ONE: An ability to work with the other party in searching for creative win-win ideas to bring the parties together.
TWO: A logical mind. The ability to present his or her position in terms of principles that can be easily communicated.
THREE: A dedication to painstaking preparation and detail.
FOUR: A willingness to tolerate disagreement and confrontation.
FIVE: The ability to live with ambiguity for long periods of time. Things are rarely black or white in negotiation.
SIX: Good judgment. As the old farmer who was known for his wisdom said when asked why he was so wise, “I’ve got good judgment. Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of experience comes from bad judgment.”
SEVEN: Patience and willingness to let the situation evolve. Remember, rushing to complete a negotiation can harm you.
EIGHT: Persistence and a refusal to give up in the face of opposition. You might hear “No” many times before you get to “Yes”.
NINE: Hard work and stamina. Lazy people make poor negotiators. Negotiations take work and effort to be successful.
I found these tips to be true. I'm in a sorority back at SJSU and I've had to try and "sell" my house to many prospective ladies. It's not easy, but the more practice you have, the easier it gets. As Head of Recruitment for my house I held workshops on how to be more persuasive with people and they worked, because what it comes down to is actually knowing what you're talking about and being assertive about what you want the other person to know. Also listening to them goes a very long way. Even if people reject you, you have to keep a positive attitude, stay optimistic and aim high, because at the end of the day it's nothing personal. (well... most of the times)
