Negotiation can be an art, but it requires practice and training to do it effectively. The first step to learning how to negotiate without hurting egos is to recognize the sources of our apprehension. In most cases, our anxiety is a reaction to novel stimuli. Exposure therapy helps us reduce anxiety by exposing us to familiar stimuli. The second step is to learn to be compassionate.
Relationships
Ross’s advice in How to Negotiate Without Hurting Egos is based on the fundamental principle of focusing on facts and a deal that will benefit both parties in the long run. By avoiding ego and focusing on facts, you’ll increase your chances of success and avoid triggering hostile negotiation behavior. After all, most business negotiations involve assigning values. Instead of trying to impress the other party with your superior knowledge or technical expertise, focus on your mutual interests instead.
When negotiating, consider the tradeoffs and the need to build a relationship. Pushing for a deal might not be the most effective way to achieve consensus, so consider all options carefully. Negotiating with a trusted partner can increase the likelihood that both parties will follow through with their commitments. If possible, get external expert advice if the negotiation is particularly difficult. After all, a good negotiation process is all about establishing mutual trust.
Having a good negotiating skills requires you to identify your ego and work against it. This is crucial if you want to build good relationships and achieve successful outcomes. Egos can manifest themselves in a number of ways, including the need to win, the inability to admit your own mistakes, and excessive talking. Keeping your ego in check can help you negotiate without hurting egos.
In any negotiation, knowing what you want and getting the requisite clarity before entering the negotiation process is crucial. However, few people dig deep enough before beginning negotiations to ensure they are crystal clear. Without this clarity, you’ll be compromising your negotiation power and the ability to get the results you’re after. Get clarity on what you’re looking for, your motivations, and your options. Then, you can focus on developing rapport, empathy, and trust between the two parties.
Integrity
Developing integrity when negotiating is the key to success. Integrity refers to your sense of morality and self-relationship with others. The more you display integrity during a negotiation, the more likely you are to achieve your objectives. There are several ways to build rapport and establish integrity when negotiating without hurting egos. In order to start a healthy dialogue, make small talk to ease tension.
One of the most important strategies to develop integrity while negotiating is to develop your own self-esteem and build a sense of confidence. It is important to keep in mind that developing self-esteem requires a minimum of despair. Youth may find it difficult to cultivate ego integrity, while those who have retired tend to detach from society and lose a sense of value and contribution. In addition, most people detach from their communities and lose the sense of worth and usefulness.
Reframing anger as sadness
Reframing anger as sadness when navigating negotiations is important for a number of reasons, including that it makes the other party less likely to use a false representation of their feelings. False representations can have tactical benefits but will often lead to persistent blowback, particularly if the other party is feeling similarly upset. Faking anger will create authentic feelings of anger, which will diminish the trust between both sides. People who meet angry negotiators tend to walk away instead of negotiating, resulting in a stalemate.
Anger issues can be caused by obsessive thinking and a low tolerance for frustration. Other issues may be the result of mind-reading, where the person is able to read what other people are thinking and feeling, and may even infer hostility where there is none. Similarly, collecting straws can lead to an overreaction due to the accumulation of many small incidents in the mind. To reduce anger in these situations, challenge these thought patterns and reframe your feelings as sadness.
Treating others as you would like to be treated
It is a well-known golden rule: treat other people the way you want to be treated. When in negotiations, treat other people as you would like to be treated. Be sincere and avoid using your ego to overemphasize your own case. Instead, consider what the other side may need and look for precedents in previous negotiations. By following these tips, you can successfully negotiate without hurting anyone’s ego.
Leverage
In a negotiation, it’s vital to use your body language and your words to create leverage. You want to make sure that you’re not letting other people see your ego or your desire to please them. Don’t worry if you have an ego of your own. Many people use their ego to protect themselves from taking a stand. However, you should be willing to take a principled position when it’s necessary.
There are two basic modes of using leverage: manipulative and bullying tactics. The latter involves using a position to your advantage and making a significant ask. Using leverage to your advantage involves giving your opponent something of value in exchange for something that you want. Leverage is about building trust and creating value for both sides. While you may not get what you want right away, you can regain it at a later time.
