The Art of Negotiation

Throughout my career, I have taken part in several meetings and assessed managers’ performance in sales meetings. I found some information that I thought you might find useful.

1. Before entering a meeting, you must be conscious of the topic’s introduction and the areas of emphasis in your argument. You must comprehend every aspect of the subject so you are never caught off guard.
2. Managers occasionally become emotional or frustrated during meetings; a successful person is aware that emotions have no place at work. The goal of the meetings is to negotiate a contract under all circumstances; therefore, avoid letting anything deter you from achieving your objectives. Maintain your concentration; if the conversations start to get personal, you’ve made the wrong decision. Never bring up sensitive, private, or political matters in the conversation.
3. Since every person differs in some ways (depending on their knowledge, experiences, and life), it is best to identify conflicts you might have with someone else and find the solutions within yourself to solve them internally. Who are we to say what is right and wrong? The most powerful person is someone who doesn’t let anything upset them and instead finds solutions and moves forward. To demonstrate that you are a skilled negotiator, avoid getting upset in meetings or at others. If you see that a meeting or a conversation is turning into an argument, the topic is no longer business; instead, it is retaliation.
   

   People’s most valuable resource is their time, and since there are constantly new directions to follow, it is best to be creative and look for opportunities.

4. You have the most influence in meetings when your counterpart feels at ease and agrees with you; in this situation, you have demonstrated the art of negotiation. It is very important that your team is also aligned with the arguments you will be making, since having harmony in the room while negotiating is critical to staying on track.
5. Storytelling has no place in the era of speed. Therefore, it is best to refrain from dragging out the conversation, because doing so will just serve to divert the other party’s attention from the topic. Get right to the point! People’s most valuable resource is their time, and since there are constantly new directions to follow, it is best to be creative and look for opportunities.