BECOMING A NEGOTIATOR / 369Understanding the basics
Good negotiators are made rather than
born. Although some may be naturally
gifted and intuitive (possessing, for
example, the ability to empathize with
others), most have developed their
principles and tactics over time and
recognize that negotiating is a largely
rational process.
To be a successful negotiator, you
have to feel psychologically comfortable
in the negotiation situation. This means
being able to tolerate uncertainty,
deal with unexpected behavior, take
measured risks, and make decisions
based on incomplete information.
You need to think about solving
problems and creating opportunities
rather than winning or losing: if you
are confrontational, you are likely to
have a fight on your hands. And if you
“win” there will necessarily be a loser,
with whom you may have to work in
the months to come.>>^ Keeping an open mind to learning
new techniques>>^ Treating negotiation skills as a
mixture of rationality and intuition>>^ Developing trust slowly
>>^ Expressing empathy while
negotiating assertively
>> Having a strategy and sticking to it>>^ Believing that negotiating is an
innate ability>>^ Negotiating from a fixed viewpoint
>>^ Appearing too eager
>> Behaving assertively without
expressing empathy
>>^ Chasing haphazard opportunitiesBUILDING A FOUNDATION
Do’s Don’tsUS_368-369_Becoming_a_negotiator.indd 369 30/05/16 3:06 pm