How can I become a better negotiator?

You can develop skills to become a better negotiator by understanding the power and responsibilities of the position. Listening is your biggest asset because you are likely to find common ground in this manner.

Tutorial

The art of negotiation is complex and not everyone has the skill and temperament to become a great negotiator. But by understanding the power and the role of the negotiator, anyone can become better at negotiations.

Whether you are negotiating a complicated merger between two superpowers or simply acting as an intermediary between two disgruntled employees, you have to realize that you are the person being called upon to solve the problem at hand. That gives you a responsibility to do your best. If you have become the negotiator by default – simply because no one else was available – you might be entering into the situation with a less-than-positive attitude. Attitude is one of the first things you should tackle if you want to become a better negotiator. Attitude is contagious and the negotiator should exhibit an air of calm confidence that reassure the parties. You can be either constructive in your actions, or you can be obstructive which will limit the potential for successful negotiations.

Before you begin negotiations, you need to thoroughly know your subject. If you are negotiating for a particular person, group or cause, know how far you are expected to go before you close negotiations. You might come to a point where you recognize that it’s futile to continue talks, but you should never close the negotiation time prematurely.

As the negotiator, remember that listening is your best asset. If you listen carefully to both sides of the issue, you may immediately find common ground that will serve as a foundation for compromise.