Negotiations are the most difficult, dynamic, and even uncomfortable aspects of doing business. Reaching a deal that adds to the bottom line and builds lasting trust demands a thorough understanding of the process. In The Negotiation Book, Steve Gates draws on his 20 years of experience to help readers gain the skills and adopt the mindset of Complete Skilled Negotiators. He highlights the importance of self-awareness, emotional detachment, insight, and creativity to reaching a deal. He presents practical steps for maximizing opportunities in every negotiation while still building trust with the other party.
The author believes that:
- Negotiation is one of the most challenging aspects of business. It sets up adversarial relationships that must be overcome to reach a successful deal. However, skillful negotiation contributes significantly to a company’s bottom line.
- Whichever party has the most flexibility has the most power. Larger parties, particularly those with strong brands, have power over smaller ones. Skilled negotiators understand power and what factors influence its balance.
- Skilled negotiators have 10 key traits: nerve, self-discipline, tenacity, assertiveness, instinct, caution, curiosity, numerical reasoning, creativity, and humility.
- Skilled negotiators check their egos at the door, yet understand how ego drives the other party. They remain calm and manage their emotions.
- Every negotiator enters each negotiation with a particular amount of authority to make a deal. More authority brings greater risk. Negotiating with someone who does not have the authority to make a deal is counterproductive.
- Personal and organizational values necessarily influence negotiators. Those values may not be shared between the parties, which may place the party striving for a value like fairness at a disadvantage.
- Negotiators always deploy certain tactics in making a deal. Skilled negotiators understand how their values impact the tactics they are willing to use. They also understand how the other party’s values determine the tactics available to them and recognize those tactics when they are used.
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