With stock markets plummeting around the world, people losing their jobs by the hundreds of thousands, and governments stepping in and buying ownership stakes or taking over banks, times may appear to be bleak. Some would say, times are very bleak, but for the savvy negotiator, times are good, because the savvy negotiator mentally addresses negotiation opportunities from that perspective.

Some people around the world think a global recession is just around the corner. When you negotiate, how does such a thought make you feel? If you’re one of those individuals that hold such an opinion, go to that proverbial corner and look. What you’ll find is mass hysteria to confirm the beliefs you possess. I say that to say, your perception will become your reality.

As of this writing, 89% of Americans feel the U.S. is going in the wrong direction, while 7% feel everything is rosy and the country should continue on the path that it’s on. Once again, it’s the mental aspect you possess that shapes your paradigm. For those of you keeping track of the math, you’ll note the above two figures add up to 96%. The other 4% are clueless as to what’s going on. Again, it’s your mental state of mind that shapes your paradigm. When you negotiate understand what promotes you to do what you do and consider …

1.   Before entering into a negotiation, check your mental state of mind to be sure you’re mentally fit to address the situation you’re about to encounter. If you’re not mentally prepared to negotiate, you’ll do yourself and your negotiation position an injustice by mentally performing the equivalent of sleepwalking through the negotiation.

2.   Before the negotiation starts, psyche yourself up. You know yourself better than anyone. Find your magical mental buttons that need to be pushed and push the heck out of them. Do what it takes to become mentally engaged in order to prepare for the negotiation.

3.   Look for all the positive benefits that can come from the negotiation and use those thoughts as sources of motivation. Realize that negativity can also be a positive occurrence in a negotiation. If you’re fearful of the negativity that can come from the negotiation, sooth yourself by thinking of what you can do to offset such emotions. Then, prepare for anything that you might perceive as negative and determine how you can turn it into a positive aspect for your negotiation position.

4.   In the U.S., when the government infused banks with billions of dollars,  banking officials were told to sign the document accepting the terms of the deal by which the government would inject funds into their institutions, or the government would not be so generous the next time the banks experienced troubles. Translated, if you get into trouble, the next time you’re on your own! When someone gives you an ultimatum at the negotiation table, be mentally prepared to address the situation. If you’re not prepared, be prepared to face the consequences.

In the end, when you negotiate and you get sick and tired of being sick and tired, you’ll take the required actions necessary to acquire what you want. You really have the level of control within you that’s needed to move any negotiation in the direction you wish it to go. The question then becomes, are you going to negotiate for what you want, or allow someone else to give you what they think you need? The choice is yours. If you stay mentally sharp before, during, and after a negotiation, you’ll have the control needed to achieve the outcome you seek. Thus, the sooner you mentally take control of yourself in the negotiation process, the sooner you’ll realize the outcome you seek from any negotiation … and everything will be right with the world.

The Negotiation Lessons are …

·        If you need a reason to mentally become the negotiator you’d like to be, give yourself permission to become that person. Cast off that which prevents you from obtaining the mental state of mind that’s needed to acquire what you want from the negotiation.

·        If you have to face-off against a stronger negotiation opponent, don’t take your negotiation face off. Be mentally tough and follow your game plan. If you don’t like the deal being offered, be prepared to walk away.

·        When negotiating, always strive to understand the underlying cause of the other negotiator’s position, from a mental aspect. By doing so, you’ll gain insight into why she maintains her position and you’ll have a perspective from which to offer potential solutions to solve her problem. You’ll see progress as you progress the negotiation in the process.