Negotiating for a promotion

Introduction

This paper is my negotiation to an opportunity that has just arisen in my company-

AL Zayani Investments company. My negotiation for a promotion is in response to the latest

advertisement placed by my company and on major recruitment websites for a great

opportunity to become a manager in charge of marketing. I would like to negotiate with the

General Manager, Dr David Smith.

Question One: My negotiation process

I will begin by preparing to avoid being random in my approach. I will be very

specific to achieve my results. I will create a realistic scenario for my potential meeting.

Opresnik (2013), the more energy we put into preparation, the more confident and relaxed we

become and perform at the discussion. Second, I will also try to develop the right attitude to

self-motivate myself. Being in the preparation phase will allow me to avoid breaking down

under the weight of the understandable stress of negotiation. Opresnik suggests that most of

the time, we weigh ourselves with irrational and difficult conversations. We can overcome

them when we develop the right motivation. One way for me to do this will be to say to

myself, "Let me wait and see what will happen." All my motivation, happiness and

satisfaction will not depend on my external circumstances, but on my attitude. This will also

ensure that I do not depend on external factors to motivate me but that I motivate myself by

thinking of my inner successes.

Question Two - My BATNA

The success of my negotiation will require thinking about my realistic alternative and

that of my interviewee. I understand that the advertised position of working as a county

manager is above my current position of a Brand Manager, but my interviewer might deny
me the chance. In specific, the employer might rely on the aspect of experience and expertise

in handling international assignments. I have not had the chance to work with international

companies over the last two years. According to Opresnik (2013), working in international

companies demand that employees understand several elements among them, being the

ability to handle conflicts arising out of cultural conflict, misunderstanding of other

employees or policies.

Therefore, my best alternative is to accept the role of working on a permanent

position as a Branch manager. Doing this would make me feel the advantage of remaining in

the company. Second, my BATNA is to take the position of an assistant County Manager.

Despite not getting a direct chance to work as a boss in the new market, getting a help

position would be a better opportunity for me to work in a new environment.

Question Three - Techniques and strategies

First, I will ensure that I sit at the same height as my interviewee. I will try as much as

possible to avoid the option of using a separate meeting room. Besides, in case the

interviewer requests we conduct an online interview, then I would consider selecting a room

at home that has bright light with comfortable seating and space to place some materials and

drinks. I will ensure all the seats are comfortable and no one feels disadvantaged.

Second, I will structure my conversations on goal orientation to avoid fears and

anxiety by developing the power of positive attitude and emphasising the up-side. The right

attitude as a negotiator will be decisive factors for my success. I will ask three important

pieces of information to make it possible for the interviewer to have a perception about my

capability and skills. For example, I will ask about some of the current innovations that the

company is likely to capitalise on in the new market. This approach will put me on the right

path to explain how the company can advance its activities in the new market by
understanding the needs of customers. Second, I will ask about the information related to the

vision of the company over ‌five years. This question will make the interviewer perceive me

as someone who is not just well knowledgeable about the company but also concerned for the

future of the company.

Question Four - Two SMART goals

I have two goals during the interview. My first goal is to respond to 90% of the

questions asked by the interviewer correctly. Even though I have never taken part in a serious

interview such as this, I expect to respond to all the questions correctly. I will adopt two

approaches to allow me to respond to all questions correctly. First, I seek to develop a

positive attitude while in the interview. According to the explanations provided by Kelly

(2022), the right mood and attitude can help respond to the questions. The process will also

help me avoid the feeling at the time of the actual meeting when thoughts ‌circle around my

head such as whether the interviewer will accept my proposal.

My second goal is to improve my performance by 99%. I will make the phase of the

needs assessment to become part of my professional preparation. For instance, my first

impression will be critical to succeed in my negotiation. I will develop the art of active

listening to all questions asked by the interviewer. Carl Rogers and Harold developed the

concept of active listening (Rogers and Lyon, 2014). They explained that a patient through

empathy and acceptance of a therapist, one must learn how to realise and accept themselves.

One must verbalise the feelings and make one's needs to manifest.

Question Five - Objections of the hiring manager

Lack of Business intelligence - A country manager must have business intelligence skills to

gain insights from data. Data-driven decisions require someone who understands the essence

of different data points either from structured data or big data. The company has been in
operation for some years now. Expansion in the new markets will depend very much of data

from different sources such as customer spending behaviours, suppliers, and competitors.

Currently, you do lack basic knowledge in statistics and tools for data analytics such as

Microsoft spreadsheet, python, and SPSS. For a manager who seeks to manage a country

branch, most of the decision making will rely on insights drawn from data.

Lack of people management skills- for a manager that seeks to manage a new branch in

another company, it is imperative to have people management skills. You will not work alone

but working in a new market demands that you have skills for managing other people who

come from different cultural backgrounds. Poor management skills are likely to result in

many conflicts and strikes. Whenever this arises in the company, we are likely to experience

High turnover, lower performance, and lower morale among employees. A majority of

disgruntled employees are likely to record high lawsuits.

Lack of skills working agents - the business will rely heavily on a strong partnership

with agents ‌in the new market. According to the company operation business model, the

country must be someone who has skills of creating and maintaining a high number of agents.

