E348 - Current & Critical - Mark Raffan, How to Negotiate like a Ninja
“Most people go into a negotiation responding to a request or a proposal and reacting to that instead of first planning for what do I want to get out of the negotiation?”
Negotiating is something that takes time to prepare properly for. Mark talks extensively about multi-million dollar organizations in the US, but the lessons are relevant for any sized business. In enterprise-level companies, the average buying group consists of around 11 people. Knowing the counterparty’s culture, financials, role, and incentives can help you negotiate. And understanding the incentives of both parties is crucial since the person negotiating and the person they represent may have different incentives and different visions of what a “win” or “fair” negotiation means. By working on your communication and conflict skills and preparing thoroughly, you’ll be able to negotiate even the toughest scenarios with clarity between both parties.