How can you network effectively in contract negotiation with people in different locations?

Demonstrating respect can also involve considering time zone differences when communicating with individuals in various locations. This is particularly crucial when managing projects across multiple jurisdictions, as finding the most efficient time for meaningful negotiations becomes a challenge. If one party becomes excessively fatigued due to meetings held at inconvenient times, it could potentially lead to a deal-breaker. While not every party may experience the most optimal time, as an organizer, it is important to act diligently and strike a balanced approach, taking into account the challenges faced by all parties involved.

One can use multiple channels like phone call /video calls which will support effectively to understand the tone and emotion. I personally feel video calls has taken communication channel to a next level as it’s readily available within seconds. Apart from above there are effective channels through social media like LinkedIn, etc which supports direct and in-direct communication. Further these effective communication channels supports to network with your counterpart to stay in touch and build on relationship. Bottom line is the relationship which will support us in contract negotiations. Lastly, I still feel f2f communication is the best mode of communication that makes a HUGE difference.

1- Discuss and agree on the collaboration tool upfront. What may be an appropriate tool for one organization may not be for another, for IT security reasons. 2- Discuss and agree on the communication mode upfront i.e audio and video or just audio. Some may have reservations about a VC due to personal or cultural reasons. Don’t assume that VC will be the mode just because you are comfortable with it. Contract negotiations can be just as effective (if not more) using an audio only channel.

Negotiating contracts with people in different locations can add a layer of complexity, but networking effectively can still be done. One key attribute that will set you apart is to acknowledge and understand cultural differences. Be respectful of diverse communication styles, negotiation approaches, and decision-making processes. Research cultural norms and adapt your communication accordingly. Furthermore, utilize clear and concise language, avoid jargon and ambiguity to ensure all parties understand the conversation and intent clearly.

Always be respectful speak to people the way you want to spoke to. Give everyone a chance to say there part. Listen to what is being said and answer truthfully.

Top 3 "non-negotiables" 1. Be mindful of time zones (often overlooked and can immediately cause resentment) 2. Establish early how you're going to negotiate. a. Is one side the "holder" of the document? b. Red line review? c. Table of review? d. Time tables etc? 3. Be curious Is the hard-line stance because of their insurance? A topical issue in their country? Prior bad experiences? Curiosity can short-circuit a stale mate into shared understanding and moving towards the mutual goal of the signature! #TheShippingLawyer

Establishing a strong online presence through professional networking platforms like LinkedIn or other social media such as Instagram or TikTok can facilitate real-time discussions and foster a sense of connection. Leverage LinkedIn for professional engagement and Instagram/TikTok for a more personal touch. Foster real-time discussions, showcase expertise, and build connections. Don’t be afraid to show your real personality, even in a more professional setting. People love authenticity and you will instantly gain their trust, which is particularly valuable in negotiations.

Good comments. Additionally, avoid unnecessarily copying everyone on everything, especially if someone is not providing sufficient input. Follow up selectively with those from whom you need additional information, by text or phone, where possible. Needless group embarrassment of a colleague is never productive and could easily come back to haunt you on a future collaboration.

Agree completely with Geraldine. You need to build relationships and by getting on a plane and meeting face to face is the best way.

Just like we (in our personal life) prefer being reached out to in a certain way as customers, and so does our customer.. and each of these customers may not show their preferred method.. My method is simply - no customer like the other - what works here may not work there. Therefore, some customers do prefer emails only, some may prefer face to face meetings, and some might would like to connect with you through their own style which could be any of these channels. My goal remains to set a comfortable environment for any communication method chosen by the customer to have them more relaxed in their own preferred zone.

One of the most valuable things one can learn and understand when communicating with people internationally is how their culture thinks about 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲. Americans often think "time is money," prioritize rapid responses, and sacrifice personal and family time for work. People in other cultures don't necessarily feel the same. Understanding how the person with whom you're communicating interacts with time and what they consider a "timely" response should make cross-cultural business communications easier. A smaller subset of information about time would include knowing when other people's business day starts and ends, and whether they might be inclined to respond to a communicaiton during lunch or at other specific times during the day.

Negotiations are not about determining who is right or wrong, it is serving a means to and end. That's all. Therefore, it is crucial that respect is maintained at all times and that there is openness to accept different solutions/suggestions.

Respect and acting like a service provider always works. 🌍 Keep a mindset that you are a helpful person. People appreciate this. 🤝 Make life easier for your counterpart—whether they're in the next room or on another continent—ask yourself, "How can I simplify this for them?" 🔎 Do some cultural investigation before interacting. Someone in your network can tell you what to expect. If not, expand your network.

