Pressing the other to make a decision, forcing him to opt for an alternative, which we want, are negotiation strategies widely used in the business field. The goal is to disturb the thinking of the other, divert your attention from the important elements to lead to what interests us. However, we will not always have the opportunity to direct the entire process. Sometimes it will be necessary to negotiate.
LEARN TO HAVE IT
A negotiation process requires a little more than knowing how to communicate and being proficient at explanations. Handling stress is also necessary, especially if we have to make decisions and seal agreements quickly. The fact that time is getting dangerously short or that we need to give an immediate response can not only increase our level of nervousness but also determine the impact of our decisions at the company level.
"Where there is a successful business,
there was someone who once made a brave decision".
-Peter Drucker-
How does stress work during a negotiation process?
As we have seen, stress may be present during a negotiation, especially if we feel we are being pressured. Even if stress can sometimes be positive, in these cases, it is not usually a good company. The problem lies in the way we manage it.
This sense of "saturation" when negotiated can have many more underlying motives. A misunderstanding with the boss or co-workers, a project that has not been delivered on time and that has put the company in a bad position or an excessive workload can lead to bad negotiation.
Then, when the stress ends, the first thing we feel is a feeling of suffocation. Ideas accumulate in our minds and prevent us from thinking clearly. Instead of doing it in an orderly and silent way, chaos traps us and we do not know how to think correctly. So, if we are stressed and need to negotiate, we are more likely to fool ourselves about the decision. Or, at least, not taking advantage of our skills and strategies as we should.
Sometimes, stress can lead us to try to escape, to get out of this situation because we only feel a pressure that accumulates. It can also make us feel insecure when negotiating and not knowing how to act or face the conflict that may arise due to the large amount of energy we deploy to face it. . Finally, it is also possible that we adopt an intransigent attitude towards the other person or that we do not express our opinions clearly.
"The most important thing in a negotiation is to listen to what is not said".
-Peter Drucker-
Reduce stress during negotiations
Letting ourselves be carried away by stress will not bring us very pleasant consequences. It is important to learn to face it in order to be victorious and not let ourselves be overcome by pressure. For that, it is essential to follow the following steps.
Go to the meeting being well prepared:
to negotiate, we must be informed. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to refute an opinion in a justified manner. We need enough knowledge on the subject. Knowing the opinions of other colleagues before participating in the negotiation can also be a great help in knowing what people will think.
Active listening:
This is a key aspect of any negotiation. Before speaking, it is necessary to listen to others. What do they think? What views did you adopt? Where do they come from? It is better not to hurry to talk and listen carefully.
Use Emotional Intelligence: if stress appears during a negotiation, the tone may increase, we may be completely unable to listen to others and face an emotional outburst. It is important to breathe, calm down and control your emotions. Knowing how to identify our emotions and those of others is an advantage to negotiate.
Repeat the negotiation process:
if the negotiation has been around the well or if the main reason has been lost, it can be resumed from scratch. For that, we can go back to the beginning or take it another day, when the spirits calm down and when we have enough information to conclude it.
Negotiate in silence:
although it is true that we can spend a lot of time without making a decision because there is no deadline, it is important to know when we should postpone a negotiation or resume it if we do not do it, we will do nothing. Speed is not a good ally in negotiations.
"Never negotiate with our fears, but never be afraid to negotiate".
-John F. Kennedy-
CONCLUSION
Therefore, stress can be an element that activates us and sets us on track to achieve our goals. But if there are constant pressures when we have to negotiate, we can be completely overwhelmed.
If we are fully aware of how we should carry out this negotiation, what is its initial preparation, how we can face possible conflicts and how we must deal with the resulting stress, everything will be much simpler.
