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Seven Qualities of a Win-Win Negotiator

Most business people approach a negotiation hoping for a win-win agreement. But even with the best of intentions, they usually fall into the same win-lose patterns that characterize most negotiations.

What qualities do win-win negotiators possess? How are they able to consistently achieve win-win outcomes? Cultivating these seven qualities will improve your chances of negotiating win-win agreements.

Engage in joint problem solving

Most of us are conditioned to see a negotiation as a chance to win or lose. As such, we do what we can to win as much as we can, and the other side does the same. This competitive mindset leads to win-lose or partial win results.

Win-win negotiators, however, approach a negotiation as an opportunity for joint problem solving. Instead of seeing two parties each trying for their own win, they look at a negotiation as a single problem they must solve together for mutual benefit. They believe two heads are better than one.

Understand your interests and prioritize them so you stay focused on what is important to you. Know what you must have and what you would like to get from the negotiation before you begin. Have a list of other items you are willing to exchange.

Try to anticipate the other party’s interests as well. Explore ways to help him get what he needs at little or no cost to you. Adopt a collaborative mindset. Strive to optimize the overall outcome, rather than trying to maximize your gains on each of a series of items.

Share information

Most people play their cards close to the chest during a negotiation. They refuse to tell the other party anything of substance for fear the other party will use it to their advantage.

Of course, there may be some things you don’t want the other party to know. For example, you may not want to share your alternatives or your “bottom line.” However, it does not hurt to let your counterpart know what your interests are. They will often reciprocate, and you are then in a better position to satisfy both party’s interests.

But what if you share your interests and the other party keeps his to himself? Would that place you at a disadvantage? No, it would not! Recent studies suggest that even when only one party lays his interests on the table, a win-win outcome is still more likely. The mere fact that some interests are disclosed improves the chances that both sides will benefit.

Ask questions

Asking questions is one way to get information. But the benefits of asking questions go beyond mere information. Asking nonthreatening questions allows you to build rapport and put the other party at ease. It allows you to manage the discussion and gives you time to think. Questions also allow you to check your assumptions and confirm your understanding of key points.

Be careful how you ask questions. Do not ask questions with a sarcastic tone or that otherwise sound threatening. Ask questions that seek fair information and show a genuine concern for the other party and the negotiation process.

Listen empathetically

You learn more by listening than by talking, so encourage the other party to speak by listening attentively. Make eye contact. Do not interrupt. Do not form conclusions until your counterpart has finished speaking.

A good listener shows concern and respect for the other party. Try to really understand the other party’s point of view, even if you do not agree. Recognize that his arguments and needs have merit. Likeable and agreeable negotiators accomplish more than self-centered ones.

Explain before disagreeing

Do not be quick to disagree with your counterpart. An immediate rejection suggests you do not really care about the other person and are not open to his ideas.

Consider what he is saying. Look for common ground and try to build on it with your counterproposal. Offer your counterproposal as a suggestion rather than a demand, and be prepared to discuss it.

Persuade

Use data, evidence, and logic to support your proposals. Focus on the most compelling one or two arguments rather than trying to build support with a smattering of less convincing arguments. Quality is more important than quantity here.

Use fair and objective standards to support your proposal. Offer facts and reasons that make intrinsic good sense, such as market prices and historical trends. Do not offer arbitrary arguments such as “that’s all we are willing to pay.” Unsupportable rationales are not persuasive and will make your counterpart more resistant.

Think laterally

A win-win solution is not always obvious. The ability to develop creative options is a key to crafting win-win agreements. Learn to think out of the box.

By modeling these characteristics of win-win negotiators, you too will become a better negotiator.

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A Look At The Improvements Present On The New HTC Sensation XE

Not so many months ago we were writing about the new HTC Sensation, a phone that was set to take the smartphone market by storm thanks to some great specification. This model is still one of the superior handsets available but an updated Sensation XE device is set to be launched with some fairly impressive features.

