Business Diplomat: Beyond Winning
Excerpt: The objective of a negotiation is not necessarily for one side to win but to find an outcome that makes continued cooperation possible, says Lana Jalagonia. Interviewed by: Olha Pashchenko Interviewee: Lana Jalagonia, Diplomat; Second Secretary, EU Assistance Coordination and Sectorial Integration Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Georgia Negotiation is often pictured as a contest. In this part of its interview series, Business Diplomat presents Lana Jalagonia’s view from diplomatic practice.
The approach
One cannot negotiate “simply by insisting on your own position.” One must “understand the interests and priorities of the other side, identify areas of common ground, know where you can compromise, and at the same time protect the interests you are representing.” The sentence contains both flexibility and firmness.
The objective
“The objective is not necessarily for one side to ‘win,’ but to find an outcome that makes continued cooperation possible.” The word “necessarily” is careful; it does not rule out gains for one’s own side. And from her experience with international partners, “the way you negotiate can be just as important as the final agreement.”
The relationship
“You may disagree on a particular issue today but still need to work with the same counterpart tomorrow.” A Business Diplomat must “separate the issue being negotiated from the relationship with the person on the other side of the table.”
The role of Business Diplomat
The platform’s mission is to give young people experience, bring a diplomatic order to the business world, and benefit states by revitalising the economy. This view of negotiation is what the platform can teach.
Conclusion
A good negotiation protects interests and leaves cooperation possible. Business Diplomat aims to train young professionals in that standard.
Olha Pashchenko
Contributing writer at EUReflect.
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