Negotiation is a skill that is
used to get what you want from others. It is the art of getting what you want
without giving up too much in return. The most important thing about
negotiation skills is that you are able to get what you want without giving up
too much in return. This may not seem like a difficult task, but it can be
quite challenging depending on the situation. In this article, I will discuss
the top 6 things you should know about negotiation.
Top 6 things/skills you should know about negotiation skill
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Negotiation skill: Top 6 things you should know |
1. Be yourself
Be yourself. You can't succeed at negotiation
if you're not being genuine and true to your authentic self. If you try to be
someone else, it will come across in one way or another and make the other
person suspicious of you, which will make them less likely to trust you and
ultimately leave both parties feeling like the negotiation was a failure. It's
important that negotiators be open with each other so that they can feel
comfortable sharing information and building rapport. If there is any suspicion
about what the other person is doing or saying, this can cause problems for
their ability to cooperate effectively with each other later on in negotiations
because there won't be trust built up between them yet; people are more willing
to cooperate when they feel like they know each other well enough that sharing
things wouldn't put either party at risk because they've already established
trust between themselves beforehand (which happens when both sides are upfront
about what they're thinking).
2. Be Confident
Confidence is the #1 most important skill for
a negotiator. Confident people make better deals, so you need to be confident
about what you're selling and how much it's worth.
Your confidence can come from many places:
your expertise and experience, the quality of your product or service, its
popularity with customers, and/or your ability to close a deal (you've done it
before).
3. Know your negotiation style
Next, know your negotiation style. The first
step to taking control of the situation is knowing who you are and what makes
you tick. Are you a hard-liner negotiator with an iron fist? Or do you prefer
to work things out cooperatively and amicably? Knowing the answers to these
questions will help guide your decision-making during negotiations.
Consider that there are two schools of thought
about how people negotiate: one school says that people should be flexible in
their negotiation style, and another school says that they should stick rigidly
to their guns at every turn. Neither approach is right or wrong—each works for
certain situations better than others—but knowing which method works best for
each situation will help keep things on track during any given meeting.
4. Manage emotions and perceptions
Negotiation is a game of emotions, and it's
important to be aware of your own emotions and those of others. Be careful not
to let anger or frustration cloud your judgment, because they can do serious
damage to negotiations.
If you've ever been on the receiving end of an
angry outburst, you know how hard it is not to react in kind—especially when
someone else's emotions are so intense that they're practically oozing out of
them. It's almost impossible not to get swept up in their feelings if you aren't
prepared for it.
Fortunately, there are ways around this
problem:
Practice managing your own emotions ahead of time. When we come into a negotiation with a bad attitude about something (or someone), we're essentially giving away our power before we even start talking business! If something goes wrong during negotiations and causes us distress, taking some deep breaths will help us calm ourselves down enough so that we can make rational decisions again instead of just acting on impulse out of anger at being wronged somehow (which often leads only further down the rabbit hole).
5. Read the room
Reading the room is about understanding the
people you’re negotiating with, as well as their goals. It also means being
aware of the context and culture of your negotiation.
This can be especially important if you are
negotiating in a different country or culture. For example, if you’re from
Australia and traveling to India, it might be useful to know that Indians tend
to be more formal than Australians when conducting business interactions. Also
keep in mind that some cultures value time more than others; for example,
Germans typically prefer to schedule appointments as early as possible (e.g., 8
AM), while Americans are often more flexible with scheduling times (e.g., 9
AM).
6. Be prepared for everything
The best negotiators are those who are
prepared. This is true for both sides of the table, but it's even more
important for you. You need to have a backup plan in case an unexpected
obstacle arises during negotiations and you have time to think on your feet. In
addition, preparing notes with questions that you might want answered by the
other party can help avoid awkward pauses in conversation and ensure that no
matter what happens, there will be no dead air at any point during your
discussions.
This doesn't mean you should not go into a
negotiation without having prepared at least some ideas beforehand; if
anything, it will give you more confidence and make sure that nothing catches
anyone by surprise - which is always good!
Learning about negotiation skills can help you
close deals and improve relationships.
Negotiation skills will help you get what you
need, or even what you want. It may be the only way to get it if your boss
doesn't understand your point of view and refuses to budge on certain issues.
Negotiation has been called "the art of win-win" because both parties
walk away in a better position than when they started out.
The easiest way to do this is by asking for
what we want: "I'd like an extra day off next week" or "Can we
move our meeting from Wednesday afternoon? I have another appointment."
Then there are times when we don't know exactly what we want but still need
something from someone else—like when our kids ask us for money because they've
run out at school: "What do you need?" This opens up communication
between us so they feel heard and understood before we make decisions together
(or give them permission).
What are the Benefits of Having Strong
Negotiation Skills?
Negotiation is a vital skill for anyone who
wants to be successful in their career. It can help you move up the ladder, get
more money, and improve your work-life balance. Negotiating is a skill that can
be learned. The best way to learn it is to practice it with people you trust
and who are willing to teach you. . Benefits of Having Good Negotiation Skills-
It helps you get more money - It can help you move up the ladder - It can
improve your work-life balance.
Conclusion
Negotiation is a skill that will help you in
all facets of your life. The tips listed above are just the tip of the iceberg,
but they’re a great place to start if you want to get better at negotiating.