Basically all communication in the workplace is some form of negotiation because we all want others to understand things from our point of view. 

To gain an edge in negotiations, consider participating in Negotiation Training Course offered by pdtraining in Melbourne, Sydney and many other cities in Australia.

Learning how to negotiate may sound easy, but to be good at it and get your preferred results, you’ll need to learn some basic skills as outlined in this article.

Negotiation at the highest level is truly an art form and getting good at it only comes from learning and practice. The necessity for negotiation arises because neither party will be able to get everything they want.

Knowing that there must be concessions, each party in the negotiation is required to adopt an attitude of understanding that they must get the best deal possible in a way which is acceptable to the other party.

Key skills include:

• Effective speaking
• Effective listening
• A sense of humour
• A positive attitude
• Respect

Without the above factors, negotiations will be difficult if not impossible.  The importance of effective speaking and active listening is clear; it is necessary to establish what you are looking for and what you are prepared to accept, while understanding what the other parties will be happy with.

A sense of humour and a positive attitude are essential because they allow for a sense of give and take. Negotiations can become dead-locked, and having the ability to see the other side’s point of view while being firm in your requirements will be essential.

Of course, you will want as much as you can get – but the other side needs to achieve what they can, too. Seriously uneven negotiations will simply lead to further problems along the line.  An atmosphere of respect is essential.  If you do not make concessions while demanding them from your counterpart, it makes for a negotiation that ends in frustration.

However important a sense of understanding for your “opponent” may be, it is also necessary to have the confidence to not settle for less than you feel is fair. Good negotiators understand the importance of balance.

Yes, you will have to make concessions, but the point of making concessions is to secure what you can get – so you need to pay attention to your bottom line and ensure you are not beaten down to a minimum.

Knowing what is realistic, and ensuring that you can get the best deal, relies on being ready to insist upon something that the other side may not be willing to give initially.

Emotional intelligence, persistence, patience, and creativity can all play a part here.

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Pdtraining delivers 1000’s of professional development courses each year in Brisbane, Sydney, Parramatta, Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Perth, so you can be assured your training will be delivered by a qualified and experienced trainer.

All public Negotiation Training courses include am/pm tea, lunch, printed courseware and a certificate of completion.  Customised courses are available upon request so please contact pdtraining on 1300 121 400 to learn more.