Welcome back to Career Coach Friday, your home base for career tools and strategies to stand out in your field. I want to pass along this great article from Inc. magazine all about becoming a master negotiator.

Here are my thoughts…

Negotiating happens all the time in life, from buying a car to negotiating that big sale at work. But many people, men and women alike, feel totally unprepared to negotiate. They know they’re supposed to.  But how do you actually do it?

Without the answer to that big question, they give in all the time.

This used to be me, in a serious way.  I’ve always been a “let’s get along” person and sometimes that meant I would give in easily, not asking for my due.

That was, until my husband pointed out what an important skill it is.

Well let me tell you, it’s great to live with a fabulous negotiator.  He always has the best suggestions, the right thing to say at the right time. It really helped me to learn this important skill – and now I’m much more empowered and prepared.

And now my main point: if you learn these skills, you’ll be more empowered and prepared too. Plus, you’ll rock those negotiations.

In case you’re short on time, here’s a summary of Matthew Swyers’ tips:

1. Listen. You’ll find out what the other person really wants.

2. Be prepared to walk away. You’ve got to be willing to give an absolute no otherwise you really can’t negotiate at all.

3. Don’t show how much you need it. Yeah, don’t let your emotions to be on the table. Stay cool.

4. Be prepared with the facts. You want to be able to support your negotiation with facts.

5. Understand their “why.” Understanding their motivation is critical and lets you connect where it’s important to them.

This is just a summary, I recommend you check out the original article, it’s critical for career success and will help in your personal life too!

What’s your negotiation story? What works for you? What was your best experience? Your worst? 

If you liked this post, you might enjoy: 10 Tips For Getting A Raise

Marie Wetmore, Life and Career Coach

Want some one-on-one support? Contact Marie to set up a free discovery session. She coaches in her Boston area office, by phone, or on Video Skype.

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