In my experience integrity and respect are fundamentally important. In being respectful making sure that you are prepared and organised is the minimum that is required. Take time to understand cultural practices and ways of doing business as well as undertaking your commercial and other necessary activities. Planning is crucial towards ensuring a successful negotiation. Networking is about people. There are many organisations (agencies, non-governmental bodies, trade associations etc.), that can potentially be excellent information sources, as well as reviewing websites and other online materials. With the increasing global nature of many businesses being culturally savvy is necessary. Take time to build relationships.

Work to live or live to work! Many cultures follow the maxim of work to live and they are the happiest as a result. In other words, take time to smell the roses.

This is so true. Consideration and respect leads to a person being seen fully. While of course negotiators have goals, roles and positions - respecting the other person can build a connection that allows for more straightforward discussion without upset. The same difficult message delivered respectfully, and to someone with whom you’ve built a connection may land entirely differently.

One thing I have found helpful is to be respectful and clearly articulate what you are asking for. Be mindful of the time difference if you have to communicate on the phone. Culture is not really a big issue because all cultures in the world will understand and cherish respect. Respect is the key approach. Listen more than you speak; don't be easily angered! be Patient.

One aspect that can never be compromised against is being respectful. What I have found is that being formal and respectful can never be downplayed and is respected every time. I believe that life is an experience and each interaction I have with another, it is my job to make that moment a more enriched experience. As per my experience, knowing a person before meeting the person and making some adjustments to make the person feel more accommodated actually renders a person more humble. The person then becomes more collaborative in approach.

Effectively negotiate contracts across locations by utilizing technology, establishing clear communication channels, respecting cultural differences, building relationships, accommodating time zones, documenting agreements, clarifying expectations, seeking win-win solutions, staying patient, and following up regularly.

It doesn’t cost anything to be kind, yet it’s the richest gift you can give. Express appreciation for their time and contributions. Send personalized follow-up messages after key milestones in the negotiation process. Even consider incorporating cultural nuances into your communication to show respect for diverse perspectives. This is how you can strengthen the professional relationship.

Mi sugerencia es desarrollar un vía comunicacional asertiva. La claridad y objetividad en nuestros planteamientos es determinante en el resultado y el proceso mismo. A su vez, es igual de importante desarrollar una capacidad de escuchar, descifrar y percibir los deseos y pretenciones de la otra persona. Si desarrollamos estas habilidades será mucho más probable que podamos cerrar un asunto exitosamente para ambas partes.

Everyone likes to have you take a courteous interest in them. 🌐 Expressing genuine interest and appreciation makes a difference. 🗣️ Asking thoughtful questions, tells people you are willing to understand and value their experiences. 👂 Listening and showing appreciation is universal. 💡 There's no magic to this. Be yourself—unless you're a fellow American. Then maybe tone it down a bit. 🤣

I think in this instance, the best thing is to don’t be a fake. Don’t pretend that you care, don’t pretend that you’re showing interest. Be genuine, be truthful, walk the talk, use credibility, and earn respect.

In a negotiation situation, there are always people with different expectations, opinions and goals and a large number of people with different tasks, powers, skills and interests can be directly or indirectly involved in a negotiation. There is therefore never a standard negotiation situation and advice, but must always be tailored to the individual case and the negotiating person must also be understood with non-legal expertise.

Effective networking in contract negotiations with people in different locations hinges on expressing genuine interest and appreciation. Employ open-ended questions, active listening, and acknowledgment of their perspectives. Demonstrate curiosity and enthusiasm for their endeavors, goals, and challenges while offering support. Express gratitude for their contributions, celebrate successes, and foster a positive atmosphere. Cultivating this approach builds rapport, trust, and mutual respect, enhancing the negotiation process.

Show interest and appreciation by preparing yourself culturally, emphasizing individual ideas and fostering empathetic communication. Ask specific questions, take diverse opinions into account, promote an open feedback culture and pay attention to cultural holidays. By building lasting relationships, you create an atmosphere that appreciates the diversity of the participants.

Es fundamental tomarse un minuto para agradecer las tareas arduas que todos los equipos aportan en estos procesos demandantes y largos y hacerles saber lo bien que están haciendo su trabajo. La urgencia y la exigencia nos hace enfocarnos en detectar errores y pasamos por alto el esfuerzo adicional por muchas semanas que se hacen para poder cumplir con los plazos y requisitos de ese acuerdo. Las transacciones entre muchos países son de los negocios más difíciles de liderar y conducir, por lo que resaltar las habilidades y dar feedback positivo tiene que ser parte del protocolo de la operación

Many times companies have reps that don't realize that their offer or tentative conversation is an open negotiation, and because they introduce more than one point of contact that forces the recipient (us) to walk a strange maze and converse with each character until we find what we want or we do not...negotiation along with navigation.

