‘Why do you think you deserve a senior position at your organization and why now?’
The dreaded questions have been thrown at you. It’s your time to connect your experience and skill to handle such curveballs.
But make sure the timing is right or else you can lose an opportunity. This is why, with the right preparation, effort, and clarity, it’s necessary to know what you can do and cannot do during your negotiations!
Here are some tips from us! Well, let’s take a look at the Do’s first.
DO #1 Preparation Is Key
Imagine you’re a taekwondo player – and it’s your first tournament -, you’re pumped up because you’ve done your training. But you’re intimidated to find out that your opponent is a black belt. You know everything about being a white belt. But a black belt? What sort of techniques and moves would they know? You have no idea. Should you have prepped? Yes.
Similarly for negotiations, it’s important to know the history, geography, and psychology of the other person – as much as you can! Without coming off as a stalker. This will help you start with the edge of knowing the deals they’ve made, the negotiation tactics they use, and their games. Click here for some winning negotiation tactics that you can learn and start implementing today.
DO #2 Remember That It’s Strictly Professional
When we are attached to what we are doing, it is common to let your emotions interfere. However, a negotiation almost always calls for a heated and intense atmosphere. But a seasoned and experienced negotiator would know better than to lose their calm.
DO #3 Compromise
Sometimes we can have an extremist approach in a difficult situation. When we have a difficult decision to make, it’ll help to try to figure out a middle ground for both the parties involved. You may not end up with everything that you ask for, but you may receive some part of it by having to compromise with the other person for some more.
DO #4 Build It Up!
The more perspective you gain, the better you will be able to judge the other person. Don’t rush into a decision before you have everything that can help you make the decision. Let the negotiation flow as any other conversation. Once you build some sort of a relationship or common ground with the other person, you can make a shift from putting your demands to discussing them. Not everything has to take place at once immediately, sometimes a negotiation unveils itself and with grace, too.
DO #5 Slip It In That You Would Like More Responsibility
When you negotiate with someone to make the pie bigger, you leave wiggle room to be attached to something greater than the both of you. Getting a bigger cut should not be your agenda because that is what anyone would go for. When you truly invest in something, you will involve yourself in building it and growing together. Make sure that you look ambitious about the company or organization reaching new heights and not just yourself. The way to do is be assertive and confident about the way you present your aspirations.
And here are some negotiation tactics that you must avoid:
DON’T #1 Enter Without Knowing Your Lower And Upper Limit
Whether it is monetary or designation related, knowing your bottom is always a good idea before you step into a negotiation. Set a bar for what is being offered to you. This is especially crucial since you can easily step back and say no – something that a lot of people has a problem with, during negotiations.
DONT #2 – Talk More Than Required
If you’ve been in an argument where you do all the talking, you probably did not win that argument. One must aim to listen to what the other person has to say and formulate valid points to combat those with his own.
You must listen to the other person for about 80% and use the 20 percent to put forward your ideas and strategies. You could have a checklist of all the things that you deem necessary beforehand and simply state those things when given time to speak.
DONT #3 – Forget What You Bring To An Organization
Simply put – Know your worth. You don’t want to step into a negotiation confused or awkward about your achievements. You must be able to state them with full pride and offer reasons why you are a valuable asset. Be very clever with the words and skills you choose. A pro tip is to write down your qualities and achievements beforehand. So it’s easier to articulate exactly what you’re negotiating.
DONT #4 – Have Any Preconceived Notions
Preparation is key, but allowing yourself to make assumptions about the person or the job is detrimental to gaining more clarity. Don’t plan the other side’s part of a negotiation. The data you need to make a decision will be given to you by the person himself. Anything else is hearsay. The more questions you ask, the more insight you will get. Once you gave your research, use it to understand the kind of person you are dealing with but don’t conclude just yet. Let them start negotiating and give their reasons.
DONT #5 Accept A Sub Standard Deal
Think of a deal as a subway. If you didn’t want it, you wouldn’t have made the effort of going all the way you get it. When someone gives you less than what is required, you’re bound to jump on it if you want it bad enough. But that’s the thing. They don’t know you do. Unless you take it. And if something doesn’t seem right or stand up to your expectations, you have every right to not do so. Despite having invested effort, time, and energy into a deal, you can always back out or leave the negotiation without a deal as it is much better than leaving unsatisfied with a bad one!
Conclusion
Negotiations can sometimes be panic-inducing, especially if you’re not used to them. However, with some practice and presence of mind, you will surely get better at it. If the worst thing to happen is that you may not receive what you are asking for, then you still have tried. And don’t worry, you won’t get thrown out of negotiation for simply trying! Apply these tips and don’t forget what you’re negotiating for in the first place.