Presently, according to your resume, you have only worked at a departmental level while

maintaining the company customer accounts. Working with agents means visiting agents'

areas of operations and pitching the company ideas. This will help strengthen the relationship

between the company and future agents.

Question Six - Strategies to overcome objections

First, based on the lack of business intelligence skills, I acknowledge your concern

about the person you would like to work with in the new market. I have been taking online

classes since I got the chance to work in this company. Immediately I began working in the

current position, I realised that most of the work involved handling internal data from
customers. Besides, other co-workers encouraged me to enrol in the online course. I

understand my resume does not display such skills. I have not yet updated my resume to

reflect the new skills.

Second, concerning the aspect of people management skills, I acknowledge ‌it forms

one of the important requirements for handling employees from the local community. I think

the company has provided me with an efficient environment to learn interpersonal skills.

Even though it is not expressed in the resume, I have been in a constant learning journey in

this company. Besides, I am a feast learner. I will take a short term to onboard and learn

everything from the new market.

Question 7: Strategies to utilise to make the best first impression

I will focus on three elements to utilise my first impression when I meet the

interviewer. My first element will be through my body language. I will use my handshake to

make my interviewer perceive me as confident and professional. I will make a firm

handshake to send such a message right away.

Second, I will maintain my body posture by sitting in a neutral position. I will keep my

back straight while ensuring that I leave my hands at my sides or have them neutrally folded

in my laps. I will also avoid folding my arms or placing my hands in my pocket. Kelly

maintains that crossing arms or placing hands in the pocket can be a sign of hiding

something. Suggests that having a bad, positive can be more than bad for one's back. It can

cost a job seeker an opportunity for example, some of the bad postures can include leaning

back in a chair and trying to slump forward as a sign of laziness or disinterest.

Third, I will maintain a firm eye contact. I understand that the right amount of eye

contact could become tricky if I look someone directly in the eye for a longer time than

expected. This could make it seem aggressive. However, if I try avoiding eye contact during
the interview, it could become a mistake. The interviewer would like me to maintain a firm

eye contact with him. This will depict me as a confident applicant. I will take a rest in order

to break eye contact when I need to take a few seconds for me to think through some

questions and how to respond. Then maintain eye contact again when I respond to the

interviewer.

In addition, I will ask the interviewer questions to depict my interest in the position.

Compensations, stock options, career progressions, bonuses, work styles, and raises can be

important things interviewees can think of. However, an interviewee needs to put them aside

to make an impression. In specific, I will ask the interviewer about what made them decide to

work at the company.

Question 8 - Strategies to utilise to achieve the sense of benefits for negotiating partner

I will capitalise on this phase to show to the interviewer ways that my solution for

working in a new market would be useful to him. The need for interviewees to have clear

arguments that are personally important and decisive. The more effective one can assess the

attitude of a partner, the more targeted one would become in presenting their own arguments.

Specifically, I will combine my arguments with objectives.

The first strategy will be for me to solve a problem and provide an individual benefit. For

example, I will make the previously researched and observed needs, problems, and interests

of people living in Dubai where the company seeks to expand through its branch. Besides, I

will try to find out the individual goals, needs, and expectations of the interviewer when

expanding in the new market. Currently, there are high needs for new products that can solve

the challenge for customers to make payments at their places of convenience. I will use my

business intelligence skills to conduct ad hoc market research on a monthly basis to

understand how the company can add value to our customers.

relationship level serves an important role when we negotiate with other people that have

varying needs and feelings as ourselves. I will strive to treat my interviewer as I would wish

to be treated. Above all, I will encourage and increase the self-esteem of my interviewer by

appreciating him in the sincerest manner. For example, I will complement him both privately

and professionally for having served the company. Opresnik (2013) reiterates that doing this

helps confirm to them their self-esteem.

Second, I will also develop some interest and care about him. One of the indirect ways to

express my appreciation and encouragement is to show that we care about them. For most of

us, we have nothing more important than ourselves, our family, our desires, and hobbies.

Therefore, I will develop and show interest in my interviewer and talk about what he

considers close to his heart. This strategy will gain me some sympathy.

Question Nine - Feedback technique to utilize to enhance my negotiation

I will use the blind spot - all that a person does not know about himself but others

know very well. It will give me the opportunity for the interviewer to tell me what I do not

know about myself. I will pause and listen attentively to the feedback from my interviewer

(Rogers and Lyon, 2014). Pausing for a while will help him express what he has learned

about me ‌I do not know. At the time of listening, I will ensure I write ‌everything the

interviewer tells me to understand areas ‌I need to correct when selected to take up the

position of a country manager.

I will avoid making direct or immediate demands to justify and explain when

responding to an interviewer. Interrupting the interviewer would make me miss out on most

of the weaknesses that might be pointed out. And so, when listening to the feedback, I would
avoid justifying everything that I might have already said to ‌cover up. The interviewer might

perceive me as an application who is never patient and keen to receive feedback.

Third, I will also check any form of uncertainty in a meaning in order to draw several

insights. I think it is by doing this that I will show myself that I am ready to accept criticisms.

I will come up with the best alternative of utilising an opportunity in the new market when

selected as a country manager.

Kelly, J. (2022). How to make a great first impression in an interview. Forbes.