How To Negotiate Using Emotions

Post date: Sep 04, 2018 9:9:53 AM

Emotions are important in negotiations, fueling one’s behavior and energizing one into performing and deciding at her best. This runs contrary to the popular belief that one shouldn’t experience a full range of feelings because doing so will ruin rational and strategic thinking. Here are some ways to negotiate using one’s emotions – and succeed at doing it.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Practice mindfulness Notice and accept what’s happening around, including people’s facial expressions and non-verbal gestures as well as emotions one is feeling at the moment. If people’s faces show negative feelings during your presentation, take heed of that fact and ask yourself: will being frustrated help or hinder my goal?

Defuse or reinterpret emotional triggers Start by identifying the emotional triggers, such as talking to a higher authority or doing long commutes to work. Could that trigger be affecting one’s negotiations? From acknowledging them, redirect the negative emotions into something that will lead to productivity and help achieve better outcomes. Often we also initially interpret a trigger based on our fears, so it’s best to reinterpret it to spark another emotion, such as something that can replace worry with relief or empathy.

Take action based on knowing those emotions From merely feeling the right emotion, have your actions reflect such emotion, whether verbally or non-verbally. One can smile rather than seemingly frown back to another person, or ask if anything is bothersome or wrong. From here on, the conversation and negotiation will flow more naturally and pleasantly for everyone involved.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Marc Accetta is a life coach who believes that facing and overcoming challenges is possible if done with the right mindset. He believes that one must be able to remove doubts and fears, improve self-esteem, and hone personal skills to achieve success. Learn more on this website.