Negotiating Skills: Successful Negotiation Strategies and Tactics

Disagreements over certain things, have always led people to fight or have ‘cold war’. Trivial things, if not solved through dialogue, often tend to become issues over time. Brothers disagreeing with each other over a business decision, husband and wife having issues relating to child care, or employees resenting their employer are very common conflicts, which can be solved by successful negotiation. To answer all such problems, you should have the ability to manage such situations with good convincing powers and reach to a resolution that is equally beneficial for both the parties.

Goal of Negotiation

The goal of negotiation should be such that at the end, whatever the outcome or solution, it is beneficial for all and everybody comes out as a winner. In a successful negotiation, there is no ‘I’ or ‘You’; there’s only ‘We’. That’s the main motto of a successful negotiation strategy. It is often seen that ‘losers’ will always try to defy and retaliate against the ‘winners’. This is where the ‘ego’ enters and problems start.

Successful Negotiation Tactics
Proper business communication is a key element in effective negotiation in large or small organizations. Communication involves understanding, listening properly to the other person and speaking in a convincing manner. These tactics are dealt with below.

Speaking
Convincing someone with your speaking ability is the greatest gift of all, that guides a person to great heights. One example is Adolf Hitler – however bad the history may highlight with him, he ignited the minds of many by his ornateness. Convincing is explaining the problem to the opposite party in a clear and concise way. The main emphasis should be on the use of words. For example, "I go mad when you" is used rather than "I become upset when you". The former statement is too aggressive and can lead to more bitterness between the people.

Listening
A very important tool in the art of successful negotiation is the ability to listen carefully and encouraging the other person to share thoughts and feelings. Listen, and then give a positive feedback. This will have a positive affect on the person, who will then likely listen to you with attention too. Encouraging the person by making an eye contact when he is speaking or saying, "I fully understand that you want to say...", etc., makes the person feel that you are into the dialogue with interest. Poor listening skills land you in more trouble.

Understanding
Understanding each other’s concern is the beginning of a successful negotiation. If you are a good listener, you will surely understand the other person’s problem. Body language, facial expressions, hand gestures and eye contact are few things, that tell about a persons thoughts and feelings. Make statements that encourage communication like, "Do you want to talk about it?".

Successful Negotiating Tips

• Show respect and understand the other person’s values and beliefs
• Recognize and define the problem
• Look for different possible solutions
• Be reliable
• Communicate properly

Negotiating successfully is an art that comes with time and by practicing all of the above. Be patient; never be in hurry to solve a problem. Understanding the other person will help you to approach the problem better.