For effective contract negotiation, I try to put a perspective on what I am trying to solve with collaboration. Additionally the value that my points will add to their existing business size can lead to meaningful conversations which will help to build opportunities for growth.

Showing, listening and learning value, capturing, true value is critical for success. Learn what value means to people, teams, organizations, and companies. Ask the right questions. Find out, seek to learn what people are after, what makes them tick. Learn to read and deal with people. Optimize value.

It is essential to prepare an agenda for the topics to be discussed that are vital in contract negotiations. The agenda should be circulated via mail beforehand with all stakeholders. During the negotiations stress upon the topics of the agenda and take feedback from all stakeholders. This will develop trust and confidence while everyone share their views on the agenda. Emphasise on the subject matter in a polite manner and share your views with certain real life examples so that you can add value to the negotiations and your views are acknowledged.

I agree. Collaboration with a client to achieve a mutually beneficial contract means everyone wins. It’s not a them versus us exercise!!

When you overcome a challenge situation, you earn trust from the people that were engaged with you in this same challenge. To build a good networking is not something that will happen in the first negotiation, so it is important to understand that there will be other negotiations and situations with the same people you are negotiating right now. It can be in the same company, or it can be in a different company, or it can be by referencing you to a friend. But keep in mind that the first negotiation is the first step in building a good networking and relationship. Using methodologies such William Ury's “Getting to Yes” and make sure that you deliver what you committed to are good steps to take.

The best ways to share value and expertise in business involve creating informative and engaging content such as blog posts, webinars, or podcasts to demonstrate knowledge and provide solutions to industry-related challenges. Actively participate in relevant online communities or forums to offer insights, answer questions, and establish yourself as a thought leader in your field. Additionally, consider hosting workshops or seminars to share practical knowledge and foster meaningful connections with potential clients or partners.

Toute négociation efficace d'un contrat commercial devrait s'opérer en présence d'un ou plusieurs conseils juridiques, susceptibles de confirmer ou infirmer immédiatement la faisabilité juridique et les contours du point de vue du droit des solutions envisagées par les partenaires commerciaux. Il est en effet extrêmement frustrant pour des dirigeants ou des directeurs commerciaux de parvenir à un accord pour finalement constater qu'il ne peut être mis en oeuvre sous la forme initialement envisagée. C'est une perte de temps et d'énergie importante et qui peut être évitée par la présence à la table d'un avocat aguerri.

In navigating contract negotiations across different locations, it's about more than just sharing value – it's about positioning yourself as the go-to expert. I firmly believe that laying out clear expectations from the get-go is key. By transparently outlining your process, demonstrating tangible value, and making sure prospects see you as the authority in your field, you pave the way for smoother negotiations. When you're perceived as a trusted expert, negotiations tend to fall into place seamlessly.

Always study the business and the business partners. You can always add some valuable knowledge about some specific contract details that regulate the contract execution.

Some of the things I find helpful when negotiating with people in different locations are: 1) Be clear over emails and include all the right people to ensure there are no gaps/misalignment. 2) Be conscious of varied time zones and holidays in other countries. 3) Set expectations on timeframe to receive, or give, a reply back. 4) Using conference systems to screen share and discuss concerns from both sides in live time.

This is one of the very important aspects of being involved in a negotiation - to build relationships that last longer, go way beyond one negotiation. During any negotiation it is critical to understand what are some of the emotional anchors which might not be commercially that impactful but can become a go-no go just because of the emotional value. Getting insight early on those helps you build perspective of the other party and eventually as you empathize, the other party respects you. Once this mutual respect is in place the parties are more committed to close a deal - this helps build relationships. Executives move on both sides but they never forget the experience they would have had during their past interactions.

Life is short, the world is small, what goes around comes around. The key to networking is continual reaching out, following up, appreciating, thanking, engaging other people. Showing care and concern, following up and asking how people are doing, how they are, how things are working, how business and operations are going, what can we do better, together.

The mark of any good negotiation is the parties leave with the relationship intact and with a mutually beneficial business deal. After signing an M&A deal, regardless of how hard-fought the negotiation, place a call to opposing counsel and chat professional to professional. Place a call to the investment bankers. Learn about their practice and explore opportunities to work together in the future. If you are on the business team, reach out to your counterpart and continue to build the relationship. If later an issue arises, you will be glad you made that investment in the relationship.

Life is short, the world is small, what goes around comes around. The key to networking is continual reaching out, following up, appreciating, thanking, engaging other people. Showing care and concern, following up and asking how people are doing, how they are, how things are working, how business and operations are going, what can we do better, together.

