'Working Wounded': How to Negotiate at Work
— -- Q U E S T I O N: I'm the kind of person who can't negotiate the best deal when I visit a swap meet; I always pay too much. I'm concerned that my lack of negotiation skills will hurt me at work. How can I better negotiate my way through my job?
A N S W E R:
Did you hear about the Canadian University students who discovered three new moons around Neptune? Just to give you some perspective on what an amazing accomplishment this is, it was the first time since 1949 someone using a telescope on Earth discovered new moons.
Of all the hundreds of people who spend their careers looking at the sky, leave it up to a couple of students to see something that everyone else missed. And it's no different in a negotiation at work: You've got to do your homework so you can find out the stuff that everyone else overlooks. I've listed some tips to do this below. For more information, check out, Everyday Negotiation by Kolb and Williams (Jossey-Bass, 2003):
Let's Make a Deal
What do they want from you?Most people begin a negotiation by letting everyone know what they want to come away with. I've been most successful when I start by focusing on what the other side wants. Yep, another case where your ears will get you further than your mouth.
Can you leave something on the table?To quote Joe Kennedy, "Only fools go for top dollar." Case closed.
Can you apply a bit of pressure on them?My daughter just hates when she wants to buy something and I suggest that she sleep on it. Recently, we were in a store and the salesperson threw in an extra discount if we bought right away. Heck, I suggested we throw out the sleep-on-it rule and buy. So leave your sticks at home and try to find all the carrots that you can.
Have you established your credibility?Credibility is the key in any negotiation. It's important to discover ways to establish yours early in the process. People don't want you to drone on about your integrity. The key is to show it to them by your knowledge of the product or service and your ability to tailor it to their needs.
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