Negotiating
FountainBlue's January 20 When She Speaks was on the topic of Negotiating for a Win-Win. Below are notes from the conversation.
We were fortunate to have a wide range of backgrounds and perspectives on our negotiation panel. Their combined advice is summarized below.
Build relationships deep and wide before you need to.
Fundamental to any successful negotiation is understanding your own personal needs and desires, and also the motivations and interests of the other people involved.
Emotions may run high when stakes run high in a negotiation. Accepting that this may happen and managing your own emotions - like giving yourself the time to react and respond - will help you be more successful through a negotiation.
Know the strength and value for yourself and for your team/product/company so that you can enter into a negotiation from a position of strength.
Be open and curious about the perspective of the other parties so you are better positioned to negotiate a win-win.
Take a chance and get noticed. Reach beyond your responsibilities and role when you're able to.
Work with partners, mentors, allies and sponsors to keep stretching yourself, and to make sure others hear of your successes and impact.
Sometimes asking for something a bit less than you wanted may bring you closer to what you wanted in the long run.
Be a great listener, one who truly and authentically cares about the welfare of the other party.
Don't generalize about people based on gender, ethnicity, age, etc., Everyone is different and unique.
Make others around you look good, feel good.
Make the best of what you are given. Sometimes what you dread happening may wind up being better than what you wanted in the first place.
Put yourself first - that's hard when your team and family are so important.
Be accessible and reachable so that people will reach out to you and start that communication channel.
Manage the conditions for the negotiation itself - everyone should be comfortable and not feel rushed or pressured.
Have open communications with spouse regarding work priorities so that your own front is managed and your work demands are addressed.
Be proactive about spelling out your needs and dreams. Don't judge yourself or others, or be with those who judge you for your needs and dreams.
Encourage and support children to take responsibility and ownership for their own problems.
Know your walking points and be wiling to walk under those conditions.
Know the top line and the bottom line going into the negotiation. Having those boundaries will help ensure a successful outcome.
Bottom line - be strategic, relationship-based, and engage with long-term, win-win results in mind. We wish you the best of luck in managing your upcoming negotiations.
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Please join me in thanking our gracious hosts at Samsung and our panelists!
Facilitator Linda Holroyd, CEO, FountainBlue - Coach, Adviser and Consultant
Panelist Charlotte Falla, Vice President and General Counsel, Samsung Research America, Inc.,
Panelist Jennifer Morrill, VP, Commercial Legal (Americas/EMEA), LinkedIn
Panelist Lucia Soares, Vice President, Healthcare Technology Strategy, Johnson & Johnson
Panelist Yvonne Thomson, Vice President, Culture & Employee Experience, Symantec