How To Absolutely Minimize Your Risk When You Use Negotiation Tactics?

Negotiation is really a game of wits and composure. Advantage goes to the side that is more prepared and ready to handle the invisible and the inevitable. That’s why when we embark unto the study of negotiation tactics, we stay vigilant and take heed of the risk that follows.

Two days ago, on Friday, I completed the course on “Effective Negotiation Skills”. I loved it! It was fun as always!  😀

This class was an additional run as the original negotiation class was already fully signed up. I could not take in any more participants in the previous run. Therefore I had to open up a couple more classes to meet with the demand for this course of mine.

As with each class, the dynamics are different because the participants have changed. Hence personalities changed. The jokes are new, the laughter occurred at different triggering moments.

However, the message remained the same when it comes to the segment on negotiation tactics: The risk.

Please understand that for every single tactics used, there is always a risk:

a) the risk of being found out

b) the risk of backfiring

c) the risk of the loophole or the gap

d) the risk of worsening

Hence, we must be able to take the following steps in reducing such risk as much as possible:

1.) Get yourself mentally prepared as much as you can. Confidence here is crucial especially in moments before you step into the negotiation room.

2.) Plan for what you know and plan for what you don’t know. You can never discount the merits of planning. And when I say planning, I do mean Plan A, Plan B, Plan C, and others.

3.) Check against your own ethics, principles, values and beliefs (EPVB) whenever you want to use any of the tactics. If the tactics is against them, don’t use it.

Psychologically speaking, should any tactics used be in conflict or disagreement with your own EPVB, you will be unable to use them to its full effect. In addition, there is the risk of the loophole to deal with. Being in conflict within, your body does not allow you to fully convince the other party. Hence a more experienced and eagle-eyed negotiator will be able to detect such loopholes.

4.) Get a fellow negotiator to back you up emotionally. Pep talks are also important and extremely useful. The importance of psyching yourself up before the meeting is not to be discounted. Have your friend use positive words to keep your perspective in the motivated realm.

5.)  Find a balance between eagerness and calmness. Too eager a negotiator will open up too many loopholes while being too calm depicts the lack of emotional connect with the other party. Balance and timing of it is utmost essential.

6.) Train yourself to think fast under pressure. Negotiation is an extremely dynamic game. It changes course when you least know it. You must therefore act accordingly and switch your language when needed.

7.) Watch out for the triggering point, the tipping point and the balance of power (Trig, Tip, Balance) during negotiation. Quickly decide if the tipping scale is more in your flavor, in their favor or a middle point for both parties. Be ready to change tactics at that instance if you have to.

8.)  Never take the results too seriously. Whatever the outcome, you are there to do a job. And it’s job. Never let the “goodness” or “badness” of the negotiation affect your personal life. Remember you have a life. Realize that you must move on no matter what. Learn from it and add the lesson to your negotiation arsenal in readiness of your next negotiation meeting.

9.) Get experience in negotiation. Experience helps you to sharpen your thoughts and understand the different personalities as well as various settings. On the other hand, never let experience stifle you nor stop you from being tactically creative on your next round.

10.)  Work with a negotiation mentor to improve. If you don’t have, get one. It’ll shorten the learning curve so much and you have so much more to benefit from your mentor’s guidance.

Run through the sequence with your mentor after the negotiation. An experienced negotiator will be able to pinpoint to you the possible gaps or loopholes of the negotiation. He or she will also highlight to you where did the shifting of power occur during the process. Take your mentor’s advice where possible and apply it.

Learn fervently from the trainings you have received. Maximize your learning to minimize your risk. In this way, you will excel as a negotiator. Make yourself THE Negotiator, the one who always excel beyond excellence!

Advertisement

Explore posts in the same categories: Beliefs and Values, Deals Making & Closing, Excel Beyond Excellence, Mentoring to Excel, Negotiation Dynamics, Perspectives, Persuasion and Influence, Reflection and Thoughts, Sales Success