Business negotiation: An essential communication skill

Jess Dewell and I do the “It’s Your Business” LinkedIn Livestream episodes of the #BoldBusinessPodcast to normalize conversations about the things business owners care about most.

Negotiation is one of those skills that most people feel they aren’t good at and they would prefer to avoid. If that describes the way you feel, this podcast is for you.

Negotiation is an essential life and business skill because at it’s core, it’s a communication style.

Being good at negotiation means that

1. You know the purpose of your conversation and your desired end result.
2. You’ve done your research and understand the people involved, their goals, and their communication styles.
3. You are familiar with and actively use communication techniques that
   • Communicate empathy,
   • Make the listener feel heard through mirroring and labeling,
   • Telegraph your engagement through tone, style and body language,
   • Demonstrate active listening, and
   • Acknowledge the other sides objections.

By recognizing that you negotiate all the time at work, at home and at play, you can take every opportunity to practice this key skill. Practice will increase your confidence and ability to the point where negotiation strategies become second nature

As a result, it will become easier to find common ground with your employees, clients, and vendors as you negotiate changes in processes and procedures, contract terms, employment offers, KPI measurement and the like.

Purpose First Advisors specializes in helping business owners define their goals and negotiate favorable outcomes that produce their growth and valuation goals. Let us help you build, grow and exit your business  on purpose, with purpose.