Contracts, Agreements, Retainers, Bill of Sale...
Each of these documents requires finesse and proper skill to develop and maintain. At both, the stage of development and maintenance, the most important skill to employ is the Art of Negotiation. Do you have this skill; are you willing to take the time to hone it and become adept at it? While speaking with a colleague earlier this week, we discussed 3 important areas to understand before you approach a negotiation: Attentiveness, Pain points, and Assertiveness. Here's how this is another pearl to culture.
A. Attentiveness is a nice and professional word commonly used for the phrase "Shut up and Listen". Be sure to do your research on the matter before negotiation talks begin. Once you do begin negotiating with anyone, seek an understanding of the impact of your request on the other person. God gave us 2 ears and 1 mouth for a reason, I do believe. Negotiating is persuasion that listens. Effective negotiating requires discipline to communicate your request while strategically considering motivating factors for the other person. Listening to the other person allows you to consider what is important to other negotiators and will likely lead both of you to a happy resolution. #STRONG
B. Pain points are both you and your opposite negotiator's non-negotiable. What are you (or them for that matter) willing to leave on the table if talks become unfavorable? Having a clear idea of your starting point and the most acceptable minimus. Identifying what could possibly be the pain point for the opposite negotiator will prove to be critical in strategy and tactic. There are at least 4 types of pain points to consider and each come with their own strategies. They range from Financial, productivity, process, and support pain points. Also identifying pain points allows you to maintain open lines of communication and equips you with the perspective of how the other side may respond to your requests and their motivating factors. Pain point information allows you to present your request professionally and a likely viable solution for both parties. #RESILIENT
C. Assertiveness is different from aggressiveness! There is a time and place for aggressiveness but negotiating requires a certain finesse so we will be assertive instead. Once you have considered your attentiveness and the pain points for each party, don't be afraid to ask for what you want. Each of us knows how to be respectful of all parties. Assertiveness can be direct and non-threatening. Using I- statements instead of you- statements when speaking. Be mindful of your body language when being assertive because body language can change the entire tone of a statement. Being aware of your hands, stance and facial expressions can send negotiation talks down the drain quickly. Being attentive to your ability to be assertive in your ask/negotiation is a time to craft your assertiveness skills and shine like the professional mompreneur that you are! #LUMINOUS
There are plenty of negotiation experts online with literature to read and follow up on. There are also consultants that provide intensive and individualized training to sharpen your skills if this is critical to the success of your small business needs. If this is an area that you need help in be sure to get the proper support.
Here is a link to a nice article on negotiating by Cara Hutto, from InHerSight.com, an online literary magazine. Although the article's title talks about arguing at work, the steps are great when thinking professionally about negotiating.
https://www.inhersight.com/blog/how-to/how-master-art-arguing-work
Enjoy negotiating Moms!
Yours Truly,
DBC
Mother of Pearls
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