Managing business relationships

Negotiation skills

Negotiating successfully

Strong negotiators master written, verbal and non-verbal communication. They adopt a conscious, assertive approach to their communication.

Good negotiators are:

flexible
creative
aware of themselves and others
good planners
honest
win-win oriented
good communicators.

Assertive communication

During a negotiation, you may choose to use a passive, aggressive or assertive communication style. Using an assertive style will help increase your chances of negotiating successful outcomes for your business.

Passive communicators are inclined to use ambiguous language, adopt under-confident body language, and give in to demands too easily.

Aggressive communicators take a confrontational approach that tends to alienate other parties and destroy negotiations.

Assertive communicators, however, are both confident and considerate. These communicators are more likely to keep discussion going and facilitate mutually beneficial outcomes. They adopt a strong, steady tone of voice. They are factual, rather than emotional or critical. They describe their views, starting sentences with 'I', rather than direct criticisms starting with 'you'.

Learn about communicating effectively for business.

Tips for effective negotiation

Don't:

confuse negotiation with confrontation - you should remain calm, professional and patient
become emotional - remember to stick to the issue, don't make it personal, and avoid becoming angry, hostile or frustrated
blame the other party if you can´t achieve your desired outcome.

Do:

be clear about what you are offering and what you need from the other party
be prepared - think about what the other party needs from the deal, and take a comprehensive view of the situation
be consistent with how you present your goals, expectations and objectives
set guidelines for the discussion and ensure that you and the other party stick to them throughout the entire process
use effective communication skills including positive body language
prepare for compromise
strive for mutually beneficial solutions
consider whether you should seek legal advice
ask plenty of questions
pay attention to detail
put things in writing.