Some comments on best negotiation tactics and International Women's Day 2023 by Dr Linda S Spedding (c)
Good day to you all and thank you so much for this opportunity to offer a few words touches upon the theme of best negotiator tactics on the occasion of International Women’s Day. Thank you so much to Vladis of the British & Commonwealth Chamber of Commerce in Finland , to Nora of Rodl &Partner and to all of you here!
In my humble opinion I consider life is often a negotiation process and therefore this is an important topic from both macro and micro perspectives. I would like to mention from the outset that time is very short - hence all my comments regarding trends or statistics are quite general - even global - and I appreciate that there may be many exceptions that can be given, particularly when considering this very special jurisdiction in Finland! This is a huge topic and therefore I can only make some selective or passing examples here.
First a few remarks about today, . International Women’s Day (IWD) which had its inception in the early 1900s, is celebrated on March 8 each year. It is well known that this anniversary commemorates and celebrate positive activism and the campaign movement for women’s rights. The aim of this year - IWD 2023 - may be quoted from the
#EmbraceEquity campaign theme
“it is to get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren't enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action. Forging gender equity isn't limited to women solely fighting the good fight. Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women”
Globally, therefore, IWD enables reflection and recognition of the incredible contributions of women around the world, and a call to action for accelerating gender equity. This year the technology field is highlighted. This is a very extensive and significant matter for the fair and just progress of the world as a whole in order to achieve balanced and sustainable development economically and otherwise.
This day was actually proposed by the International Women’s Conference in 1910 and was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1975. As with our birthdays, this represents an annual special occasion and opportunity to review the year, the ways is which progress in gender equality has been made to allow the realisation of individual potential. While recognising that this is an inclusive debate, for the purpose of IWD observations we:
~ review the status of females internationally; and
~ consider how much women have to date achieved, advanced in their lives - including their career and vocational choices - or paths and roles.
This includes the creative and more innovative ways in which women are contributing to the global community. Overall this continues to be a topical debate or negotiation - not a theoretical exercise-and many stakeholders.
Law and business are both multi-faceted fields which traverse public and private sectors, as well as academia and applied work. In addition to being highly influential, leadership positions in these fields also tend to be highly-remunerated and respected. Yet, the available evidence suggests that, globally, progress on women’s leadership in law and economics has been uneven, and at times even regressive. Despite progress in, for example, women’s representation in electoral politics, as well as increases in numbers of women entering the legal profession and ascending to judgeships, there have also been fewer advancements - even some notable regression - when it comes to women in business and economics, let alone ascending to leadership positions, especially since Covid. Any stalled progress is concerning for several reasons, including the fact that women’s right to meaningfully participate in governance, policymaking, and public life on equal terms to men is a basic human right. Of course all of these activities involve best practice in negotiation to which female participation can add value. Meanwhile Articles 7 and 9 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 1979 (CEDAW) binds the States parties to eliminate gender-based discrimination and to improve the accountability and gender-responsiveness of institutions by ensuring that women participate in governance and policymaking on equal terms to men. Then, the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) for equality , development and peace clearly establishes that women’s equal participation in public life and decision- making - including economic- is a key lever for realising all other elements of gender equality. More recently in 2015 the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development crystallised calls for gender equality in all spheres of public and private life (SDG 5), and underscored the importance of representative institutions (SDG 16) in its 17 SDGs.
Using a rights-based approach as its starting point I also believe that gender diversity, which has been debated for many years in my experience, has obvious clear benefits. In addition to the Legal Sector, in the financial and business sector, by way of example, there is generally a real value and positive impact on corporate culture and reputation through gender diversity. Moreover there appears to be a reciprocal benefit for the executives who carry out board service as this experience can enhance negotiations. I have considered the ongoing debate as a priority in my life as an international lawyer and adviser. I have faced challenges over the years in different forms of legal practice and when establishing my International practice without giving in to issues encountered purely because I was not part of a larger institution, especially as a woman. Calm, clear negotiation skills were needed!
Recently there has been a shift in favour of Women on Boards and the US based organisation 2020 Women on Boards (WOB) has recognised the “W” winning companies for their commitment to gender diverse boards of directors. To maintain balance in this gender debate is complex: in my view it appears that it is not about common sense but rather about old habits dying hard.
Diversity is a source of strength- it is not just good policy, it is also good business practice that can enable a competitive edge. Female gender equality can indeed help all as we go through this life that is, in any case, a difficult journey. As we know since Covid in particular a more inclusive debate is a must to solve the global challenges that the world faces. It is submitted that any such steps can support the important foundation of transparency can be helpful in creating lasting positive change and value for all stakeholders.
