Issue #21 The Truth about Negotiation

December 5, 2008
If you have been in business for any length of time you probably have attended many seminars and read a variety of books on negotiation. There are many tactics, many maneuvers such as “leading questions etc.”
Randy Shuttleworth, an Edmonton-based professional negotiation consultant from The Training Company says: there are nine distinct forces acting on negotiations. These are
1 Time
2 Information
3 Options
4 Approach
5 Prepare, prepare, prepare!
6 Never let your ego negotiate.
7 Always let the other person save face.
8 Don't name a price first.
9 Never accept the first offer
It is an easy to read article, clearly and simply covers the basics of negotiation. If you would like to read it in its entirety simply click on the following link at your convenience. This is just one of numerous sites on this topic.
.http://www.formeraboutguides.com/investingcanada/library/weekly/2001a/aa041201.htm
I have discovered over the years that the ability to successfully negotiate is contained within a pair of good shoes.
Have you ever returned home from a great work day feeling good about your business accomplishments and profitable negotiations? With a smile of satisfaction you change out of your work clothes and get into your favorite pair of sweat pants and sneakers. In the next moment you realize is that you are moving around in a fog of irritated mystery and bewilderment.
Who left this bag on the stairs? Who keeps leaving the lights on? Do I look like I am made of money? Why is the kitchen a mess? Who knew that it is the floor where we hang our clothes? No, VISA is not free money. Great report card Einstein, practice with me, “would you like fries with that?”
The art of negotiation now seems as difficult as trying to dock the shuttle with the space station. What happened? The answer is simply; you took off your shoes. The shoes you wear when you are doing your best work.
When we take off our good shoes, we tend to transform into a Fred Flintstone like character with the "my house my rules" attitude. This can happen to both men and women. Could you imagine trying to conduct business with customers and clients the way we sometimes act at home? Commerce as we know would collapse. (Like it needs more help.)
Review the 9 basic negotiation points listed above and work them at home. People who tell you that they can separate personal and professional lives are fooling themselves. Both sides of your life can have a direct effect on your confidence, listening skills, patience and determination.
The message this week is to always wear your good shoes. And the next time you see a man cutting his grass wearing Bermuda shorts, knee high dress socks and his good dress shoes, go and shake his hand. He is a very smart man.
Stay in a good mood