Made
all the arrangements to crack that business deal worth millions, but still
apprehensive?
Well, then get a
woman involved in the negotiation, for according to a new research, the ladies
may be more skilled in the talks than their male counterparts. According to the
research, feminine touch could be a company's secret weapon.
Dr. Yael Itzhaki of Tel Aviv
University’s Faculty of Management carried out simulations of business
negotiations among 554 Israeli and American management students at Ohio State
University in New York City and Israel. "Women are more generous negotiators,
better co-operators and are motivated to create win-win situations," says Yael.
The results of her PhD thesis
project indicated that in certain groupings, women offered better terms than men
to reach an agreement. And women were good at facilitating interaction between
the parties, she says.
The
simulations involved negotiating the terms of a joint venture, including the
division of shares. The point of the simulations was to examine how women behave
in business situations requiring cooperation and competition.
Yael also discovered that men
have begun to incorporate feminine strategies into their negotiating styles.
"Women in mid-management positions are criticized for being too 'cooperative'
and 'compassionate,' so they don't get promoted. Then men come in and use the
same tactics women are criticized for," she
said.
Although both men and
women can be good negotiators, Yael emphasizes that there should be more women
in top management jobs. Women have unique skills to offer. “They’re
great listeners, they care about the concerns of the other side, and
they’re generally more interested in finding a win-win situation to the
benefit of both parties than male negotiators,” she
says.
A lot of women
don’t care to “fight” to be recognized, she says, preferring
cooperation over competition. But more women in management can translate to a
healthier bottom line, Yael says. “Businesses need to develop an
organizational culture where everyone is heard, because women’s opinions
and skills can give businesses a competitive edge,” she adds.