FX.co ★ 5 tips on successful negotiations

Positive image is key to success

Firstly, it is not always easy to feel empathy for other people. Moreover, it is not always necessary. The best way to win over your conversation partner is to build up a positive mirror image. A person charged with positive emotions is able to make the atmosphere of any negotiations light and relaxed, eliciting a good response from opponents. As a result, any problem can be fixed twice as fast. What can you do? Try to smile more, relax, crack a few funny jokes, and take yourself lightly. But one should not forget about decency! The key thing is to clearly imagine the entire negotiation process in advance. There is one simple tip on how to catch a wave of positive feelings before a meeting: a few minutes before the start, try to remember the best moments of your life which make you smile. Your friendly attitude will put all the participants of the talks in an optimistic mood. Such negotiations are bound for success.

Away with negative feelings

Any act of aggression or hostility is immediately read by the opponent causing the so-called mirror effect. In other words, they will treat you the way you treat them. Do you need such an exchange of negative emotions? Experts say that great empathy can be developed only when conversation partners feel that they are in no danger. However, stress can destroy everything instantly. Thus, successful negotiators try to leave all their personal problems and experiences outside the conference room. Also, think about a deal you are trying to make. Is it worth establishing a business relationship with a person who can kill your mood? That is why selfish people have no place at the negotiating table.

Evoke feelings of affection

If your opponent likes you, the chances of a successful outcome will grow exponentially. Based on psychological studies, even a false feeling of affection can make an opponent like you as a result. There is no magic here: your beliefs are simply read well and processed by the opposite party. The mirror neuron system works here as well. This means that, without knowing it, the person we are talking to returns our positive emotions back. Consequently, the general atmosphere of the negotiations gets more trusting and inviting. Thus, under the most favorable conditions, it is possible to create an infinite number of closed mirrored cycles of the initial positive attitude.

Empathy above all

For negotiations to end successfully, you need to arm yourself with empathic listening - that is, to demonstrate how important the feelings and, most importantly, the opinion of your opponents are to you. It is enough just to give your conversation partners the proper amount of attention. Consequently, it will awaken a counter interest in them. The law of reciprocity is deeply embedded in our genes and subconsciousness. Therefore, it would be a mistake not to use it. How to apply the law of reciprocity? Start negotiations with a detached topic that will be of interest to your opponent. At the same time, the subject of discussion should be simple and cheerful. It should not evoke negative emotions and memories. Try to be an active listener in the conversation using non-verbal signals with a positive connotation, including nods, an approving look, clarifying questions, etc. Let the person on the other end know that the topic is also close to you and stirs similar emotions. All this allows you to leave the impression of your emotional likeness which is a key feature of an empathic message.

Open up and people will reach out to you

Don't be afraid to share your problems and concerns. At the same time, try not to sound too depressing and painful as it will cause a broad negative background and destroy the empathy at the root. Psychological research has shown that self-disclosure is one of the most significant factors in the development of interpersonal relationships since it creates a basis for long-term and trusting relationships. Thanks to the study of the business environment, an interesting conclusion was drawn: opponents were more willing to make concessions to those negotiators who were more willing to share their personal information.