Negotiate and Win
Master the six-phase Wants Method to turn high-stake conflict into collaborative win conversations
by Colin Rose
Every conversation that matters is a negotiation — if both sides can say no. Colin Rose, former Chief Industrial Officer for the Australian Army, turns decades of high-stakes industrial relations into a clear, six-phase system: Preparation, Wants, Propose, Bargain, Agree and Follow-up. The Wants Method shows you how to trade concessions rather than give them away, how to write if/then proposals that lock in value, and how to put the deal in writing before goodwill evaporates. You will learn how to gather information, unmask social assumptions, seat a disciplined team, and shape the room itself. You will see when a competitive Red style is required and when a collaborative Blue style will hold the relationship. You will recognise tactical ploys, deadlines and power plays — and have calm countermeasures ready. From the kitchen table to the boardroom, Negotiate and Win is a practical field guide for anyone who refuses to leave outcomes to chance.
- Business & Entrepreneurship
- Instructional Guide
- Negotiation & Influence
- Negotiation Skills
- Management & Leadership
NEGOTIATING TO WIN
The processes in this book developed out of emergency. The emergency was my very green introduction to one of the highest conflict industries of all - Industrial Relations. With almost no knowledge and little skill, I found myself as the Australian Army's Chief Industrial Officer.
Daily, I was confronted with conflict that arose between unions and management in army establishments all over Australia. The personal strain was enormous. I found myself drinking too much and suffering agonies of anxiety. I desperately wanted to win, and very often, I did not. The conflict was sometimes violent and verbal, sometimes a pale compromise that left all parties tired, dissatisfied, and dispirited. Gradually I learned from the deals which worked, and more from analysis of those that failed, the rudiments of the skill of negotiation. The main aspects that seemed to have some impact on the results were Information - Style - Phases - Tactics and the Relationship between the parties. At the time, I made no effort to systematise these vague feelings. In fact, it was not until much later, looking back with surprise, that I noticed the emergency had passed and colleagues were seeking advice. I started to piece together in a systematic way the scraps I had learned, so I could pass them on to others. That exercise was precious for me, and I concluded that three elements were essential - phases, style and tactics. I discovered that Information is part of the Preparation phase and the Relationship between the parties was intrinsic to the Wants phase and also affected the Style of a negotiation. Tactics became an important but less vital section on its own.
STARTING TO WIN
The more I tried to win, the more often agreements collapsed into emotional clashes, strikes, and threats. It dawned on me that I also had to let the other party win. It is now obvious to me that unless both parties feel satisfied with the outcome, no lasting solution can be expected. I certainly learned the lesson the hard and slow way. The proble…