1. Practice, Practice, Practice!
2. Work Body Language to Your Advantage
3. Just Ask for What You Want
4. Don’t be Afraid to Take Risks
5. Thoroughly Prepare
6. Sharpen Your Conflict Management Skills
7. Leave Your Ego at the Door
8. Network with Powerful People
9. Listen Intently
10. Always Uphold a High Standard of Ethics
11. Close with Confirmation
12. Don’t Stereotype the Competition
13. Be Prepared for Surprises
14. Leverage Your BATNA (Best Alternative to No Agreement)
15. Avoid Argument
16. Show them You are Professional
17. Be Empathetic
18. Set Goals Before the Negotiation Begins
19. Don’t be afraid to Walk Away
20. Create a Win-Win Atmosphere
21. Know Negotiation Strategies
22. Research Your Competition
23. Take the Future Relationship Value into Consideration
24. Dress to Impress
25. Clarify Expectations
26. Separate People from the Issues
27. Discover Your Opponent’s Motivation
28. Define Your Interests
29. Use Visual Aids
30. Be Direct
31. Analyze the Other Side
32. Take a Negotiation Class
33. Speak Clearly
34. Never Make a Concessions without a Trade-Off
35. Always be Respectful
36. Look for Alternatives to Benefit Everyone
37. Know Negotiation Tactics
38. Negotiate with a Letter
39. Act Confidently
40. Match Their Personality Type
41. If you are a Student, Join the Debate Team
42. Be Bold
43. Role Play Negotiation Situations with Others
44. Aim High
45. Have Patience
46. Take Responsibility for Your Mistakes
47. Be Organized
48. Follow-Through
49. Always be Honest
50. Know Your Motivation
51. Teach Others How to Negotiate
52. Use Guerrilla Negotiation Tactics
53. Ask an Expert Negotiator to be Your Mentor
54. Don’t be a Push-Over
55. Never Accept the First Offer
56. Be Persistent
57. Support Your Argument with Facts
58. Understand Cultural Differences
59. Think Positively
60. Identify Throwaway’s
61. Articulate Your Ideas
62. Be Perceptive
63. Know Your Opportunity Costs
64. Set Ground Rules
65. Control the Environment
66. Use Expert Testimony to Support Your Argument
67. Always Flinch at Their Offer
68. Practice Principled Negotiation
69. Know Your Opponent’s BATNA
70. Look at the Big Picture
71. Identify Anomalies
72. Find Allies
73. Break Down Barriers
74. Build Up a Good Reputation
75. Don’t Offer to Split the Difference
76. Be Thick Skinned
77. Speak with Authority
78. Think Strategically
79. Don’t Grandstand
80. Improve Your Problem Solving Skills
81. Be Open-Minded
82. Practice Tact
83. Develop Friendly Rapport
84. Think Clearly Under Stress
85. Be Decisive
86. Don’t Mistake Wants for Needs
87. Re-Frame an Issue to Meet Needs
88. Respect Time-Constraints
89. Realize it is Not a Zero-Sum Game
90. Don’t Fall in Love with the Deal
91. Learn from Your Mistakes
92. Have Self Control
93. Don’t Leave the Table on a Sour Note
94. Engage the Opponent
95. Know when to Bluff
96. Document the Agreement
97. Overcome Your Fear of Negotiation
98. Read Our Negotiation Blog
99. Learn from Others on our Negotiation Forum
What am I missing? Do you have the 100th way to become a better negotiator?
A couple of very quick suggested additions Jennifer – the list could go on………….
Undersand the dimensions of power
Develop trust
Develop/exercise good communciation skills i.e. active listening, empathy, minimise communication/negotiation noise etc
Seek to understand to be understood
Peter, thanks for your input. I particularly liked your comment about understanding the dimensions of power.
100. Be Present :))
Elena, Thanks for your comment. Yes, being present at the negotiation table is a critical skill when negotiating.