Different negotiation skills and tactics achieve different results and should be used in different situations and should be responded to accordingly. As a result, your team needs to understand the difference between these negotiation skills to maximize their negotiation success. Establishing a strong negotiation skill set is fundamental to strategic negotiations. Essential skills to promote include preparation, communication, and the four key aspects of emotional intelligence, followed by practicing these skills to hone them before meeting with other negotiating parties.
Essential Negotiations Skills
Let’s first delve into the essential skills that a strategic
Negotiators should develop before starting to focus on tactics:
1. Effective Preparation
Negotiation starts well before discussions begin, and thorough preparation is key to success. The more complex the negotiation, the more research and planning are required.
Developing preparedness means studying the other party, their past deals, and their commitment to terms. Establish a system to anticipate responses and plan your counteractions. Clearly define your objectives, prioritize your goals, and organize relevant data for easy access during negotiations.
2. Communication
Communication serves as the foundation for any successful strategic negotiation. Proficiency in communication is one of the most crucial components required to become a masterful negotiator. Communication skills include:
- Clearly, effectively communicating your ideas
- Fully devoting your attention to the negotiation at hand
- Keeping your objectives in mind when sharing information
- Asking relevant open-ended questions to gain further information, verify your awareness of core concepts, or resolve any misunderstandings
- Requesting elaboration when presented with unclear information
- Actively listening to the other party to demonstrate you recognize their needs, understand their reasoning, value their point of view, and are willing to address any concerns they may have
- Restating their ideas in your own words to prove you are actively listening
- Fostering sincere collaboration throughout the entire process by approaching the situation as a team rather than as competitors
- Analyzing the details of the situation to determine the best course of action
3. Self-Awareness
Self-awareness consists of recognizing and understanding your emotions, appreciating how they impact others around you, and considering the role they play in your decision-making. Know your value and project confidence in your skills and experience to illustrate the advantages you hold and gain more leverage in strategic negotiation. Consider the scope of your influence and enhance this influence by grounding your negotiations on hard data, sound logic, and convincing arguments.
4. Self-Management
Based on adequate self-awareness, self-management comprises the ability to control your emotions and adjust your behavior to best accommodate dynamic circumstances. The only way to ensure your negotiating partner truly comprehends the information you share is by remaining calm and courteous while expressing yourself. Handling negotiations with diplomacy and tact benefits you in the current deal. It also establishes your reputation as a professional and encourages the growth of the relationship.
5. Social Awareness
Social awareness is the ability to discern, interpret, and appropriately respond to the emotions of others. You must read your negotiating partner by considering not only the words they speak, but also examining other verbal and non-verbal cues, such as tone of voice, eye contact, and body language. With more than 50% of successful communication relying on body language, it is imperative to analyze the other party’s body language and carefully manage your body language to express openness and present yourself as professional, authoritative, and cooperative.
6. Relationship Management
Relationship management utilizes all of the above skills to influence your negotiating partner. Throughout the negotiation, you can learn more about the other party’s personality and find common ground by asking them about their interests, goals, and motivations for agreeing. The more you understand your negotiation partner, the better your position for leading the strategic negotiation to a mutually beneficial outcome. Finally, and most importantly, demonstrate empathy while dealing with the other party. By being empathetic, you cultivate trust, improve your persuasion’s efficacy, and develop a more amicable, sustainable relationship.
7. Practice
Mastering negotiation skills takes regular, intentional practice. The more you refine your approach beforehand, the more confident and effective you’ll be in real negotiations. Assessing your strengths and weaknesses helps you improve and adapt for future success.
With these core skills established, it’s time to explore common negotiation tactics—how to use them strategically and respond effectively. Think of these tactics as tools, each suited to different challenges. The key is knowing which to use and when. Let’s dive in.
8. Anchoring
Anchoring is a powerful psychological strategy in which you make an initial offer or point of reference that serves as the starting point for the negotiation. It may consist of a certain price, terms, or any other component of the transaction. Negotiators should use anchoring at the beginning of the conversation to establish a favorable starting position for you. It can act as a foundation for the other party’s opinion of what is acceptable. When confronted with this strategy, acknowledge its effect but resist embracing it. Instead, respond with a well-thought-out offer that corresponds with your objectives and gives a genuine explanation.
9. Silence
Silence is a powerful and strategic negotiation approach in which one side intentionally refrains from speaking or replying immediately after laying down a proposition, offer, or request. This calculated pause generates a noticeable quiet in the conversation that is typically used to persuade the other side to react, consider, or make a choice. Negotiators can apply this technique when they’ve made an important offer and want to create pressure for an answer or compromise. It can also be helpful when you believe the other party’s reaction will reveal their true intentions. When dealing with this strategy, as a negotiator, you must resist the impulse to disrupt it and take some time to consider your position and the nature of the discussion. If necessary, politely ask for clarification or further information.
