Mastering The Art Of Negotiation – Part 1

Negotiations Succeed or Fail Based Upon the Ability to Remove the Emotion

One of the biggest barriers to progress is oftentimes not the subject matter being discussed. Oftentimes it is tied distinctly to the ability of the participants to remove the emotion from their perspective in order to make the best decision that creates a “win-win” for both parties. All proper negotiations should have an end game that results in positive momentum for both participants. If that is not the way you do business, you need to stop reading this article. However, if you want to master the art of Negotiation, you will need to keep the following three strategies in mind:

LEVEL THE PLAYING FIELD: Do not sit opposite the person by whom you wish to negotiate. This can quickly create a competitive atmosphere in which one opponent must lose and one must win. Harnessing the art of negotiation is an ability to exchange reasonable pieces of information amicably to forge a commitment moving forward that benefits both parties. In order to do that, create an atmosphere where that can happen. Sit at an angle to the person you are speaking with. Remove the confrontation atmosphere, and there won’t be any room for confrontation.

MIRROR YOUR OPPONENT: Masters in negotiation search and locate quickly two things: 1.) Areas where both of you agree. 2.) Keywords and phrases that will give the other person certainty that you were listening.

Find common ground quickly by listening intently to what is being said. Do not rush to fill empty “space” in the conversation. Instead, listen for keywords so that you may repeat back to the person those keywords that will give them certainty that you were in fact listening. This strategy will remove the mental guards and add significance to the person to whom you are speaking. They will thereafter naturally desire your feedback due to feeling validated by your willingness to listen to them.

OUTLINE THE BENEFITS OF THE “WIN-WIN”: In negotiating, you must stick to the principles that will produce a positive benefit for both sides. If you haven’t outlined this determination in advance, you are not ready to negotiate and you should delay such a meeting until you have defined a clear outcome. If you have performed this step, you are now ready to step into the negotiating arena. Be clear on your outcome and state immediately that such is your ultimate goal. You’ll quickly gain the higher ground to continue the conversation.

There are many other strategic maneuvers in the Art of Negotiation. Above are the beginning steps to positioning yourself to negotiate properly with business contacts, employers, and other professional situations. We will cover this subject in a several part series. If you enjoyed this content, let us know.