Things to Avoid When Negotiating

Negotiating is one of the most important skills for workers. Whatever your line of work, negotiation is a skill that you must have as a life skill. If you don't develop it, you will see a lot of repercussions in your work and personal life.

From actions to agreements taken, there are many lessons to be learned from the negotiation process. However, this is not easy. It takes a lot of time and effort. Therefore, pay attention to what you need to do and avoid when negotiating.

Causes of failure when negotiating

You don't need to talk too much. Talk about the information you need to convey. Do not forget to follow the interaction through movement and eye contact. This direct approach will build trust and leave the other party open to accepting your offer.

In addition to knowing how to make negotiations work, you also need to know what to avoid. That way it can help you to be more effective in business matters. To be clearer, here are things to avoid when negotiating and how to overcome them:

1. Be hasty

Negotiations do not proceed instantly. To reach an agreement, negotiations take time. Therefore, do not rush. Make the best of the time to build relationships. That way negotiations will be more natural and smooth.

When negotiating it is important that you provide some personal information. Listen to the other person. Follow or lead them to your interests. This is hoped to elevate the negotiations to a closer conversation. When this happens it means there is a signal of openness and hope for a better relationship.

2. No preparation

One mistake that is often made when negotiating is not being prepared. Even though it seems to be just talking, negotiations have a roadmap. That is, you need deep preparation and understanding. Find out and study existing data, facts, comparisons, and case studies.

Also prepare answers to questions that will be asked. As well as giving the impression that you know the material, this can also help you control the negotiation and persuade the other party to agree to your request.

Therefore, prepare yourself as best you can. Master the material, be confident, and have discussions. When it comes unprepared, then you have failed before the negotiation started.

3. Ignoring the other party's perspective

Many people forget that negotiation is a two-way process. While it's important to provide the point of view you want to achieve, you also need to be open and listen to the other party. Instead of asking what goals you want to achieve, try to understand why the other person thinks that way.

Here you have to pay attention to how you communicate. Starting from body language, and the language used. When meeting the other party, don't forget to shake hands. In addition, pay attention to the use of language. Instead of "we" use the pronoun "we" and empathetic phrases.

Even though it seems simple, shaking hands and using pronouns can convey the impression that you are willing to work together and reach a fair agreement. By exhibiting this kind of behavior, the other party can communicate their motives and intentions more openly.

4. Accepting a losing deal

Good negotiators are those who are able to control the deal, but this is not easy. Negotiations can be time-consuming and tiring, especially if you're in the process of finalizing a deal. It is better to set boundaries to find out which agreements will be accepted and which are not.

An agreement that benefits only one party is a wrong negotiation. Plus, a deal isn't always better off without one. However, it is important to have clarity.

Therefore, when determining an agreement, make sure that you and the other party reach a win-win or fair solution. Otherwise the relationship with the other party will deteriorate and trust will disappear. The time and energy you put into negotiating is also wasted.

5. Emotional

The way you control your emotions is very influential in negotiating. Without realizing it, the more you relate to other people, the higher the possibility of conflict. Not only with other people, but also yourself. Therefore, be careful. Recognize the things that make you emotional and try to focus on something else.

However, emotions are not always bad if they are managed and used as a strategy to gain perspective and build an impression on everyone. For example, by saying please, apologize, and thank you.

There is no sure way to negotiate. However, learning and practicing a few tactics can get you to reach a consensus at the negotiating table.