10 Traits of Expert Negotiators

Ever wanted to improve your negotiation skills? Start the journey by focusing on improving your skills in these top negotiation traits:

1. Skilled: To be an expert, you must possess the skills and know-how that negotiation requires. Knowledge of negotiation theory, tactics, and strategy can go a long way in helping you strengthen your skills.
2. Experienced: Not only does an expert negotiator possess ample negotiation skills, but they also have plenty experience actually negotiating. You learn best by doing, so the more chances you’ve had to negotiate, the better off you’ll be. If you have not had many chances to practice your negotiation skills, you can gain experience quickly by intentionally putting yourself in positions to negotiate. Call your credit card company to ask for a better rate, negotiate with your cable company, or get a better deal on your gym membership.
3. Prepared: An expert negotiator know just how important it is to be prepared. A little planning goes a long way in negotiations. If you know what you are going to say, how you are going to say it, and can anticipate what the other party will want, you can plan the best strategy to employ. Read more about planning for negotiations in our negotiation planning series.
4. Confident: Confidence is essential to success in any negotiation situation. How do you gain confidence if you don’t have any? Fake it ‘til you make it! Acting confident will not only fool the other side, but you actually start feeling confident too. Increasing your skills, experience and preparation time to help you excel in this area.
5. Respectful: No matter what your relationship is with the other side, acting respectful will score you major points. Just because they might want something from you, and vice versa, does not give you the right to act uncivilized. If you initialize the respect the other side will likely want to reciprocate the goodwill and treat you well too.
6. Articulate: If a negotiator has come prepared and has practiced what they are going to say, they will be better able to articulate their ideas. When others have to work at understanding you and your words do not flow freely, you can be a major distraction. The other side will sense fear and will use the opportunity when you stumble over your words to strike.
7. Bold: A good negotiator is not afraid of taking risks if they have weighted their options and they know that the payoff is worth the chance.
8. Direct: If you come prepared and confident in your argument, coming straight out with what you want will not be a problem. The other party will appreciate that you do not skirt around the major issue. This not only saves time, but encourages the other party to also lay their cards on the table early in the negotiation.
9. Perceptive: A great negotiator can put themselves in the position of the other side and see why they want what they do and the best way to resolve the situation so that both sides can walk away satisfied with the outcome. In a situation where the relationship is ongoing, creating a win-win situation is often the best outcome.
10. Unemotional: You need a thick skin to be a professional negotiation. People are often not respectful, as they should be, and they may try to attack you in a personal way to throw you off your tracks. An expert negotiator is not swayed by this distraction and quickly turns the conversation back to the issue at hand.

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