Monday, August 31, 2009

Making the Right Choice Is Tough

Making the right choice is always important in life. It could be as simple as picking up an aftershave cologne, tweeting with someone you trust about a day in court or getting a gift for your spouse. It could get as complicated as representing a client who you believe is lying or some one whose version you are unable to trust.

Whatever realm you work in, knowing whom to trust and how to negotiate is very important before you make a choice or a decision to go ahead. If you are in business, negotiation is your lifeblood. Same goes for lawyers, teachers, doctors and many more professionals.

Many times, we don' t realize how important negotiation is in every field of life, in the tasks that we do and the practical outcomes we hope to create.

Sometimes, the failure to negotiate properly could land you in deep trouble or mental distress. Lots of problems may crop up because negotiation took a backseat.

My suggestions:

Explain what the benefit is for the other party.

Confirm with yourself that the benefits for you will accrue directly from this deal.

Don’t foster a fall back position beforehand

Invest in your skills
Be honest and open.

If you are a parent, negotiation is what makes you successful in handling your kids' demands. Your kid asks for McDonald burgers. You say veggies but that falls on deaf ears. What do you do? You find a way to negotiate. Starting early helps rather than waiting for the house of card to fall apart, the way it does in many relationships, professional and personal.

Think about it. Do you negotiate enough? More importantly, do you negotiate openly?