Role of Personality in Negotiation

An impressive personality goes hand in hand with good communication for an effective negotiation. A charming personality is the key to an effective negotiation.

Let us understand how one’s personality traits help in an effective negotiation.

• During negotiations an individual must try to be himself. One should not fake things or pretend to be good. If you are not satisfied with the deal, do not pretend that you are happy. It’s better to raise a concern then and there, rather than crib later. Be normal and relax, things will automatically fall into place.

• It’s important to be sincere rather than just being serious. Sincerity is one of the most important personality traits required in negotiation. One has to be sincere for an effective negotiation. Don’t take things casually. Go well prepared for your negotiation. For a business deal, try to study everything related to the deal beforehand. The agenda of the negotiation must be very clear to you. Carry all the related documents which you might require at the time of negotiation. Don’t go just for the sake of it.

• Be honest. Don’t fake things. During negotiations, honesty plays an important role. One should never manipulate his salary to get a hike in the next organization. Don’t speak unnecessary lies just for some money. The fear to get caught would always be there and somehow it would reflect on your face as well. Don’t worry; you will definitely get what you deserve.

  If you know the laptop costs you xyz amount, don’t go and lie to the shopkeeper that it is much cheaper in the next shop. He is not a fool doing business. Remember even he keeps a check on the price what his fellow shopkeeper is offering. It’s better if you ask for some discounts or probably some additional accessories rather than reducing the price which you know is little difficult for the shopkeeper.

• One should go smartly dressed for a negotiation. Our dressing plays an important role in enhancing our personality. A shabbily dressed person will find it very difficult to convince the other person.

  Remember the first impression is the last impression and one has to be very careful about it.

  Let us suppose if you go to a shop where the shopkeeper is not smartly dressed, has a very casual approach and is almost half asleep, will you feel interacting with him? You will obviously not bother to even listen to him.

  Jack went in a t shirt and denims for a business deal. The other person assumed that Jack himself is not serious about the deal and thus did not take much interest in the negotiation. Smart dressing does not mean wearing expensive clothes; instead it is dressing appropriately according to the occasion. Prefer wearing formals for business deals and do not forget to polish your shoes for the desired impact. People do look at your shoes.

• Be Patient. It has been observed that impatient individuals are poor negotiators. Don’t think that if you want that the price of a particular item should be $4, the shopkeeper will agree to it immediately and gladly give it to you. You need to convince him and that requires patience. You can’t lose your temper and shout on him.

• Be flexible and learn to compromise. It’s okay to give priority to one’s personal interests but one should not be selfish. If you are the first one to accept something, you will not become unimportant or lose anything, instead the other person would look up to you and both of you will gain whatever you want.

• One has to trust the second party for a better negotiation. Don’t always find faults in others. Not all people are bad; there are people who are really good and helpful. One should not always think that the other person would do harm to him. The second party is there just to do business; he is absolutely not your enemy. Don’t just come to the point, start the conversation with a warm smile. If he is wearing a nice shirt, do take the initiative to give him a compliment. Treat him as a friend. One should never be arrogant. He is also representing his company just like you. Order coffee and some snacks. It will help in breaking the ice and strengthening the bond between the two parties. Do remember that one should not be too casual and over friendly.

• Be professional in your approach. Once your deal is closed, do sign a contract in presence of both the parties. The minutes of the meeting must be circulated among all the participants for better clarity. Don’t forget to collect your bills from the shopkeeper after you are done with your shopping. Don’t only rely on verbal communication.

• Enhance your listening skills for a better negotiation. Listen to the other party as well. He might come up with something interesting and beneficial to you as well. Don’t think that the other person doesn’t know anything; even he has come well prepared. One should never underestimate the second party. If you go for a shopping, don’t ignore the shop keeper, listen to him and then only decide what to purchase and what not to.

• Be a little tactful and diplomatic. Being diplomatic does not mean being clever. There is a difference between the two. One needs to be intelligent and should know what to speak and what not to speak. Analyze the situation and respond accordingly. Don’t speak something because your boss has asked you to do the same. Apply your brains and react in an appropriate manner. If you feel your statements would sound foolish in the particular situation, it is better not to speak.