Successful negotiators possess and intentionally display certain behaviors that enable them to build trust, maintain power, stay focused on interests, and create high value agreements. The most common traits you will find amongst successful negotiators: Are confidence, self-discipline, assertiveness, patience, analytical reasoning, curiosity, and creativity.
Confidence in a negotiator is the outward display of understanding of the issue at hand. Being prepared and qualified to address it, willing to take a stand regarding the needs, requirements and expectations of his or her organization. A confident negotiator remains calm, is not disturbed by tricky or hostile tactics, and presents his or her position without hesitation or qualification.Confident negotiators are also comfortable using silence to their advantage. They will state their position, or make an offer, and remain silent
Self discipline refers to you ability to separate emotions from behavior for you and your counterpart. You de not have to be a different person. But, you do need to have awareness to the signals yo are sending through expression of emotion, and body language, which your counterpart can read and interpret. You need to be in control of, and choose what signals you wish to send, using your emotional expression. Al self disciplined negotiator also uses timing to his or her advantage. This negotiator carefully consideres when to divulge certain pieces of information, when to concede a point, when to make an offer. Self discipline also allows the negotiator to stay focused on the topic, and value point at hand, no to revert to selling when power appears to be slipping, and not to get sidetracked by personal interests. This trait also enables the negotiator to keep the proposal and counter proposals from progrssing too quickly, and without careful consideration.Be aware of what your gut is telling you, and take the time needed to make careful considered decisions. Don't be pressured to rush into decisions. Another expression of self-discipline is the ability to listen without an agenda, it is a challenge for most people to listen deeply to their counterparts without listening primarily for a break in the conversation in order to insert their point. A self disciplined negotiator listens only to hear and consider what the counterpart is saying and, not to make a specific point once the counterpart stops talking. Self disciplined negotiators also hold their position, are not worn down by tactics used by their counterparts
Great negotiators are assertive, but not aggressive, a negotiator who is well prepared, with a well constructed strategy, and strive to proactively implement it, will gain considerable power and control in the negotiation. This is assertiveness, and is shown by being firm and authoritative, yet, respectful and polite, perhaps even amiable. Assertiveness is achieved by being confident, and explaining your position without being patronizing or arrogan. And, is such a way that your counterpart does not feel compelled to respond to you proposal with defense, or counter arguments. Somewhat related to assertiveness is persistence.
A good negotiator understands that sometimes a counterpart will allow an issue to be dropped out of a desire to avoid a discussion, but not allow the issue to be forgotten. Also, persistence might manifest itself in terms of revisiting a point that gained a negative response in the past. An assertive negotiator knows that no doesn't mean no forever and, that additional information and discussion might change a no to a yes. Therefore, a persistent and assertive negotiator will bring the topic up again, if it is relevant, and there is reason to believe the counterpart might have changed his or her positions. Persistence is the understanding that hearing no is not the endpoint. It is a sign that the negotiator must be patient, and continue the dialog until it is time to try again.
patience is an important trait of a successful negotiator. Great negotiators don't rush to agreement before the timing is best. they using the knowledge and information resources to identify the best time to act. Great negotiators also know that counterparts and their organizations often do not proceed at the same pace as their own organizations, and that rushing things causes them to lose power
Curiosity. they don´t assume anything and they seek depth of understanding through research and questioning. Curious negotiators learn about the history, the market position, the human resources, the array of products and services, and a wide variety of informational items about their counterparts organization. Ask for understanding, not just for clarity, but for situational understanding and motivations.
Analytical reasoning. Quick mental calculations, (are necessary to understand, what is being proposed, and,compare it to what has gone before, or what you had in mind. Giving careful consideration to the numbers in advance as part of your preparations, will help this tremendously
Creativity. In orden to work through a wide variety of options and potential combinations requires creativity as well as the comfort with a fair amount ambiguity regarding the outcome, at least in the early stages. Creativity also comes into plays in the cases of the deadlock, or significant changes in the parameters of the negotiation. Good negotiators constantly seek new points of value and creative value combinations to engineer high value agreements
Sue Robins
University of California, Irvine Extension