Personally, having spent my professional life in different jurisdictions including India, advising business as a female I am particularly grateful for the traditional knowledge and understanding that I have learned in India - where I am speaking from today - regarding four key objectives for a fulfilling life I have found that women often bring these into their lives, whether consciously or unconsciously- and into the ways they do things including negotiating from the small to the larger things! When they have the confidence to make points and, given the female characteristics mentioned later, this can enable advantage in negotiation. The objectives are summed up in four Sanskrit terms that are helpful to keep in mind :
According to basic social role theory, evidently generally women are less likely to initiate negotiations and have lower expectancies about negotiation success because the feminine gender role is inconsistent with the negotiator role. Hence long the drawn out debate over equal pay in many places by way of example. This traditional perception is changing in the light of the recognition of other key female qualities. Confidence is so important in the workplace that for some people it can even trump competence, Many women tend to have less confidence than men when negotiating, or to undermine themselves by thinking they’re “not good at it.” *This may have been a form of programming but there are many examples to demonstrate that women can be extremely successful leaders who can negotiate well in difficult or complex situations. Generally women stay much calmer in
~situations that are stressful:
~situations where you have to multi-task, or
~when things go wrong.
Men are more likely to get upset or disturbed - for lack of a better term - when dealing with egoic impacts.
Women’s negotiating style may be different but complementary and therefore beneficial. In one of the largest studies examining differences between the sexes in 2018, scientists concluded that women really are more empathetic while men are more analytical and logical. An emphasis on listening and building a collaborative atmosphere is more accepted as a more productive negotiating style for both women and men
Listening is really important in negotiating because sometimes you think you know what the other party wants, but when you listen, you really hear what they want. That’s where you get to a position, a resolution, that works for both sides. This integrity is valuable for building relationships. You do not always know when someone is going to reappear into your life. It really is so important to negotiate with integrity and build personal relationships as you go.
In negotiation many known female qualities valuable in successful female leaders apply:
They value work-life balance.
They are empathetic.
They make great listeners.
They are nurturing.
They focus on cooperative teamwork
They’re good at multitasking.
They’re motivated by challenges.
They’re strong communicators.
They dream big.
They handle crisis situations well.
They can wear many hats.
They check their egos.
They have high emotional intelligence.
They’re flexible.
They lead by example.
They make their jobs look effortless.They defy the odds
When considering a deal research indicates that Women are more likely to ask open-ended questions that obtain more information. Men tend to be more comfortable asking for what they want, but may miss nuances in words or body language that women notice. As women take decisions, they tend to adopt the decision-making approach including getting assured of the decision validity, and analysis of tpros and cons before taking any. On the other hand, generally men may take faster but less analysed decisions, often driven by reactions to the surrounding circumstances.These different yet complementary approaches mean that it is obviously helpful to have more female representation.
Nevertheless in most jurisdictions and contexts there are both open and disguised examples of unfairness. In order to make positive change often what is required is:
~ a fresh eye and discussion;
~ the implementation of appropriate ethical standards; and
~ regulatory frameworks and preventive -awareness raising - training for equal empowerment.
For a balanced leadership in law and business some suggestions can be mentioned. More understanding, exchange of views, mutual respect, clarity and empathy, coupled with less undercurrent and hidden agenda are the need of today. Well thought out policies, a system of confidential mentoring and coaching or counselling are so important in the workplace and in relevant venues. Indeed a more mature enlightened negotiation pathway is required to give our young women the balanced life and future they deserve in order to be healthy and happy and to realise their potential. In this context the recognition of female qualities that can be an asset to any negotiation is a priority.
As mentioned IWD is celebrated in many countries around the world regardless of their stage of development. It is a day when women are recognised for their achievements - a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. this does not require negotiation!
The plan this year is to join UN Women and the UN in celebrating under the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, which is an apt theme for Finland I submit.
There are many negative cyber security issues and solutions that can be debated with this in mind. Simultaneously, digital technology is opening new innovative doors for the global empowerment of women, girls and other marginalised groups. From gender-responsive digital learning to tech-facilitated sexual and reproductive healthcare, the digital age now represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality. This IWD voice calls on governments, activists and the private sector alike to progress their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable. At a time when we face so many global crises, through positive digital fairness there is the opportunity to create a better future—not just for women and girls, but for all humanity and all life on Earth.
Finally in closing - today is a particularly vibrant colourful day especially for women to celebrate Holi marking the end of the winter, the arrival of spring, and the hopeful beginning of a good harvest season. Despite being a National celebration originally this is a recognised international occasion nowadays. So Happy Holi and thank you very much for your attention.
