How To Be A Great Negotiator, In 10 Psychological Keys
Human beings are social beings, so we have to live with other people to achieve emotional balance and mental and material well-being. This means that we cannot always do what we want, but in different situations in everyday life, whether with our partner or our friends, we often have to negotiate to reach formal and informal agreements
In fact, knowing how to negotiate with your partner is one of the keys for a relationship to work, because the relationship is a matter of two, and each one has their own needs.
Another scenario in which we usually have constant negotiations is, for example, the workplace We may have to negotiate an employment contract or resolve a labor dispute. In fact, there are professional negotiators who do precisely that.
But regardless of whether it is in everyday life or at work, What do we need to be good negotiators? How does a good negotiator behave?
Below you can find 10 psychological keys to achieve this.
1. Listen actively
Listening is as important as speaking. But, on many occasions, we hear more than we listen. Especially in a negotiation, it is essential pay attention to complete communication from the other side of the negotiating table
This includes not only verbal language, but non-verbal language is just as important. It is crucial that you recognize what others really want, and not just what they express in words. This is essential whether we are negotiating, for example, a workers’ agreement, or if we have argued with our partner and want to know their true needs.
2. You must be assertive
Being assertive is one of the great qualities of a negotiator. This term refers to expressing your opinion correctly while you defend your point of view and, at the same time, respect the rights of others It is a non-invasive form of communication, in which you feel confident in what you offer, always within the framework of cordiality and tolerance towards the opinions of others.
3. Self-confidence
Good negotiators trust themselves and are not afraid to show themselves this way.
If what we want is to convince the other person that our point of view makes a lot of sense, we must do so decisively and convey the message to the other person that we believe in what we say.
Trusting yourself allows you to hear what the other person wants to say, because, If you are insecure, you will be defensive People who do not trust themselves will give in at the first opportunity, because they have great difficulty showing their point of view and saying “no.”
4. Don’t expect to get everything you want
You must be clear that it is a negotiation and that, in many cases, you will not achieve everything you propose. You must learn to give in because the other person (or people) also have their needs. Is about get to a point where both parties will improve in some way
5. Don’t give in without receiving anything in return
Don’t expect to achieve everything you set out to do. It doesn’t mean you have to constantly give in without achieving anything in return because you will be sending a message to the other party in the negotiation that you don’t really trust what you offer, which can cause them to demand even more from you.
You have to assert yourself and if they want to change something about what you propose, you should gain something too.
6. Master persuasion
Persuasion is an essential skill to be a negotiator, and it is the ability we have to convince other individuals to do something they had not planned to do. Persuasion is an art, and there are different techniques that you can apply in the negotiating environment.
7. Be optimistic and open
In a negotiation you must be optimistic and open. Even if there are moments of tension, you should never lose your nerve. An open attitude will generally be beneficial If, on the other hand, you notice that the atmosphere is very tense, it is better to stop the negotiation for a few minutes, get some air, and return with a renewed attitude.
8. You must be empathetic
Empathy is the ability to put ourselves in the feet of another and understand their needs. Without a doubt, this is a quality that every negotiator must possess. Empathy also helps us regulate our own behavior and adapt it to the situation and the interlocutor with whom we are negotiating.
You must not forget that in a negotiation each person is going to ask for what interests them most and, sometimes, It may clash with your vision or way of doing things Each individual has different tastes and needs, you should not take this as an attack on yourself.
10. Take your time and control your emotions
Negotiating is not always easy and, sometimes, conflict points may appear that must be dealt with delicately It is important that you know this and be patient. Human beings are emotional beings, but in a negotiation we must keep a cool head and not lose sight of our objectives.