Negotiations never stops at contract signing. Clients has needs and after sales are more important than the sale. People must feel valuable and giving them that feeling you will be their favourite!!

Totally agree! In fact over the last 30 plus years I can proudly state that I am still connect with many former clients. This medium has helped me continue what I started by telephone, mail and fax years ago. Keep doing the basics and maintain what you started. Note many of my former associate are now in key positions, meaning be mindful and respectful of everyone along the way as they may be the VP or owner someday. I have lived this many times and offered opportunities because I did the right thing everywhere I went.

The significance of maintaining an open line of communication cannot be overstressed. Whether you’re a broker or engaging directly as a buyer or seller, transparency is paramount. Concealing potential issues or avoiding difficult conversations does not make them disappear–only sets the stage for avoidable disasters. Tough covos and honesty set realistic expectations, which you can use to preemptively address hurdles and ultimately close a transaction successfully. Delas are built on the foundation of mutual understanding and realistic overall understanding of the asset. Ensure that goals and motivations are openly discussed and aligned. This approach will mitigate risks and cultivate lasting professional relationships.

Clear agreements and written summaries prevent misunderstandings. Use digital tools to facilitate collaboration. Schedule regular updates, follow-up meetings and informal interactions via email, video conferencing and social media platforms. Maintain personal contacts and obtain feedback. Work on common objectives to promote a long-term and successful partnership.

The best ways to follow up and stay connected in business include sending personalized follow-up emails or messages after meetings or interactions to express appreciation and reinforce key points. Utilize professional social media platforms such as LinkedIn to maintain connections and engage with contacts by sharing relevant content or commenting on their posts. Schedule regular check-ins or meetings to nurture relationships and stay updated on each other's endeavours and potential collaboration opportunities.

It's the ethics of duty to follow up & stay connected to have a professional work culture in contact with filed work as when required .

It is important to have clear choice-of-law and scene arrangements. You should also lock in specialists with multijurisdictional expertise to handle assorted directions. Additionally, you should utilize secure virtual stages and compliant e-signatures for productive communication. Build up exact communication channels and consolidate secure strategies. Characterize contract terms absolutely to maintain a strategic distance from error. Address information security concerns with compliant clauses, defending touchy data.

As many have written, one has to be respectful to all while negotiating. Also one should be flexible to consider and accept others requests, demands or suggestions.To achieve this, before starting negotiations, one should fix the base requirements which in his opinion are a must for successful project implementation. For others he may accept others reasonable requests so that it seems win win to all.

When negotiating, remain yourself, with your values and avoid lying or pretending that you’re someone else because in the midst of the negotiation and in the long run, it will fire back and may hamper its success.

Active listening A critical networking ability that will provide a foundation for lasting and successful relationships is active listening. When we are networking, we are often so focused on sharing that we do not take the time to really listen to others. Actively listen to people is one of the most challenging aspects of networking. This is critical for developing great connections because it demonstrates that we are interested in what the other person has to say and that we are attentive.

In contract negotiation across locations, consider a ‘global negotiation table.’ Use virtual reality to create an immersive meeting space, transcending geographical barriers. Here, participants can read body language and share documents as if in the same room. This high-tech solution can build rapport more effectively than emails or calls, making it easier to understand nuances and forge stronger partnerships. By investing in such innovative communication tools, you demonstrate commitment to a future-facing, inclusive negotiation environment.

Remote negotiation is very doable in this day and age, but remember, Time Zones Exist People. It's not strategic to schedule all of your meetings so they inconvenience the other party anymore. It is more often seen as a fault of the person scheduling. Showing flexibility in scheduling meetings is an easy isle crossing measure that can come back to shore up a weak position later in a negotiation. Negotiations for the time being are conducted by people, so act like a decent person and it can pay dividends in the end game.

Remember that if you are in different time zones then you should be considerate in arranging calls to suit everyone's timezones. This can mean waking up early or staying late or even taking a call on your day off. The other teams will appreciate it.

We now live in a business world where so much negotiation takes place by remote means. As has been said by other contributors, this can lead to cultural and time zone issues amongst others. I also find that that facial expressions and body language are harder to read on video; some participants even turn off their camera. We are told that c.75% of all communications are non-verbal. So whilst it may sound more costly and inconvenient, there is still much to be said for face to face meetings with all participants in the same location. Everyone is there to challenge and be challenged, and it just might engender an atmosphere that brings a solution closer to finality, when video meetings may not always have that edge.

One approach that has always worked well for me is interests-based negotiations. Instead of insisting on positions, trying to understand the interests that the other party is trying to achieve leads to more mutually beneficial options. This requires actively listening and expressing the motives behind our position, to the extent possible. No one ever convinced anyone by just saying no.