Negotiation Strategies March 11, 2008

Negotiating Pressure

It's a fact: Identifying the pressures on the other side increases your negotiating power and strength.

The current economic climate and ongoing political unrest around the world is creating pressure on many negotiators. Decisions are being delayed. Buyers are being asked to bring costs down. Salespeople are being asked to increase volumes and margins. Engineering and manufacturing professionals are being asked to increase plant efficiencies. Managers everywhere are being asked to do more with less.

Any given negotiator is probably felling pressure from a variety of sources.

Now, more than ever, you must remember that in any negotiation there are pressures and problems on BOTH sides.

Yet, its only human nature, we almost always focus on our own problems and pressures and forget about the other side.

One of the key concepts discussed in the Effective Negotiating^® seminar is -- "You've got more power than you think." Just the recognition of the pressures on the other party will increase your power and strengthen your negotiating position.

You know your needs -- your pressures. The other party also has needs, which they feel as their pressure. Remember to ask yourself that key question -- "What's on their sheet?" This will help you identify the other party's pressures.

With this information use your negotiation as a tool to help find opportunities for a Both-Win solution--an agreement that takes the pressure off both you and the other side.