Achieving an acceptable outcome from any type of negotiation can be a struggle, but HR professionals should always remember "the other side is feeling the heat too", says management consultant Alan Hargreaves.

In a webcast for HRD Plus Gold subscribers, Hargreaves points out that "negotiations are fairly constant in our lives", whether at home or in the workplace.

The goal should be to get most of what you want, he says, and seven elements are essential to getting the outcome "as right as you can".

Time

HR professionals should approach every negotiation as if there's "no hurry", Hargreaves says.

"Really make sure you allow time. Don't run in there expecting to run straight out... Time itself has value and is an asset.

"If you go into a negotiating situation and you are trying to get out the door, the other party knows, and knows you're not comfortable."

Giving the other party the impression that you're "in it for the long haul" makes them realise it's a "give and take situation", he says.

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Bob Kearsley interviews Alan Hargreaves on brand consistency

Building a successful brand depends on consistency, says author and longtime business coach Alan Hargreaves. If your customers know what to expect from your product or service - and your people - they'll feel comfortable about coming back to you. Think of Macdonalds - they know their market and their customers know what to expect, whichever outlet they go to. Alan recommends building up a manual that sets out every aspect of how you do business - it will help new and existing staff understand what's expected of them and why, and be an invaluable tool when you come to sell the business.

Bob Kearsley interviews Alan Hargreaves on Cash Flow Strategies

2012 could prove to be as tough a year as the one just gone. It will be more important than ever to keep the cash flowing in, and the business lean and ready to take advantage of any opportunity that offers itself. Veteran business coach Alan Hargreaves recommends a "back to basics" approach. Recall how you did things when you were starting out and resources were scarce. Think of doing more with the assets you already have, and getting rid of anything you don't need.

Bob Kearsley interviews Alan Hargreaves on Business Essentials

Running a business can be like running a marathon, and just as exhausting. So what do you do when your energy's flagging and inertia is setting in? People are relying on you to show leadership and keep things moving forward, but you're becoming stuck in a rut. Longtime business consultant and author Alan Hargreaves has some sound suggestions, distilled from his book "Recharge".

by Alan Hargreaves in the Australian Financial Review

The market for start-up capital is being squeezed at both ends.  On one hand, soft valuations have put exit sales into limbo. On the other, nervousness about a successful exit stops investors from entering in the first place.  It also means less capital returning for reinvestment.

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by Alan Hargreaves in Management Today

If you're personally mired in a state of inertia, achieving momentum requires a bold rethink.

Why does a business lose momentum? There can be structural reasons: shifts in economy, technological change, the age of the business or its people.  Mostly, however, it's management.  All those structural things can be managed, but in challenging times management batteries can run low. Over time, inertia sets in.

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by Alan Hargreaves in Flying Solo

Like many other aspects of life, business is full of cycles. Being aware of the business life cycle you’ll be better equipped to respond, and to reignite your energy during the inevitable downward turns.

As the recent GFC has shown, the economy moves in cycles, with a recession and subsequent recovery roughly every five or six years. There’s the life cycle of your products, which don’t remain fashionable forever. There’s also the life cycle of your business: it might begin as an exciting start-up but in most cases, decline is probably out there some day. 

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by Alan Hargreaves in the Australian Financial Review

In the final article of his succession planning series, Alan Hargreaves looks at valuing a business for exit.  The shorthand method for valuing a business is the so-called multiple, or price/earnings ration (P/E). It's the common way of evaluating quoted shares. It's familiar and easily understood as a result.

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