In order to get far in your career, one of the most important skills you can have is the ability to negotiate. When it comes to wanting a raise or promotion, taking on a leadership role, or resolving a workplace conflict, many people are hesitant to speak up. But if you ever want to get ahead, you’ll need to take the initiative and use proper negotiation skills to get what you want. It’ll show that you have what it takes to move up in the workplace to a higher position.
Negotiating is not about winning or competing. While it’s easy to fall into a competitive mindset when it comes to receiving a promotion or spearheading a project over another co-worker, I encourage you to think of negotiating as simply a means to achieve your goals. By doing so, you’ll avoid an unhealthy work environment and you’ll be more open to work alongside the colleague rather than against them.
A good negotiator does their research. When you’re going to negotiate a raise, you should have a list of reasons why you deserve the raise ready to go. You should have evidence that supports your claims. The more research you’ve done, the easier it’ll be to make your point. If you go in unprepared, someone else who has prepped will take what you want.
When we think of a confrontation, we often think of a person being angry. Don’t mistake confrontation for anger or frustration. If you have a conflict with another co-worker, approach them about the conflict at hand in a professional and mature manner. Ask questions that will get them to open up and have a dialogue about the conflict. Listening is also a key component to resolving any communication conflict, don’t take this for granted.
The whole point of negotiating is to have them say “yes”, but sometimes despite our best efforts they say “no”. Don’t take this “no” as the end of the road for your goal. It could be that now is just not the right time to get what you asked for. Keep working towards your goal and when another opportunity arises, ask again.
Have you mastered the ability to negotiate? Leave a comment below and tell us about a time when you used this skill in the workplace.
SOURCE: 7 Career Tips to Help You Negotiate Better
IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by bark
Add comment