6 Secrets to Getting What You Want in a Negotiation

Introduction

Negotiating is a skill that you can hone and improve over time. No matter how much experience you have, though, there are still some basic rules of thumb to follow when going into any negotiation. If you’re prepared and know what to expect, then there’s no reason why you can’t come out with all your goals met—but if anything goes wrong, these tips will help ensure that the outcome is a win-win for both parties involved.

1. Talk about what you want.

• Talk about what you want.

It’s easy to get confused about this, because it sounds so simple and straightforward, but it’s also one of the most important things you can do during a negotiation.

When starting your discussions with the other side, make sure that both sides are clear about what each party wants from this negotiation. It may seem obvious at first–you want more money or more time off or whatever else–but even if both sides agree on their goals for the meeting (and if there aren’t any conflicting goals), sometimes people forget how important it is to actually verbalize them out loud when they’re sitting across from each other at the table or over email messages or phone calls.*

2. Talk about what you aren’t asking for.

• Talk about what you aren’t asking for.

If you’re negotiating with someone, it’s a good idea to start the conversation by talking about what you don’t want–this can help the other person feel more comfortable talking about what they want, and also gives them an opportunity to say no without seeming like they are rejecting your offer outright. This way, both parties feel like they’ve been heard and respected during negotiations, which increases the likelihood that both sides will come out feeling satisfied with their deal (or at least less dissatisfied than if there hadn’t been any discussion at all).

3. Be clear about your bottom line.

• Be clear about your bottom line. Before you even enter into a negotiation, you should know exactly what it is that you want. Don’t let yourself get distracted by other details or options–you need to be able to walk away from the deal if it doesn’t meet your needs at its core.
• Don’t discuss your bottom line until you’re ready to walk away from the deal entirely (or at least until after each side has made their opening offers). If this means holding off on bringing up any numbers or specifics until later in negotiations, so be it! You want both parties feeling confident that they can win their points if necessary; don’t give away too much information too soon.*

4. Come prepared to listen.

• Come prepared to listen.

You should come into the negotiation prepared to listen, not just speak. Listen carefully and pay attention, even if it’s hard for you! It’s important that both parties feel like they’re being heard throughout the negotiation process, so make sure yours is heard too by paying close attention during their speech and asking questions if necessary. If someone says something that doesn’t make sense or contradicts something else they said earlier on in negotiations, bring up these contradictions right away so everyone knows where everyone stands on certain points (and doesn’t waste time arguing over them).

5. Understand what the other person needs from the deal as much as or more than you need your own goals met.

Now you’ve identified what your own goals are, which is a good start. But it’s not enough to know what you want from the negotiation–you also need to understand what the other person needs from the deal as much as or more than you need your own goals met.

Understanding this can help guide you toward an agreement that meets both parties’ interests and keeps everyone happy with their end of things. For example:

• If one party has limited time or resources at their disposal, they may be desperate for some quick cash so that they can move forward with another project that requires funding. This could mean offering them a higher commission rate on each sale made during this period of financial constraint (if this doesn’t violate company policy).
• Perhaps another party has been working on their product for years but hasn’t been able to get it off the ground due to lack of funding or investor interest; if so, offering some kind of financial assistance might be necessary before any deals are made official–and even then only if all other terms are agreeable!

6. Be willing to walk away from the discussion if it’s not going well for you, or if the other person isn’t serious about negotiating in good faith.

• Be willing to walk away from the discussion if it’s not going well for you, or if the other person isn’t serious about negotiating in good faith.
• Walk away if they want to take advantage of you by offering a bad deal or by trying to negotiate on terms that aren’t fair and reasonable.

Preparation is key in negotiations, but so is being able to walk away when it’s necessary

Before you walk into the negotiation, it’s important to know what you want. You need to be clear about what your goal is and how much time and energy are worth spending on getting it.

It also helps if you’ve done some research on the other party’s company or organization so that they won’t catch you off guard with anything unexpected during negotiations–this includes knowing their financial situation, current projects being worked on (and whether those projects could benefit from your contributions), personal relationships between employees within their business environment, etc.

Conclusion

Negotiation is a skill that everyone should learn, and it can be one of the most beneficial skills you have in your career. By being able to negotiate well, you can get more out of your work life and personal relationships than ever before. But negotiation is not just about getting what we want; it’s also about understanding what other people need from us as well as ourselves. It’s important to come prepared with knowledge about what happens if negotiations break down or don’t go well–and then be willing to walk away from them if necessary!