There are two major differences between the original handset and the new XE device. The main improvement will be to the delight of music lovers as the model incorporates Beats Audio, a technology that improves the audio playback on the model by enhancing both software and hardware that is supplied with the phone. The hardware update is in the form of high quality new headphones that are supplied with the device which offer a much better frequency response especially on lower frequency sounds. The software built into the phone detects when these headphones are plugged in and switches the handset from standard audio mode to Beats mode in order to optimise the music playback. You do not have to be a music lover however to benefit from some of the other improvements that this model offers. The original Sensation was a very fast phone and the XE steps this speed up a gear by offering a massive 1.5Ghz dual core processor which is coupled with an impressive 768MB of RAM memory.

The new HTC Sensation XE comes supplied with a powerful 1730mAh battery that should help eliminate some of the problems the original model experienced in the battery life department. This new cell should offer users an excellent standby time of around 540 hours when connected to a 3G network and a talk time of approximately 7.4 hours. Design wise the model sticks with the same aluminium design that the original phone offered but this has been spiced up with some attractive looking red elements together with a much darker finish rather than the silver and bronze look sported by its predecessor. This look is certainly eye catching and undoubtedly makes this phone one of the most stylish looking handsets available. The HTC Sense user interface is present once again together with all of the advantages that it offers especially when it comes to social networking thanks to the excellent Friendstream feature which collaborates a host of your accounts together in one easily manageable location.

The HTC Sensation XE is a great phone that takes all of the superb features that were offered on the original model and updates certain aspects. The result is a phone that boasts ultra modern looks and high speed operation together with unrivalled audio quality.

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Garden Photography and the Unique Challenges It Presents

The beauty of living in the South is that I get to enjoy my garden almost year round. While gardens in the Northeast look a bit sad in the winter. Gardens in the South provide color throughout the year. This is especially true in several local gardens in Charleston South Carolina. There are several former plantations in the area that filled with color from one season to the next.

Magnolia Plantation and Gardens is probably the most visited and is definitely my favorite. Magnolia Plantation dates back to 1670′s with areas of the gardens left in its original state. This of course has granted me a wonderful opportunity to capture beautiful 300 year old English gardens. This along with the historic background makes for a garden photographers dream setting.

There are always challenges for any photographer when taking pictures. Garden photography has its own set of unique challenges. First and foremost for me is lighting and the challenges it presents.

Bright sunny days are great for going to the beach, but not for taking pictures. The best natural lighting you can have is when the sky is overcast. The problem with having bright sunshine is that you get a reflection of the leaves. This causes an issue with you having too much contrast in your raw pictures.

Try and avoid midday sun if possible. You can try and create an area of shade with a blanket or bed cloth. There is one inexpensive method that I like to use and that’s cardboard. If you are able to get the right lighting the next issue is proper angle.

Getting the right angle on the subject you are focusing on is extremely important. You want to look at it from different positions and angles. This way you can eliminate any objects you don’t want in the shot. This can be a pole in the ground or a group of wires that’s used to brace a nearby tree. It could even be a hose or broken branch. Get close to the ground and look at it from that angle. Take a few shots with your camera shooting upright. Moving in closer after each shot and as close as an inch or two.

Use of a tripod can be very useful in low lighting situations that you just created. As well as close up shots. This will allow you to get a steady shot as well. I like to think I have a steady hand, but some shots are a little blurry at times.

Every season brings new life to gardens. Birds and bees in the Spring. Winter rye grass in the Fall. Sunflowers in the Summer. So, the last point that I can share is most important. Explore your surroundings and enjoy what nature has to offer. You’ll never find a subject in the garden that you have to ask to smile or hear complaints from.

I’ve been a Charleston photographer for over 10 years and each and every time I explore the area gardens with my camera at my side. I find something that I didn’t realize was there before. Makes each trip a very unique and rewarding experience.

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