Most people think negotiation is reserved for salary increases or new positions.
Not exactly.
We have the golden opportunity to negotiate each day. We can do so at the market, the retail store, at the coffee bar, for a book or business contract, with our colleagues over a project and when leading productive team meetings. We often negotiate, but we don’t realize it at the moment or get the results that we want.
But you don’t need to be an expert negotiator to advance your career. Nor do you need to be one to convince your kids to pick up their rooms. Still, you do need to be prepared to negotiate when the opportunity arises, especially in your professional world. So, don’t dismiss the power of negotiation. It applies to everything that you do and yes, good negotiation skills do help.
To help you build your negotiation skills, proceed with confidence and get mutually beneficial results, follow these five steps:
- Get Confident: Confidence, not arrogance, is key to conducting a thoughtful negotiation in which both parties win. Download your copy of Negotiate With Confidence which will prepare you for negotiating your next salary, raise request or book and project contract with ease and confidence. This guidebook contains everything you need to prepare your successful negotiation strategy, so that you can confidently earn your worth and score the salary that you deserve.
- Be Reasonable: Considering what the other side wants may require you to do a little perspective shifting. This involves helping the decision maker see value in offering you a higher salary; so, look deeply at what is fair and what both parties would consider a win-win.
- Trust Instincts: When you’re prepared, you’ll know when you should change your approach, go further or hold back. It’s a bit of a dance, but keep in mind you have more power and control over the outcomes so be confident and trust in the process.
- Be Ready: Remember, you’ll never know when the opportunity will arise, so brush up and build your confidence around negotiation now. By doing so, you’ll be ready to enter into any small or big negotiation well prepared.
- Get Coaching: I always ask my clients to conduct a little pre-planning and I do the same. Then we meet in the middle and brainstorm, role-play, goal set and then design a plan for confident negotiation conversations that bring them results.
To help YOU get in the right frame of mind for coaching for confident and successful negotiations, reflect on the following questions:
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- What do you want from the negotiation?
- What does the other side want?
- What are the “hot button” issues on both sides?
- What do you need to know about the other party?
- What are you willing to give up in order to get what you want?
- What might the other party be willing to give up?
- What’s at risk for you and for them?
- What will you lose if the deal falls through?
- How can you plan for this?
- Is there anyone in the other party who might advocate for you?
- Are there factors that may come into play that you have no control over?
- What are they and how can you plan for them?
- What is the point at which you just walk away?
Need a little more assistance? Grab your free Five Keys to Negotiation Success planning guide to help you navigate the negotiation highway smoothly, confidently and successfully.
I hope this article provided you with a few applicable ideas for success. I would be honored if you shared this on social media. And speaking of sharing, please share your own ideas and experiences below. Together, we can build a happier career community.
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