Future negotiating skills: a development issue?

This paper examines some critical implications for those managers wishing t o be effective negotiators in the future. It draws on the findings of two r ecent research projects conducted by the authors. These projects focus on t he contribution of language to good negotiating practice and, in particular , to intended "Win-Win" outcomes. From the findings set out, it is argued t hat negotiators often pay an insufficient amount of attention to an appreci ation of language-related influences in the negotiating process. It is cont ended that this lack of attention also extends to the typical training prov ided for managers in all types of organisations. It concludes with the view that meta language and other language forms need to be given considerably more attention if managers are to be able to behave effectively in the incr easingly crucial field of negotiating. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All r ights reserved.