Don’t Just Negotiate—Navigate #268
The Confident Leader
BOOST YOUR LEADERSHIP IN UNCERTAIN TIMES
A CEO I coach struggled with feeling less than adept at negotiating with others—whether that was in hiring top talent, bringing on strategic partners, or in moments of conflict.
He wasn’t ever nervous as much as he was aware that his skills could be better. In high-stakes moments, instincts may not be enough.
“The essence of strategy is choosing what not to do.” – Michael Porter
This Week’s Edition
As a leader, your ability to anticipate can determine the success or failure of every deal (or decision) you encounter.
Great leaders are good negotiators. Negotiators don’t just react. They see the next move before it’s even been made.
Clarify Your Thinking
Leaders often find themselves flying blind in negotiations, especially when the other party is cagey, keeping their cards close.
Particularly unnerving is when leaders encounter silence from the other side.
What are they thinking? What are they going to say next? How should I respond?
In these situations, most people just keep talking.
Confident leaders recognize the value of listening to really hear:
– What’s not being mentioned
– Where the tension rises
– What being ignored
The subtle clues are everywhere.
Old Thinking:
I’ll just keep talking and hope they eventually cave on my points.
New Thinking:
I need to breathe, read the room, map their motives, and guide the process with strategic intention.
Thoughts Lead to Actions
Confident negotiating power doesn’t come from how you talk. It comes from how you think.
If you are reactive, you’ll miss the moves being made right in front of you. But if you are strategic, you’ve got a better chance to see the whole board and deftly guide the process with precision.
Consider these coaching points on how to lead a conversation/negotiation that creates real momentum:
Vision: What is your vision for the meeting? Determine in advance the outcome you want. At the same time determine the outcome you are willing to let the other side have.
Anticipate: What’s your best guess on what they want? How do you know that? How can you test that theory? Listen closely to where the emotional energy is. They’ll tell on themselves without knowing it.
Test: Ask: “Tell me more about why you want that.” They may not give you a solid answer, but I’ve found that more often than not, you can uncover the root priority, not just the surface-level request.
Fill the Gaps: Where are the gaps in what you know? What are you assuming? How can you excavate for more information?
As the cliché’ says, don’t play checkers. Play chess. Be two steps ahead, not one step behind.
Confident leaders anticipate, position, and deliver results without ever having to raise their voice.
If you find yourself on the losing end of most discussions and negotiations, decide today that you are going to approach them differently going forward. Negotiate as if you have nothing to lose.
Boost Your Performance
This week’s video walks through how one CEO learned to strategically use silence and listening to navigate tense conversations. There’s even a listening test embedded—see if you can catch my mistake and you’ll be one step closer to being a better negotiator. 😊
What’s Your Opinion?
What’s one tactic you use to stay two steps ahead in negotiation? I’d love to hear it: robin.pou@robinpou.com
If you are going to be a leader, you might as well be a good one. Don’t let doubt count you out. Have a confident week!
Robin Pou, Chief Advisor and Strategist
We live to make bad leadership extinct so forward this newsletter to others who strive to be confident leaders.
SUBSCRIBE TO THE CONFIDENT LEADER
Let’s Connect
Follow me on Linkedin, Facebook and Twitter.
What is “The Confident Leader”?
During the Covid-19 Pandemic, I began a video series called “Panic or Plan?” It was designed to equip leaders to navigate the doubt they experienced and to rise in the confidence they needed to lead during turbulent times. It took off. I then started this newsletter to equip leaders in the same fashion each week for the doubt that crashes across the bow of their leaderSHIP.
