Negotiation is a highly sought-after skill. When you know negotiation is in the cards to get what you want, you may be experiencing a lot of anxiety—after all, you don’t want to be a pain or a burden, and you definitely don’t want to be called “greedy.”
However, it isn’t greedy to ask for fair market value compensation for your skills and expertise. It’s not greedy to speak up about what you want. After all, people spend most of their waking hours working. Finding or cultivating a work environment that respects you and your demands is critical to feeling successful in your life.
That’s why I’ve compiled these negotiation tips here for you. I hope they’ll help you unleash your inner negotiator, so you can navigate these conversations with confidence and ultimately get what you want.
4 Negotiation Tips to Get You What You Want
Are you ready to get the salary, responsibilities and tasks that you want? Read on for these key negotiation tips.
1. It’s All About Them
When you’re gearing up for negotiation, consider that the negotiation is all about the other person, instead of yourself. With this mindset, focus on the other person—really learn about their needs and wants. Show them the benefits of the arrangement and solution that you’re proposing, and demonstrate why the outcome of what you’re negotiating for is best for both parties.
For additional guidance on this, see my video on the topic.
2. Let Them Vent
Venting is healthy and normal. People need room to vent, so allow time for this. Additionally, if you allow other people to vent with them, this develops trust and builds your relationship up, which helps immensely with future discussions.
For more details on how to successfully do this, watch my video on negotiating with someone who is not fully engaged.
3. Pay Attention
Stop, focus, and concentrate. In the midst of your negotiation, you may find it hard to concentrate. In these instances, keep your focus, maintain an eye on the ball, and hit it out of the park.
Really hone in your attention on what’s happening, and don’t let your mind wander. Take time to think about what you’re going to do and say before you’re doing it to ensure success. After all, achieving the right balance of engagement and detachment in a situation can have an interesting effect—don’t hesitate to try it.
4. Pause When Needed
Sometimes, pausing during a negotiation is exactly what the conversation needs to keep things moving. Do you find yourself filled with anger at what’s going on around you? If so, it’s important to step back and pause.
Negotiating while angry is never a good idea…so, if you feel a rush of anger creeping on, ask the other side if you can pause and revisit the conversation at a later date.
No matter how unfair or unjust you feel the situation to be, you don’t want an angry (or sad) mind to muddle what’s happening during this very real business conversation. Practice walking away, re-centering, and finding your calm before revising the conversation.
After all, whatever you say in the course of a negotiation may put your current job at risk—and you have to be aware of that. Really think about what you’re risking, and how you can phrase things effectively.
You don’t need a script, because that can come across as inauthentic and fake. You just need a plan of the points you’d like to cover so that you don’t stray too far from those points during the negotiation.
Additionally, be sure to actively listen to the other party. Their wants and needs matter, too. Like I said earlier, making the conversation all about them ensures that you have a better chance of getting what you want.
Your Negotiation Secrets to Success: Final Thoughts
That’s the scoop on negotiation. Negotiating successfully can seem intimidating, but with the right skills, you’ll be ready for anything life throws your way. As long as you:
- Remember that it’s all about the other side,
- Let the person on the other side vent,
- Pay attention to what’s happening during the conversation, and
- Pause when needed,
your negotiation is sure to end up going the way you’d like it to go.
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