Negotiation happens everyday and everywhere – if your bad at it you run a real risk of failing to get what you want for what your willing to trade. You may ask yourself What is negotiation at its heart its a structured technique used to manage a relationship between two or more parties and help them finalize a deal, understanding or all too often resolve conflict.

If your buying for your business poor negotiation can result in paying more for materials and products.

If your selling poor negotiation results in selling a product for less than it’s really worth.

It’s a fact, negotiation impacts your life in everyway from colleagues to friends and family from your loved ones to your boss, your customers and suppliers –negotiation skills can impact your relationship with everyone so you’ll want to make sure you get it right.

What is negotiation?

Negotiation is usually described in two ways – firstly Negotiation is a process that enables us to agree the terms for getting what we want (be that products, services or other) from those that are selling or offering the product. Secondly, negotiation is used to describe the process of resolving disagreement or conflict

Who uses negotiation?

Negotiation TrainingEveryone negotiates!! – there are however tools and methods that can be used – skilled professional negotiators are rare – skilled negotiators are not born overnight! Negotiation strategies and Persuasion techniques take time to master but once you have you’ll find your opportunities increase.

In Business the more complex and costly the situation the more senior and experienced the people that negotiate. However, the key thing to remember is that natural negotiators are rare – it is a skill that can be learnt and practiced and clearly to be used when necessary (there are various Alternatives to negotiation that should be considered – negotiation is not a panacea that can solve every problem.

Don’t assume that just because your in a senior role that you have earned the right to be a negotiator! There are of course various Negotiation roles both before during and after the process and its important to understand this during the different phases.

Effective Negotiation

Negotiation is a skill and technique – its not a black art – it can be taught and learnt and then utilized in everyday life and business. You may have heard of the Four phases of negotiation this is a route that takes the principle indviduals through a negotiation. Like many activities it starts with effective Negotiation preparation, sharing information then Agreeing a deal or closing position.