In my humble opinion I consider life is often a negotiation process and therefore this is an important topic from both macro and micro perspectives. I would like to mention from the outset that time is very short - hence all my comments regarding trends or statistics are quite general - even global - and I appreciate that there may be many exceptions that can be given, particularly when considering this very special jurisdiction in Finland! This is a huge topic and therefore I can only make some selective or passing examples here.
First a few remarks about today, . International Women’s Day (IWD) which had its inception in the early 1900s, is celebrated on March 8 each year. It is well known that this anniversary commemorates and celebrate positive activism and the campaign movement for women’s rights. The aim of this year - IWD 2023 - may be quoted from the
#EmbraceEquity campaign theme
“it is to get the world talking about Why equal opportunities aren't enough. People start from different places, so true inclusion and belonging require equitable action. Forging gender equity isn't limited to women solely fighting the good fight. Allies are incredibly important for the social, economic, cultural, and political advancement of women”
Globally, therefore, IWD enables reflection and recognition of the incredible contributions of women around the world, and a call to action for accelerating gender equity. This year the technology field is highlighted. This is a very extensive and significant matter for the fair and just progress of the world as a whole in order to achieve balanced and sustainable development economically and otherwise.
This day was actually proposed by the International Women’s Conference in 1910 and was adopted by the United Nations (UN) in 1975. As with our birthdays, this represents an annual special occasion and opportunity to review the year, the ways is which progress in gender equality has been made to allow the realisation of individual potential. While recognising that this is an inclusive debate, for the purpose of IWD observations we:
~ review the status of females internationally; and
~ consider how much women have to date achieved, advanced in their lives - including their career and vocational choices - or paths and roles.
This includes the creative and more innovative ways in which women are contributing to the global community. Overall this continues to be a topical debate or negotiation - not a theoretical exercise-and many stakeholders.
Law and business are both multi-faceted fields which traverse public and private sectors, as well as academia and applied work. In addition to being highly influential, leadership positions in these fields also tend to be highly-remunerated and respected. Yet, the available evidence suggests that, globally, progress on women’s leadership in law and economics has been uneven, and at times even regressive. Despite progress in, for example, women’s representation in electoral politics, as well as increases in numbers of women entering the legal profession and ascending to judgeships, there have also been fewer advancements - even some notable regression - when it comes to women in business and economics, let alone ascending to leadership positions, especially since Covid. Any stalled progress is concerning for several reasons, including the fact that women’s right to meaningfully participate in governance, policymaking, and public life on equal terms to men is a basic human right. Of course all of these activities involve best practice in negotiation to which female participation can add value. Meanwhile Articles 7 and 9 of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women 1979 (CEDAW) binds the States parties to eliminate gender-based discrimination and to improve the accountability and gender-responsiveness of institutions by ensuring that women participate in governance and policymaking on equal terms to men. Then, the 1995 Beijing Platform for Action (BPfA) for equality , development and peace clearly establishes that women’s equal participation in public life and decision- making - including economic- is a key lever for realising all other elements of gender equality. More recently in 2015 the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development crystallised calls for gender equality in all spheres of public and private life (SDG 5), and underscored the importance of representative institutions (SDG 16) in its 17 SDGs.
Using a rights-based approach as its starting point I also believe that gender diversity, which has been debated for many years in my experience, has obvious clear benefits. In addition to the Legal Sector, in the financial and business sector, by way of example, there is generally a real value and positive impact on corporate culture and reputation through gender diversity. Moreover there appears to be a reciprocal benefit for the executives who carry out board service as this experience can enhance negotiations. I have considered the ongoing debate as a priority in my life as an international lawyer and adviser. I have faced challenges over the years in different forms of legal practice and when establishing my International practice without giving in to issues encountered purely because I was not part of a larger institution, especially as a woman. Calm, clear negotiation skills were needed!
Recently there has been a shift in favour of Women on Boards and the US based organisation 2020 Women on Boards (WOB) has recognised the “W” winning companies for their commitment to gender diverse boards of directors. To maintain balance in this gender debate is complex: in my view it appears that it is not about common sense but rather about old habits dying hard.
Diversity is a source of strength- it is not just good policy, it is also good business practice that can enable a competitive edge. Female gender equality can indeed help all as we go through this life that is, in any case, a difficult journey. As we know since Covid in particular a more inclusive debate is a must to solve the global challenges that the world faces. It is submitted that any such steps can support the important foundation of transparency can be helpful in creating lasting positive change and value for all stakeholders.
