It seems some folks came out of the womb negotiating.
Debbie and I have 2 daughters and a son, and we are certain that all 3 will succeed at VERY high levels because of their innate ability to negotiate.
Perhaps a part of the reason is that they all have heard us negotiating in our business since before they could understand and speak.
They “Get” the importance of rhythm and tone in a negotiation.
Knowing when to be STRONG . . . and when to be (appear) meek.
When to hold’m . . . when to fold’m.
When to zig . . . when to zag.
How do you learn this stuff?
I think it’s just like anything else (riding a bicycle) – Practice and fall – a LOT!
It helps to have a some real knowledge of the matter at hand.
For instance . . . If you’re negotiating a Real Estate Deal, the person with the most thorough knowledge (understanding) of the contracts and the process indubitably will win . . . there may be times when the less knowledgeable feel good about how things are going . . . only to get WHACKED later in the process when they discover missed nuances and dropped balls.
So . . . Whatever your job or station in life, every day will offer a multiplicity of opportunities to hone your negotiating skills . . . There’s no rule that says you have to seize every one of these moments – If your gut tells you to stay away from it, listen to your gut.
Whether or not you like to admit that your quality of life depends in large part on your negotiating savvy . . . It DOES!
Just sayin’
Best,
b
PS – I’m gathering a small tribe of Negotiators for a mastermind session all about negotiating (Tips and Techniques) . . . This should REALLY be fun. It’ll be Wednesday May 30 @ 10 AM . . . We’ll only have @ 12 seats in the room . . . Contact me if you want to negotiate your way into one of those seats 🙂