Night Shift Doctor Mom Greatness Series: Negotiate Like a Boss
Night Shift Doctor Mom Greatness Series
Have you ever wanted to know how to negotiate like a boss? Well so did I. It just so happens that I live with a pint sized negotiation expert in my second cherub. I never would have thought that I could learn such deep concepts from a child but she is clearly an expert.
There is a definite art form to expert negotiation and if she is so good at it now at age 7, her potential for greatness is unlimited. I have to say that being on the receiving end of her tactics can be challenging but I definitely don’t want to discourage the development of this critical skill set.
So, I am going to share with you what my daughter taught me about negotiating like a boss.
5 Tips For Negotiating Like a Boss
- Kill Them with Kindness. Politeness and positivity goes a long way at the negotiation table. Make eye contact, use open body language, listen actively and most importantly, smile. Smiling is such a powerful tool that we have in our armamentarium that we don’t use nearly enough. Also, we unfortunately live in a world with so much negative energy and rudeness that being polite and positive is very refreshing. Our daughter starts her kindness campaign as soon as she opens her eyes in the morning with her eyes on the prize.
- No Doesn’t Always Mean No. This just might not be the right time for your option. Just because you get a “No” at the table, it doesn’t mean that it is really a “not right now”. Perhaps your deal is not attractive in its current form or the timing really isn’t optimal. You may need to reframe your ask and try again at another time. So, do not settle for “No” as the final answer without exploring further options first.
- Piggyback on a Less Attractive Deal. Perhaps there is a package also being presented by someone else that is leaps and bounds not as attractive as yours. So this is your opportunity to present your option and because it is less onerous than the other, you have a chance of getting it through. Our daughter is particularly skilled at using her brother’s ridiculous asks as a segway for getting what she wants approved.
- Be Persistent But Not Annoying. The magic really is in the follow up. Getting your ideas in at the opportune time is indeed effective. This won’t even be a possibility if you aren’t persistent. Have a follow up plan in mind and execute it. For example, follow up in a few days, then a few weeks, then again in a month or two. Following up shows that you are passionate about your ask and that you won’t quit at the first sign of adversity. Of course, your follow up should not be annoying but just as professional as your initial ask.
- Don’t Be Wishy-Washy. Practice your power poses before you go into the negotiation. Stand firm and do not relent on your non-negotiable asks. Do have some items in your back pocket that you are willing to give up. These sacrifices should not mean as much as your non-negotiable items but serve as a great gesture at the table.
So, our daughter may be young but she nailed these skills and have taught me a ton about negotiating. I suppose this skill set is just innate to some. The majority of us have to learn it. As a parent, I hope that we can facilitate the continued growth and honing of this essential skill set. Funny how our cherubs can teach us so much!
Be strong. Be brave. Unleash your greatness!
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Charmaine Gregory
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