Art of Becoming a Good Negotiator
by: Anandrahi
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Word Count: 1058
We are, in fact, passing through a business era of negotiations. Cool-minded shrewd negotiators rule everywhere either it is politics, business, law or society. If you are a good negotiator success always follows you wherever you go. Most of the conflicts between the countries are solved at a negotiating table. Both in politics and in business wise negotiators are in great demand. They are considered great trouble shooters. To become a good negotiator you need to arm yourself with some essential tools.
WHAT IS YOUR ULTIMATE GOAL
If you are easily influenced by the expectation of others – then don’t take the responsibility of negotiations. You will be a loser forever. Send somebody for the purpose with a clear instruction to hit the ball very hard into the goal.
Many negotiators are over-awed by the personality of their opponent and agree to their terms. Such businessmen and politicians rarely rise to great heights in their career if they negotiate themselves. A person must know how to stick to his goals as a negotiator. No tremor of any clever tactic should be able to shaken the gaze of his eyesight.
THEY MAY EAT YOU ALIVE
Nice guys are eaten alive at any negotiating table. The world is tough and ruthless there. But it does not mean that you have to change your nature and become a merciless animal.
Be yourself, but engage a power-packed, sophisticated warrior who can sit for hours or days just to get a winning edge in the war of wits. So to win a negotiation you must be a tough warrior, wearing a nice exterior.
PATIENCE – THE BEST ORNAMENT
A guy who is fond of losing his temper proves more dangerous than a deadly terrorist, capable of blasting a negotiation with just a flick of his finger.
When America defeated terrorist outfit Talibaan and captured Afghanistan Hamid Karzai beat Rabbani in the race for Presidentship of Afghanistan only due to his better negotiating ability and patience. Rabbani was himself to blame for losing the race. He lost patience several times and made irresponsible statements.
Indian Prime Minister Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee created a sort of miracle by leading a 24 party coalition very successfully only through successful negotiations with them. It was only due to his magnificent patience and rational approach towards tough tasks that he saved his minority government from collapsing. Nobody has seen him in uncontrollable rage as yet.
The emperor of the negotiators is definitely the great Bill Gates. He is also one of the fastest and very patient negotiators in the world today. He has only one goal at the negotiating table - hitting the goal and bringing the opponent to his side at any cost.
The most popular billionaire of modern world flamboyant Richard Branson of England (founder of Virgin Empire containing more than 150 enterprises) has got success mainly due to his ability of negotiating with a cool mind. He had to work very hard in life to acquire this trait. In school he was an embarrassed dyslexic kid who "flunked" standard IQ tests and had trouble with spelling. In spite of this handicap he was able to become a master negotiator.
DON’T TAKE ‘ NO ‘ FOR AN ANSWER
The worst negotiator is the person who closes a deal after listening ‘no’ from the opposite party. ‘No’ actually is never a final answer. Even if a hardhearted negotiator firmly says ‘no’ keep yourself under control and hope for the best. The actual drama is yet to start. You have to pull a few strings calmly.
Your best guru in such an atmosphere can be American Businessman Henry Kaiser who rose to fame during World War II. He can be called one of the best marketing executives in the world. He said that at a negotiating table ‘no’ generally means ‘yes’. Continue telling your opponent the benefits he will get from the deal. If the deal is important to you arrange a 2nd and 3rd meeting. By seeing the positive side (painted by you enthusiastically) again and again he will start softening up. Try to give a feeling of victory to the opposite person even if the actual winner is ‘you’.
BE A GOOD LISTENER
The problem with the most persons today is that they are bad listeners. They always want others to know what is their point of view. They are almost crazy to express themselves. They just make others yawn away and flop a deal. Only a few nice guys can be hooked with their exercise. Most of the negotiators hate it and don’t want to have a deal with those persons who don’t even show any interest in the meeting. Their approach is the approach of a bull – lacking warmth and friendliness.
So listen to others, know their feelings, and try to understand their ideas, just sit on their chairs in your imagination and enter their psychological setup. After listening and understanding a person properly you can plan for a winning negotiating strategy, most of the time a master stroke.
BE FLEXIBLE IN APPROACH
Agra summit between Indian P.M. Atal Behari Vajpayee and Pakistan president Musharaff failed because both of them started with a rigid and prejudiced approach of Mr. Musharaff. Although Sh. Atal Behari Vajpayee is a seasoned negotiator, and wins the admiration even of the toughest enemies but this meeting was failure mainly due to the inflexible approach of Mr. Musharaff. Though even he praised Sh. Atal Behari Vajpayee for his wisdom and statesmanship.
After crushing fundamentalist Talibaan in Afghanistan various factions of the country were called in Bon (Germany) to reach an agreement to form an interim government in the country. For a few days every faction showed a rigid attitude signalling danger of failure. It worried the anti-terrorist international coalition. When the leaders/representative of various factions were told that such an attitude will only lead to a disastrous future and they would lose everything, even their share of power only then they became flexible in their approach and reached at a decision very fast. And an interim government in Afghanistan was formed under the leadership of Mr. Hamid Karzai.
Therefore we must keep ourselves flexible whenever we enter the ring of negotiations. Inflexibility often makes our opponent uncomfortable and may harden his attitude too.
At a negotiating table you can win a war; you can make a fortune. Therefore never underestimate its value.
Author:
Anandrahi
Article Source:
Anandrahi.com
Smart Way to Personal Development
About the Author
Anandrahi is a famous writer and educationist of international fame. He has trained thousands of persons in Communication Skills, Personality Development and Art of Successful Life. He has written hundreds of articles and many best-selling books.
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