According to a study at Harvard, 80% negotiators adopt an erroneous strategy in negotiation.[i] They size up the other party at the negotiation table and create their strategy from there. Only 20% of negotiators use an assertive approach where they have a clear idea of their goals and how much they are willing to compromise.[i] To lead a negotiation requires a set of skills. Here are the top 10 skills that will help you to master negotiation.
| 1 | Negotiation Technique | Prepare, identify mutual gain, bargain and reach the final agreement |
| 2 | Assertiveness | Be assertive and let the other party follow your lead |
| 3 | Communication | Communicate with clarity and confidence |
| 4 | Body Language | Use positive body language while decoding the body language of the other party |
| 5 | Conflict Resolution | Know the techniques to identify the root of the problem, your options and reach the right decision |
| 6 | Active Listening | Listen actively to estimate the needs of the other party correctly |
| 7 | Emotional Intelligence | Don’t let your emotional triggers hurt you. Learn how to control your emotions and understand other’s feeling to lead, influence and persuade |
| 8 | Constructive Criticism | Sandwich the negative between two positives to lead criticism towards a positive outcome |
| 9 | Creative Problem Solving | Find solutions to problems by gathering information, generating solutions, analysing and reaching the best possible solution |
| 10 | Managing Difficult Conversations | Use active listening, questions, distractions, postponement, and persuasion when managing difficult conversations |
Sources
[i] http://thenegotiationblog.com/2011/08/19/an-interesting-negotiation-statistic/