10. Good Cop / Bad Cop
The “Good Cop, Bad Cop” tactic involves two negotiators playing contrasting roles—one friendly and cooperative, the other aggressive and confrontational. The Good Cop builds rapport and offers concessions, while the Bad Cop applies pressure to push for better terms. This strategy is effective in group negotiations and situations requiring urgency or discomfort to influence decisions.
When facing this tactic, recognize each negotiator’s role and engage calmly. Acknowledge the Good Cop’s efforts while staying firm against the Bad Cop’s pressure. Focus on your goals, avoid hasty compromises, and use empathy strategically to maintain control.
11. Take It Or Leave It
This is a straightforward negotiation approach where one party offers a final proposal without room for further discussion. The “Take It or Leave It” approach presents a final, non-negotiable offer, leaving the other party to accept or decline. It’s best used when time is limited, the offer is fair, and no further negotiation is possible. This tactic signals confidence and a firm stance.
When facing this strategy, carefully evaluate the offer against your goals. Recognize its finality but seek clarification or minor adjustments if appropriate. Stay composed, communicate respectfully, and make a decision based on your priorities. Even if no agreement is reached, maintaining professionalism keeps future discussions open.
Maintain polite communication regardless of the outcome to preserve the possibility of future conversations.
12. Foot In The Door
The “Foot in the Door” tactic starts with a small, agreeable request to build commitment before introducing a larger one. This strategy increases the likelihood of agreement on the final request, making it useful for overcoming resistance, building trust, and gradually moving toward a goal. It’s particularly effective in complex or lengthy negotiations.
When encountering this tactic, recognize the pattern and evaluate each request individually. Accept only those that align with your goals, and politely decline others while explaining why. Stay adaptable, keep the big picture in mind, and balance cooperation with protecting your interests.
13. Wince
The “Wince” tactic makes an initial proposal seem less appealing to provoke a negative reaction, only to later improve it, creating an impression of flexibility. This strategy helps manage expectations and encourages agreement by making adjustments seem like concessions.
When facing this tactic, stay calm and neutral. Recognize that the initial offer may be designed to prompt a reaction. Instead of responding emotionally, seek clarification, express concerns professionally, and evaluate the offer based on its actual value. Stay open to improvements while ensuring your interests remain a priority.
14. Play Dumb
The “Play Dumb” tactic involves pretending not to understand certain details to encourage the other party to reveal more information. This strategy helps gather insights, assess flexibility, and foster cooperation without disclosing your own knowledge.
When facing this tactic, be mindful of what you share. The other party may already know more than they appear to. Stick to relevant details, avoid revealing sensitive information, and keep the negotiation focused on your goals while maintaining control of the discussion.
15. Red Herring
A “Red Herring” tactic diverts attention from key issues by introducing unrelated topics to shift focus or create confusion. It’s often used to avoid difficult discussions or buy time.
When encountering this tactic, stay focused on your negotiation goals. Politely acknowledge the diversion but steer the conversation back to the main issues. Avoid getting sidetracked and keep discussions aligned with your objectives.
16. Nibbling
“Nibbling” is a tactic where small additional requests are made after the main agreement is nearly finalized. These minor demands can add up, securing extra concessions without reopening negotiations.
When using this tactic, ensure the other party is committed and unlikely to walk away. If faced with it, assess the impact of the extra requests, accommodate only what aligns with your goals, and protect your interests while maintaining balance in the negotiation.
17. No/Higher Authority
The “No/Higher Authority” tactic shifts decision-making to an external party, allowing a negotiator to delay commitments, avoid concessions, or create a sense of oversight. It’s useful for gaining time to assess proposals and the other party’s flexibility.
When facing this tactic, stay patient and evaluate its legitimacy. If genuine, allow time for approval. Verify the authority’s decision-making power to ensure the negotiation remains productive and transparent.
Learn These Skills With Negotiation Training From Shapiro Negotiations
By acquiring a comprehensive understanding of these strategies and their practical implementations, negotiators can develop the necessary competence to successfully navigate the complex landscape of negotiations.Learn These Negotiation Skills From Shapiro Negotiations. Established with science and backed by experience, the Shapiro Negotiations training program demonstrates an impressive record of proven success in helping clients secure more long-term business opportunities, increase their employees’ productivity, and navigate conflict. We assess each business’s individual needs and design comprehensive, personalized, and dynamic solutions to effectively meet those needs.
Contact us today to learn how we can prepare your business team for the market of the future. Call (410) 662-4764, email us at sni@shapironegotiations.com or submit the form on our website.
