You may not realize it, but a lot of interactions and conversations that you engage in are negotiations. Negotiations are usually deemed as an exchange where one party must win, and the other must yield. It is a goal-oriented conversation that one must master to make sure that what they want will be theirs. Sometimes, people think that best negotiations are aggressive, but things are not always like this.
For many, negotiating can be difficult. It is something that stresses them. However, they cannot avoid it, as it is part of their job. You need to keep in mind that negotiations are a communication skill that you must master. While some of your negotiations may not turn in your favor, what you have just been in actually provides you with good lessons. Whether you are negotiating your salary or negotiating an office lease in Utah, here are some of the things you may want to keep in mind:
Make the first move
A negotiation process will not start unless someone has the ball rolling. In this case, it should be you, especially if the other party is too proud or too anxious to start the exchange. Because you start the exchange, the other party may perceive that you must yield since you are the person who needs something. When you make your first move, you need to have an anchor that will keep you grounded, thus keeping you from getting into arguments and conversations that will endanger your goals.
Know your battle
You must keep in mind that not all negotiation processes are wars and battles where you will put on armor. Sometimes, it is a compromise that both parties must be willing to agree on. With that, you should know your battle. Know if the conversation you are taking part in will be worth it. You do not want to waste time and energy on battles and negotiations where you will not be able to get what you want or at least the fairness that should be automatically given to both parties.
Back up with knowledge
When you are making your move, you need to make sure that you are grounded. But how do you stay grounded? This is something that you can do by researching the cause. If you are dealing with a salary increase, you need to be reasonable with your demand. It should be grounded and based on viable research and industry standards. Otherwise, you will lose the negotiation.
Prepare your spiel
Negotiation is an art. And it is often manifested in presentations. With that, you need to learn presentation skills where you will be able to explain the need for negotiations, why compromise is important, and what parties will get from the agreement. You will need to prepare your spiel, too.
Negotiations can be awkward at first, but just like other things, it takes practice. You will be able to get what you want and what you need if you put your heart into it.
