1. Begin With Open-Ended Questions
Make sure you begin with a set of open-ended questions designed to reveal the concerns and commitments of the other negotiating party. Then, listen and use their words to make sure they know you really heard them. – Lori Darley, Conscious Leaders LLC
2. Know What You Want To Achieve
Know in advance what you want to achieve and figure out ways to achieve it without leaving the other side feeling as if they’ve compromised or were forced into making a decision less favorable to themselves. Look empathetically at the situation from the other side of the negotiation table and identify a mutual approach and solution that will be acceptable for both sides. – Dennis Kight, it works! LLC
3. Don’t Settle For Less Than Your Primary Goal
Walk in with a crystal clear primary goal and related key performance indicators and be willing to walk away from the negotiation if those aren’t going to be met. It takes a lot of courage to walk away, and you should certainly try to compromise where you can to avoid doing that. But settling for anything less than your primary goal never works and will only lead to disillusion and poor performance. – Gregg Ward, The Center for Respectful Leadership
4. Previsualize Any Negotiation
It is essential to previsualize any negotiation. Consider the priorities that will enrich each person involved and the relationship as a whole. Do not make assumptions about what the other person wants; instead, mutually find out how you can meet each other’s needs through a win-win practice. Ask good questions to clarify the needs underneath. – Denise Trudeau-Poskas, Blue Egg Leadership
5. Understand Their Real Motivators
Understand, respect and find ways to meet the interests of the other parties. This often requires humility and curiosity. Most parties don’t openly discuss their interests—their real desires or motivators. In fact, they aren’t always cognizant of them. In many cases, high-value solutions for both parties can be discovered this way. – Christian Muntean, Vantage Consulting
6. Negotiate The Negotiation Process In Advance
Not having clarity on simple logistics such as when to meet, the agenda and who should be at the negotiation table should never be taken for granted. Create the ideal negotiation environment and establish the guidelines in advance so that your conversations can be much more focused and productive. – Mari Carmen Pizarro, Whole Leadership Systems, Inc
7. Make The Intention A Win-Win For All
Negotiations are easier when the intention is a win-win for all. However, we know that fear drives people, and since they don’t always play “nice,” we have to first determine what our position is, followed by the other party’s and, finally, the longer-term implications for all if the deal goes the other way. A smart negotiator knows it’s about give-and-take, not being driven to win by a toxic ego. – Jon Michail, Image Group International
8. Get Creative When You’re Preparing
When preparing for a negotiation, get creative. It’s not always about a dollar amount— sometimes there are fringe benefits, incentives or intangibles that are highly valued. For example, perhaps a better title, a gym membership or a remote working option are possibilities. Think about how you can get what you want while still aligning with their budget limitations. – April Willis, April Willis Consulting, LLC
9. Know Your Nonnegotiables
Know your nonnegotiables and build from there. Nonnegotiables include components specific to your industry, minimum profit margin, estimated time required and the deployment of human capital in the process. To consider less is to sell your organization and people short. – Deborah Hightower, Deborah Hightower, Inc.
10. Know What The Other Party Values
While it’s important to have clarity on the best-case, desired outcomes for yourself, it’s equally important to know what the other person or party holds of value, or what they might see as being of value to them. This is often not stated explicitly and therefore requires great listening and observation skills when structuring deals or negotiating win-win solutions. – Rittu Sinha, The Balanced Bandwagon
11. Distinguish Between Want And Need
Distinguish between what you want and what you need. Knowing your absolute “red line”—that point where you will walk away with no regret—enables you to negotiate clearly and decisively with fair give-and-take on all the other parameters of the deal. Getting too hung up on what you want can blur your negotiating strategy as you struggle to compromise and find win-win outcomes. – Gary Crotaz,Gary Crotaz Ltd.
12. Be Willing To Walk Away
You must be willing to walk away from the deal. If you’re not, then the other party will sense desperation, and they will take advantage of you. Remember, the key to any successful negotiation is to have leverage, and the only way to have leverage is to be willing to walk away. If you’re committed to a fair outcome, then you must be willing to walk away from any deal that doesn’t meet your needs. – Ryan Stewman, Break Free Academy
13. Focus On How You Want To Frame The Conversation
Most people focus on what they want to negotiate for and forget about the relationship they want to build in the process. Any conversation—but especially during negotiations—depends very heavily on how it’s framed. When preparing for a negotiation, focus on the first few sentences you want to say to set up the conversation well and establish the working relationship you want. – Stephanie Judd, Wolf & Heron
14. Decide On The BATNA And The ZOPA
Well, this is a complex science, first of all. Decide on the BATNA (best alternative to negotiation agreement) for the other party and the ZOPA (zone of possible agreement). This is the basic roster for any negotiation. My experience as a negotiation expert is that information is key. So research, do your homework, talk to people, investigate, check and double-check. – Arvid Buit, TRUE Leadership
15. Define What Success Looks Like
Make sure you define what success looks like. Is it a particular outcome you are seeking? Is the relationship as important (or more important) than the details of the agreement reached? Is this a one-and-done, or is the negotiation a piece of a long-term puzzle? Why do you need/want to negotiate in the first place? How does the negotiation contribute to a greater vision? Answering these questions will give you clarity. – Michele Cohen, Lead to Growth Coaching
Do you have any tips to share? Send them my way! I’d love to learn from you.
