7 negotiation techniques to improve your workplace communication

Good negotiation techniques are essential for anyone who wants to be successful in the workplace. After all, much of what we do at work revolves around workplace communication and negotiation. Some people are born with great negotiation skills and by extension, workplace communication skills, while others have to learn them. If you’re not naturally good at negotiating, there’s no need to worry, but what you do need is the sincerity to learn about negotiation, as people who enjoy great careers are those who are usually skilled at negotiations.

It is a common mistake to assume that ability is the major factor in determining how fast one can climb up the career ladder. Although ability is important, an even more significant factor in achieving great career progress is how others perceive your personality. Think about who determines your promotion - it is always your boss, and to a lesser extent, your colleagues. Nobody likes talented people who are hard to work with. Workplace communication is key to promotions and your ability to negotiate with others plays a vital role. Great workplace negotiators can get what they want without pissing others off, and ensuring that each party wins.

There are a variety of negotiation techniques that you can use to improve your workplace communication. In this article, we will discuss some of the most popular techniques and how you can use them to your advantage.

1. Understand your own needs and wants

The first step in any negotiation is understanding what you want out of it. If you don’t know what you want, it will be difficult to get what you want. Spend some time thinking about what it is that you really want and need from the negotiation.

When you find yourself in an argument with your colleagues, instead of only focusing on who is right or wrong, consider how you can resolve the argument in a way that can address your own needs and wants.

People with poor negotiation techniques will find themselves sucked into frequent arguments in the workplace, with a major reason being their inability to fathom their short term and long term goals in their careers. Good negotiators and communicators understand when and how to avoid arguments, when to argue, when to concede and when to stand firm, since they know what helps and what doesn't help in achieving their career goals.

2. Get to know your opponent

When it comes to negotiating a deal, you need to have a clear understanding of who you’re dealing with. Research the person in advance, and try to find out what their objectives and goals are. The more information you have, the easier it will be to tailor your negotiation strategy.

In a workplace situation, your negotiation "opponents" are your colleagues and boss. Do some self-reflection now - do you think you know your colleagues well? How well do you know about their working style? What are their personalities? How well do you work together with your colleagues? How do you resolve conflicts with them?

Nearly every interaction in the workplace, aside from banter, involves some form of negotiation. In order to get what you want without being negatively perceived by your colleagues, you must have different communication styles with different colleagues, which is easier said than done. Get to know each of your colleagues well, so that you can not only improve your workplace communication and negotiation techniques, but also achieve better working performance to get you where you desire career-wise.

3. Establish common bonds

The relationship you have with your workplace colleagues will heavily influence the negotiation as a whole. Try to develop positive rapport so that both parties are comfortable conversing with each other. You can do this by finding common ground and coming across as genuine.

It is important to remember that the person you are negotiating with is not your "enemy". It is easy to get caught up in the competition of negotiation, but it is important to remember that you are both working towards a common goal, which is to complete assigned tasks efficiently and accurately. If you can develop positive rapport with your colleagues, it will go a long way in reaching a successful negotiation. It is also important to be respectful and to avoid making any personal attacks. If you can keep these things in mind, you will be on your way to developing positive rapport with your opponent.

4. Speak their language

This negotiation technique relates to point 2 - knowing your colleagues well. Assuming you’ve done your research and know who you’re dealing with, it’s time to start communicating with your colleagues. Use their language, and try to establish a rapport with them from the start. If they see that you’re on their side, they’ll be more likely to listen to what you have to say.

Remember this - successful negotiators in the workplace do not always get what they want, but they always get their colleagues to listen to what they are saying. People are more likely to offer concessions if they understand what is being communicated to them, which requires them to be willing to listen first.

Next time, if you find yourself talking too much, stop. Talking more does not get you what you want. Instead, talk less, listen, and speak in a language that your colleagues understand.

5. Don’t be afraid to offer concessions

Concessions show that you’re willing to compromise and aimed at achieving a mutually beneficial agreement rather than just clinching the best deal for yourself. While it might be tempting to hold back on any offers, it’s important not to appear inflexible during negotiations or the process could quickly break down – winning a short term negotation, or in other words, having your way in the short term is of no use to you if it sacrifices your long term working relationships with your colleagues. Do not be shortsighted but rather, take the long term view. It is far more important to remain on good terms with your colleagues than seemingly coming on top in a negotiation at a single instance.

However, you shouldn't make concessions lightly unless it is necessary to preserve a good long term working relationship with your colleagues. If you choose to make a concession, try and ask for something in return that can benefit you. In psychology, when faced with a favour, humans are compelled to offer something in return, which is called reciprocity. For example, if your colleague takes a holiday leave which affects your holiday plans, you could ask your colleague to complete certain tasks for you that can relieve your workload. Don't overdo it, however - if you demand something in return every time somebody asks you a favour, you will quickly make enemies in the workplace.

In addition, in any negotiation, it is important to be clear about what you want to achieve and what your bottom line is. Once you have established this, you can start to consider what concessions you might be willing to make in order to reach a mutually beneficial agreement. If your colleague asks you for favours, it is wise to ask for more time to consider. You do not have to respond with an immediate yes or no. Upholding your bottom line is much more important than conceding too quickly - it is very difficult to say no after you have said yes, so concede carefully and never say yes to demands that will break your bottom line.

To sum up, don't be afraid to offer concessions where necessary in return for upholding good workplace relationships - making concessions does not mean that you are giving up on what you want or that you are agreeing to anything that is not in your best interests. Rather, it shows that you are willing to compromise in order to reach an agreement that is beneficial for both parties. However, be sure about where your bottom line is and don't over-concede.

6. Consider your colleagues' point of view and rephrasing

Especially in instances where you find yourself struggling to reach common ground with a colleague, try to consider the perspectives and experiences they may have had in their past. It never hurts to ask your colleagues questions such as their refusal of your demands and if this is related to bad experiences they have had in the past. The more you understand your colleagues' motives, the more insight you can gain in a negotiation, allowing you to leverage the information you received to rephrase your demands.

In many instances, we get angry or frustrated when our requests are turned down. However, this doesn't mean that they will get turned down if we ask for the same thing for a second or third time. When met with a no, the key here is to not give up (where appropriate) and rephrase your request in a way that your negotiation "opponent", or colleague, can relate to. This involves comprehending your colleague's point of view, so that you can make your requests in a language he/she can understand.

7. Communicate clearly

Once you know what you want from the negotiation, you need to communicate this clearly to the other person or persons involved in the negotiation. This might seem like an obvious point, but it’s essential – if you don’t communicate clearly, the other side will never understand what it is that you want from the negotiation.

It never harms to ask your colleague if they understood the requests you made - this forces them to rethink your requests from your perspective, which allows you to get your message across more easily.