How Learning to Negotiate Can Change Your Life (2/3)
THE CULTURE OF NEGOTIATION
The culture of negotiating has been around for a long time, much longer than we might realize. In the past, it was the order of the day. Before things got so complicated and big-money deals became the norm.
If you think well about it, negotiation is the earliest method humans used to get what they wanted. It is the so-called outdated system we now call trade by barter.
Before money, there was the barter system. To get something you wanted, you had to convince someone who had it to trade with you. To give you what you want and accept what you have to offer.
Bartering works the same way as negotiating: trying to convince your counterparts to give you what you want and be satisfied with your terms and conditions. That is what it means to negotiate!
Once you know this, it is easier to come to the negotiating table.
So, in a way, learning to negotiate is going back to our roots.
However, there is a time, and there is a place for negotiating. To be excellent at it, you have to know when to negotiate and how to negotiate. For some cultures, it is second nature to bargain. But for others, to haggle is an insult.
Nevertheless, being able to negotiate is a valuable skill to have.
WHEN TO NEGOTIATE
The principle at work in modern stores and commercial malls is the fixed value system. I cannot bargain with the cashier because the price of the product is standard.
To understand when to negotiate means knowing when something is negotiable. But, it is not always easy to figure out when what’s on offer is fixed or variable. Therefore, it is so important to have reliable information about the business deal. To have a reliable estimate of the value of what is offered: to you and your counterparts.
For example, when there is a job offer with a basic salary for the position. You would go into the interview thinking to accept what you saw in the advert if you do not know that you can negotiate a better deal.
But if you research the company (speak to current employees or former applicants), you’ll be well-informed. You might realize that you can get more benefits from the offer.
With this information, you can go for the interview prepared to strike a better deal for yourself.
…stay tuned for part 3
HOW TO NEGOTIATE and START NEGOTIATING