The Best Negotiators Never Win

We utilize it at home, in the office, and with customers. It’s a constant piece of our human experience:Negotiation.

At its root, negotiation is a discussion between people attempting to reach a mutually beneficial outcome.

Even though we’ve done it our entire lives we’ve created a mystical aura around it.

Over time, we’ve wandered off course when it comes to the goal of negotiating.

We’ve all seen the books and workshops touting titles like, “How to Win at Negotiating.”

This popular strategy is short sighted and costly. It damages relationships and impairs business.

When a winner is crowned the loser is clearly identified and progress ends.

A successful negotiator’s goal is not to win, but to collaborate.

It requires effort and skill to build trusting relationships where all participants willingly “show their cards” in order to create the best “hand” for everyone.

During your next negotiation seek mutual progress over personal victory.

It’s not easy. It is effective.