Q & A Table of Contents
Negotiating Outside My Mother Language -- And What About Fate?
From: Jean, Johor Jaya, Malaysia
Question: I have a three-part question for you: In negotiation does the role of language effects the process? What happens if the language of negotiating is not my mother language? And how does the memory and human cognitive process effect the whole process? And finally how would the belief of fate alter the negotiation process?
Response: Being able to negotiate in a language which is not your mother tongue -- or being able to tell a joke in a foreign language -- are two crucial tests of your language competency. Sometimes the languages within your business community differ; you and I may reach an agreement, but when the lawyers have finished writing the contract, we need a translation.
If you are negotiating in your negotiation partner's language, it can be risky. You may miss the subtleties of what he or she is saying. Since negotiation is all about understanding information that is communicated between the parties, language plays a fundamental role in the process. When you must negotiate with another party in their language, it may make sense to bring along a friend or colleague who is a native speaker of that language who you can depend on for assistance in understanding what is happening.
Often in the global marketplace negotiations take place in a language that is not the mother tongue of any of the negotiators. This certainly could level the playing field -- unless there is a linguistic imbalance between the parties. Here again, bringing in a native speaker of the negotiating language can be helpful. Each party may have its own translator -- or perhaps a mediator or facilitator acceptable to all parties is all that is needed.
Memory and human cognition are very important elements in negotiation. Just as is the case when you play a game of cards, remembering what information has been exposed and comprehending its significance can influence the quality of negotiators' decision-making. It is crucial to remember that you should keep focused on your own interests in the negotiation; recognizing the impact on your interests of any proposals that are made or information that is communicated requires proper utilization of your memory and cognitive abilities.
The last part of your question relates to the impact of fate -- or the belief in fate -- on the negotiation process. If you believe fate governs your life and you do not have the capacity to exercise free will, you still need to consider whether the behavior of another party must be accepted because that is fate -- or whether you need to analyze what is proposed to figure out whether it is 'fated' to determine the negotiation's outcome or whether you have the capacity or obligation to make sure that fate is better served by an alternative approach.
Good luck with your negotiating,
Steve
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