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In addition to the well-known rules of negotiation – politeness, attentiveness, ability to listen – there are less obvious tricks that will help you succeed. Ekaterina Starodubtseva, director and co-owner of a recruiting agency, talks about them.
I have to negotiate every day. And not only in Russia, but also in other countries. Although my interlocutors often speak a different language and have a different mentality, the same tricks always work.
1. Prepare well
Preparing for a meeting, I first of all study the market in which the company operates, find out its goals: scaling, changing the image, profit. It is very important to analyze all public information: interviews of company directors, financial indicators, social networks.
It is useful to find out the personal characteristics, interests and habits of the person with whom you have to conduct a dialogue. This will help to establish the hidden motives of the interlocutor, his weaknesses. Try to put yourself in his place and think about what you would like to hear, how you could be “hooked” and where your goals and interests could intersect.
2. Ask questions
To understand the true needs of the interlocutor, ask more questions. Show interest even in unimportant details. Don’t be content with one word answers. Use the phrases “tell me more about this”, “what do you think is the main problem”, “this is interesting, I would like to hear more about it”. The more a person speaks, the more information he gives (sometimes even the one he did not plan to share). Nothing pushes for frankness like genuine interest in the eyes of the interlocutor.
3. Speak the same language
The main goals of any negotiation are to determine exactly what the other side wants to get, what you can offer and why it can be beneficial for you. All participants in the conversation should be clearly aware of why they need this cooperation. But often one of the negotiators begins to pour in professional or scientific terms to show the level of knowledge. His interlocutors may not understand what he is talking about, which will lead to awkward additional questions and slow down the negotiation process.
Of course, if you are also familiar with a narrow language, you can demonstrate competence. But you need to be careful: such a move can only provoke the opponent and make him pronounce even more incomprehensible words. In most cases, it is better to immediately agree to conduct a conversation at a level accessible to everyone in order to avoid misunderstandings, substitution of concepts and a waste of time.
4. Offer solutions
Do not be afraid to be proactive, anticipate the interlocutor’s expectations and be the first to make suggestions to solve the problem. Such behavior on an intuitive level inspires trust and respect. It’s nice to have a dialogue with someone who is able to take responsibility. This is inherent in us genetically: groups of people have always chosen a leader and followed him.
5. Don’t be fooled
Do not tell a deliberate lie, do not play around and do not promise more than you can deliver. A deal beneficial to both parties can become the foundation of a long-term relationship. If you use tricks to achieve a one-time result, sooner or later it will affect your reputation. Consider whether the momentary result is worth a successful career. The label of a person who does not keep promises is very difficult to get rid of.
About expert
Ekaterina Starodubtseva — director and co-owner of a recruiting agency , which selects mid- and top-level employees for the HoReCA segment in Russia and the CIS countries.