Personally, having spent my professional life in different jurisdictions including India, advising business as a female I am particularly grateful for the traditional knowledge and understanding that I have learned in India - where I am speaking from today - regarding four key objectives for a fulfilling life I have found that women often bring these into their lives, whether consciously or unconsciously- and into the ways they do things including negotiating from the small to the larger things! When they have the confidence to make points and, given the female characteristics mentioned later, this can enable advantage in negotiation. The objectives are summed up in four Sanskrit terms that are helpful to keep in mind :
- Dharma - duty, righteousness, moral values
- Artha - material prosperity, economic values
- Kama - fulfilment of all aspirations including pleasure, love, psychological values, and
- Moksha - freedom from bondage- liberation and implementation of spiritual ethical or moral values.
According to basic social role theory, evidently generally women are less likely to initiate negotiations and have lower expectancies about negotiation success because the feminine gender role is inconsistent with the negotiator role. Hence long the drawn out debate over equal pay in many places by way of example. This traditional perception is changing in the light of the recognition of other key female qualities. Confidence is so important in the workplace that for some people it can even trump competence, Many women tend to have less confidence than men when negotiating, or to undermine themselves by thinking they’re “not good at it.” *This may have been a form of programming but there are many examples to demonstrate that women can be extremely successful leaders who can negotiate well in difficult or complex situations. Generally women stay much calmer in
~situations that are stressful:
~situations where you have to multi-task, or
~when things go wrong.
Men are more likely to get upset or disturbed - for lack of a better term - when dealing with egoic impacts.
Women’s negotiating style may be different but complementary and therefore beneficial. In one of the largest studies examining differences between the sexes in 2018, scientists concluded that women really are more empathetic while men are more analytical and logical. An emphasis on listening and building a collaborative atmosphere is more accepted as a more productive negotiating style for both women and men
Listening is really important in negotiating because sometimes you think you know what the other party wants, but when you listen, you really hear what they want. That’s where you get to a position, a resolution, that works for both sides. This integrity is valuable for building relationships. You do not always know when someone is going to reappear into your life. It really is so important to negotiate with integrity and build personal relationships as you go.
In negotiation many known female qualities valuable in successful female leaders apply:
They value work-life balance.
They are empathetic.
They make great listeners.
They are nurturing.
They focus on cooperative teamwork
They’re good at multitasking.
They’re motivated by challenges.
They’re strong communicators.
They dream big.
They handle crisis situations well.
They can wear many hats.
They check their egos.
They have high emotional intelligence.
They’re flexible.
They lead by example.
They make their jobs look effortless.They defy the odds
When considering a deal research indicates that Women are more likely to ask open-ended questions that obtain more information. Men tend to be more comfortable asking for what they want, but may miss nuances in words or body language that women notice. As women take decisions, they tend to adopt the decision-making approach including getting assured of the decision validity, and analysis of tpros and cons before taking any. On the other hand, generally men may take faster but less analysed decisions, often driven by reactions to the surrounding circumstances.These different yet complementary approaches mean that it is obviously helpful to have more female representation.
Nevertheless in most jurisdictions and contexts there are both open and disguised examples of unfairness. In order to make positive change often what is required is:
~ a fresh eye and discussion;
~ the implementation of appropriate ethical standards; and
~ regulatory frameworks and preventive -awareness raising - training for equal empowerment.
For a balanced leadership in law and business some suggestions can be mentioned. More understanding, exchange of views, mutual respect, clarity and empathy, coupled with less undercurrent and hidden agenda are the need of today. Well thought out policies, a system of confidential mentoring and coaching or counselling are so important in the workplace and in relevant venues. Indeed a more mature enlightened negotiation pathway is required to give our young women the balanced life and future they deserve in order to be healthy and happy and to realise their potential. In this context the recognition of female qualities that can be an asset to any negotiation is a priority.
As mentioned IWD is celebrated in many countries around the world regardless of their stage of development. It is a day when women are recognised for their achievements - a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. this does not require negotiation!
The plan this year is to join UN Women and the UN in celebrating under the theme DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality, which is an apt theme for Finland I submit.
There are many negative cyber security issues and solutions that can be debated with this in mind. Simultaneously, digital technology is opening new innovative doors for the global empowerment of women, girls and other marginalised groups. From gender-responsive digital learning to tech-facilitated sexual and reproductive healthcare, the digital age now represents an unprecedented opportunity to eliminate all forms of disparity and inequality. This IWD voice calls on governments, activists and the private sector alike to progress their efforts to make the digital world safer, more inclusive and more equitable. At a time when we face so many global crises, through positive digital fairness there is the opportunity to create a better future—not just for women and girls, but for all humanity and all life on Earth.
Finally in closing - today is a particularly vibrant colourful day especially for women to celebrate Holi marking the end of the winter, the arrival of spring, and the hopeful beginning of a good harvest season. Despite being a National celebration originally this is a recognised international occasion nowadays. So Happy Holi and thank you very much for your attention.