the other person from accomplishing their objective.

Develop a persona/attitude that is realistic, but tries to prevent the negotiation from going forward.

Become collaborative if the other side makes you feel like being collaborative through their influence/persuasion/compelling reasons and persuasive persona.

(1) You are a UNAIDS programme director in this country and you and a

UNDP colleague with a related portfolio agreed to joint implementation of a country programme to address stigma and discrimination against population with HIVAIDS. Although you had outlined clear roles and responsibilities, your UNDP colleague is operating solo. She is making visits to the Ministries of Health, Education and Youth without you or consultation with you. She has already engaged the services of both internal and external resources to initiate an information campaign with no prior discussion. Speak with her to negotiate your agreement on how you will remain a full partner in the situation.

(2) Your boss has historically refrained from giving you the kind of visibility that you believe would be good professional experience and good for your career. You can point to numerous instances in which you were responsible for much of the good work done on a project and yet others, you can’t help but notice—usually male colleagues, wind up going to conferences, presentations and high level meetings with the boss and you do not. There is an important set of meetings with inter-agency and NGO partners that will take place in the next month. You feel convinced you are the most knowledgeable person in the subject area, along with your boss,

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and you want to attend and you want to be an active participant. Speak to your boss before he makes up his mind as to who will be attending and presenting.

(3) Your manager is extremely ambitious and seems to believe that time spent in the office is time away from promoting his career in the organization. Two things result from this lack of “facetime” with your manager. First, you are forced to take decisions on your own that you feel you don’t really have the authority to take and worry about the potential consequences if something should fail or fall apart. Second, you feel you have no guidance, no mentor, no supervisory coach. Speak with your manager on this rare occasion when he is in the office and seek some incremental changes to help your situation.

(4) Your supervisor is a micro-manager. You have now been working with her for a year and a half and you have produced excellent, competent results for her consistently. Still, each time she gives you an assignment, even a simple one, she details every aspect of how and when you should accomplish the task, and never asks for your thoughts or input despite your proven track record and growing experience. You thought that by accepting this relationship she would gain confidence in you and loosen the reigns a little over time. This hasn’t happened. Speak with her to determine how you can change this picture.

(5) The transmission of HIV/AIDS from male to male in this country is reaching epidemic proportion. You have evidence of a 20% overall increase in infection, specifically attributable to this population. You believe the numbers are underreported. UNAIDs can ameliorate this unnecessary death and suffering as well as cost and loss of a productive segment of the country’s population. You need to get the Minister of Health to work with you. You are in conversation with him and he is acting personally and perhaps politically—denying the problem. You need to get him to operate from a Public Health position and agree to let you arrange for technical and financial assistance targeted to the MSM population.

(6) You have a supervisor who reports to you who has many strong qualities.

He delivers on individual assignments. His execution is intelligent and timely. On the other hand, he is a poor supervisor of his team. You know they are unhappy for a variety of reasons: he doesn’t share information with them; he doesn’t provide them with clear direction and they often feel as if they are floundering; he does not provide them with adequate feedback—positive or constructive. So they don’t feel like they have a supervisor or even belong to a team. You have sent him to a couple of

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supervisory courses, but that hasn’t done the trick. Coach him and come up with solutions that are likely to positively impact his behaviour.

(7) Three months ago when a colleague who leads another team in the office

came to you for help, you agreed to secund two of your staff to her, each for 3 weeks, so she could deliver on a large project on time. Now you are facing the reverse situation. You are pushing up against a deadline that you are in real danger of missing partly because you are missing one person who has gone on sick leave and partly because the project ran into delays and snags that you couldn’t anticipate. A few days ago you reached out to her by email since she was away from the office, and asked her for help. So far she has avoided you and been unresponsive to your email. Now you have made a meeting with her to get the support you know you need and deserve.