As I sat, I watched the little boy play with the fire truck for more than 30 minutes. He had left the other two toys unattended and wasn’t interested in either toy until another child came along and picked up the hammer, which was one of the other toys. The boy with the fire truck had a fit!
The hammer had no value to him; he wasn’t even interested in the hammer until another child wanted to play with it. Someone else’s desire to have it created value for him.
He probably was not sure of the value; he just knew that he was on the verge of losing something that he previously had access to, and obviously wanted to keep his options open.
A good negotiator defines what value is to them and also knows how to create value.
Defining value should be part of your planning process when preparing to negotiate. It helps you stay in the forest and not get tangled up in the trees. It should be determined in the planning process so that when you leave the negotiating table, you have what is important to you.
While defining what value is to you is important, knowing how to create value is critical. People who have the ability to create value are the most successful people in life and some of the most successful people at the negotiation table.
There are many ways to create value, depending upon the situation.
Below are 5 universal ways of creating value:
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Be Patient
Wait to determine what is being said and what all parties want. What someone says they want and what they really want is usually discovered with patience. This requires listening well. A person who is impatient tends to get anxious quicker and loses his ability to listen – and consequently, his edge
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Be Curious
Be genuinely interested in what other people want and why they are at the table. If you can’t define everyone else’s interests, you need to increase your curiosity with good questions.
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Be Big Picture
You must see the forest to create value. You must see as many paths as possible.
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Be Relentless
The more combinations of possibilities you see, the better. It pays to be relentless in the pursuit of possibilities. The relentless person also gains leverage at the table because they tend to create value as they go.
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Be respectful
Be one who values others’ thoughts. Combine relentlessness with respect, and you rule the table as a negotiator. The value you create will be received.
When you tap into what is valuable to everyone else, you are able to present scenarios that appeal to them, while posturing your own thoughts and ideas.
For more Negotiation Tips – click here.
CALL TO ACTION:
Be intentional this week about creating value at your job, in your inner circle, in your church, in your home. New, creative, out-of-the-box ideas that help move a process along or that solve a problem will create value. Practice creating value, and when it’s time to negotiate, you will be a pro.
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