Practice the art of negotiation.

Did you know that everything we do is a negotiation? This includes the people we have conversations with, as well as anyone or anything we do business with. In other words, in life, everything is a negotiation, and it’s not always about money or our salary. Negotiating is also not a continual ego trip.

There are many strategies to use when negotiating, but the most important thing to remember is to keep your focus on the other side’s interest so that both of your negotiations are mutually beneficial. You also need to know why the other side is trying to negotiate. Keep it simple.

All you really need to do is ask them why. If they learn that your goal is not just about persuading them to do what you are advocating for, but instead that you are listening carefully to their answers, they will be open to discussing both side's interests. Giving the other side "the chance to be open and self-assured" reveals that you have confidence in them (Jensen, 2014).

Remember that you both have the power to negotiate. In many cases, cultural differences can also have a huge impact on how the negotiation process plays out (Fasano, 2022). Keeping this in mind will aid in being careful to understand each other’s interests, especially relating to values and beliefs. Obviously, keeping communication open and gleaning useful information from each other is key to making successful negotiations.

When you are preparing, a checklist is a surefire way to develop foresight, which gives you the edge for understanding the opposing side during negotiations. Realizing that negotiations do fail sometimes, can also serve as a reminder to use your leveraging power; therefore, think of a strong alternative (Fasano, 2022).

Obviously combining theory and practical advice will be your best course of action, consulting articles in leading journals as well as books on negotiation, law and management, and on proactive contracting. A favorite book of mine by George Siedel is called, Negotiating For Success: Essential Strategies and Skills, which is a great resource for learning the power of successful negotiation. Chris Voss also offers a great book called, Never Split the Difference: Negotiating as if Your Life Depended on It.

If you are looking to learn how both parties can walk away satisfied, George Siedel is also an engineering career coach who offers a podcast called, “Negotiation for Success Essential: Strategies & Skills with George J. Siedel.”

In addition, George Siedel also hosts his own personal website, negotiationplanner.com, which offers a free course teaching leaders worldwide how to undergo learning about and developing negotiation skills. This course not only tests your skills, but it also offers you valuable feedback. Professor Siedel also teaches negotiation at Michigan’s Ross School of Business as well as to business leaders, entrepreneurs, attorneys, physicians, athletic directors, and judges.

References:

1. Fasano, A. (2022, August 23). TECC 180: Negotiating for success: Essential strategies and skills with George Siedel. Engineering Management Institute. https://engineeringmanagementinstitute.org/tecc-180-negotiating-for-success-siedel/

2. Jensen, K. (2014, September 22). 7 negotiation tips for Success. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/keldjensen/2014/09/20/keld-jensens-7-negotiation-tips-for-success/?sh=6437a7e76f38