During the working week you might be leading a boardroom discussion, agreeing a sales deal with a new client, navigating supplier terms, or managing team dynamics. At home, you could be moving house, buying a car, deciding on a holiday with a loved one, or even trying to get a child to tidy their bedroom.
Negotiation defines your ability to move from intention to impact and get the results you are striving for, but success depends on several factors, strategy, and control, but never chance.
Many myths still cloud the art of negotiation: “Nice people finish last.” “Good negotiators are born, not made.” “The first offer always wins.” However research from Harvard’s Program on Negotiation shows that effective negotiators rely less on instinct and more on structure, emotional intelligence, and preparation.
And while emotions are often seen as obstacles, studies by Wharton and INSEAD reveal that emotional awareness — when managed consciously — enhances both trust and outcomes. Leaders who can stay calm while reading the emotional undercurrents in the room are statistically more likely to reach positive agreements.
Negotiation Styles
With 5 distinct styles into which leaders can be categorised, from competing to compromising, you could and should adapt your approach to suit the scenario. This will depend on both what is at stake, and the value you place on the relationship you have with the opposing party. Being able to strike a balance is paramount.
The best negotiators are not manipulative — they’re intentional. They listen more than they speak, knowing that influence begins not with dominance, but with understanding.
Remove the Fear – The Power of Preparation
One of the key barriers to effective negotiation is fear, but it’s a learning curve, and takes time, effort and consistency to become competent. But practice makes perfect, you will not simply get good overnight. It’s essential to adopt the principles and put them into practice, repeatedly, over time, and across a range of situations, whether personal or professional, in order to truly master it.
The foundation of any successful negotiation lies in preparation — understanding not only what you want, but why you want it. And of equal importance is taking time to think about what is motivating the other party and anticipating their ultimate goal, and why?
And taking a step beyond that, knowing and sticking to your desired outcome and non-negotiables, having a back-up plan, and being prepared to walk away, gives you the competitive edge. You replace anxiety with leverage and can remain fully in control of both the situation, and your own emotions, leading to consistently better results that have a positive impact on both relationships and the bottom line.
Ready to Upskill Your Team?
Our Leading Negotiations workshop helps senior leaders and teams master the frameworks, language, and psychology of modern negotiation. Through experiential learning, live simulations, and reflection, our workshops are proven to equip leaders to negotiate with confidence, authority, and authenticity.
If you want to transform how your team and organisation approach negotiation and improve outcomes, please get in touch.
Contact Becky Phillips at Evolve Advisory to explore running a Leading Negotiations workshop for your leadership team.
