For some strange reason, Glenn made me promise not to talk about handbags today. I agreed. So what I will talk about is a skill that you men and women of safety use every day: negotiation.

Negotiating, 101

Life is about transactions whether you’re looking for a new job, asking for a raise, buying some bling or having an argument with a spouse. All of these transactions call for negotiation. Mastering the art of negotiation is thus a key to getting more of what you want from other people. Just ask Donald Trump or any other successful person in the world of business.

The concept of negotiation is also universally misunderstood. Negotiation need not be confrontation. You don’t even have to don a “negotiator’s cap” to engage in it. On the contrary, proficient negotiators recognize that everyday conversation is a form of negotiation and are able to secure valuable concessions from such discourse without even causing the other person to recognize that they’ve bargained something away.

With this in mind, here are six negotiating tips that my friend, business consultant John McKee, offers to his clients.

1. Be Prepared to Walk Away

Those who aren’t prepared to say “No” just about always end up settling for less. So before you engage in negotiation, determine exactly what you want and what you are and are not willing to concede.

2. Know When It’s Time to Walk Away

Take a clue from the tempo of the negotiation. As a general rule, good deals usually come together quickly. Bad deals take forever to work out. So if negotiations are dragging beyond reasonable expectation, you might be well advised to cut your losses and walk away.

3. Negotiate with the Decisionmaker

Nothing is more frustrating than trying to do a deal with some person or entity that doesn’t have the authority to make a final decision. You make an offer and the other person tells you he has to “run it up a flagpole.” The process is inefficient and you end up negotiating against yourself.

4. Know Where You Stand

When you enter the negotiation, make sure you have as much information as possible about the circumstances of your endeavor and the “marketplace” in which you’re dealing. What’s the opportunity? How strong is your bargaining leverage?

5. Don’t Take Anything Personally

The secret to effective negotiation is to maintain objectivity and keep your emotions out of it. A good way to do this is to treat every negotiation as if you’re doing a deal for a client who’s hired you for your negotiating prowess and ability to close.

6. Anticipate Objections

Before the negotiation, brainstorm all the potential objections that the other party might raise to what you’re asking for. Prepare a thoughtful counter argument for each.

Conclusion

There are some who treat negotiation as war and are driven by a need to “win.” But “wins” at the negotiating table leave a mark on the “loser.” Remember that negotiation is a beginning, not an end. What you’re doing is establishing a relationship designed to mutually benefit both sides. That’s why the best deals are those where both parties walk away from the negotiation with a positive feeling.

Wishing you career success!

Lauryn Franzoni
ExecuNet
www.execunet.com

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