Mar 07

How to Negotiate with your Boss

Communication Skills 2 Comments »

When we think about our negotiation skills we tend to focus on negotiating externally with clients, suppliers and partners. However, one of the most challenging types of negotiation we face in the workplace is when we have to negotiate with our boss. This can be anything from a formal salary negotiation through to requesting extended annual leave or flexible working hours or renegotiating a deadline. The relationship with your manager is probably the most important professional relationship you have and the way in which you influence and negotiate with them can have a lasting impact on your career.

Meeting Neustockimages i How to Negotiate with your Boss

© istockphoto.com/Neustockimages

First of all, get your timing right. Approach your boss when you know the time is right for them but also try to ensure that your conversation coincides with a successful project that you have completed or a recent situation where you have gone the extra mile.

Be prepared and make sure you have done your research before you start negotiating. If you are negotiating a salary increase then have examples of what people in similar roles are earning and of what other organisations pay for your expertise.

Keep control of your emotions – be as neutral as possible and stick to the issues themselves rather than your reactions or feelings. Try not to show how much it matters to you as this could potentially weaken your position.

Support your arguments with concrete facts and examples – rather than talking in general terms about your experience, expertise or longevity with the company quote specific examples of where you have added value or delivered success.

Put yourself in your boss’s shoes and try to demonstrate how your expectations could be mutually beneficial. For example, if you are asking for flexible working you can explain how you will be able to give extra time to the business and work more effectively. Show that you have something valuable to give and that by accommodating your request your boss will also be in a better position.

Be clear on your bottom line – Before you start your conversation you should be clear in your own mind how far you are prepared to compromise and what you need to achieve. Know your BATNA (Best Alternative to Negotiated Agreement). This is your fallback position if you fail to reach an agreement. So for example, if your boss refuses the salary increase you request, your BATNA might be that you need to have an enhanced commission scheme or that you are given training in the skills you require for your next promotion.

Make sure you have a summary of what has been agreed. Either ask your boss to send an email confirming the outcomes of your conversation or send an email yourself outlining your request and the agreed response or time lines to respond.

As with all types of communication, preparation, clarity and empathy are crucial to ensure that negotiation brings about positive outcomes. Negotiating can be a particularly challenging form of communication as it potentially leads to conflict and when you are negotiating with your boss there is an obvious power gap before you even start. However, influencing and negotiating are essential skills for growing your career and improve your opportunities.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2013

Tagged with: • • • •
Mar 21

Successful Communication – Your Style or Mine?

Communication Skills No Comments »

We all know that communication is a two way process. I use language that I know will engage you, you signal to me that you are interested and listening, you ask the right questions, I pause in the right places and so on. It works when we understand each other or at least demonstrate that we are keen to learn to understand each other. Good communication skills do not only involve giving the message but helping the listener to decode and respond to the message more easily.

Businessmen Greeting Neustockimages i Successful Communication – Your Style or Mine?

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

So what happens when our communication styles and expectations are clearly different? Everyone has different preferences when it comes to how they like to communicate. These preferences can include the level of directness, use of body language, mode of communication, how much information is shared and even the time and place of communication. It is tempting to stick to our natural style and to communicate in the way that comes most easily to us but we need to remember that most work related communication has an expected outcome; we need to convince the other person or need them to do something for us. We need a result and to get the best and quickest outcome we should consider adapting our communication style in order to engender most positive response from our counterparts.

Keep the following considerations in mind when you are communicating at work and you should find the results are more positive.

Timing is crucial. If you know that the other person is busy or not in the best of moods it may better to wait for the right moment rather than interrupt them with a tricky or complicated message.

Method of communication. Your choice is often down to the type of message you need to convey but when you can, consider the personal preference of the receiver. Also, bear in mind, if you have a non-urgent request, an email is often better and the reader can act on it when they are ready. Delicate messages are usually much better conveyed face-to-face or if not by phone as emails can so often be misconstrued.

Level of Directness. You will find that some of your colleagues prefer straight talking and are frustrated if you ‘beat around the bush’ while others are comfortable with a more indirect approach and prefer potentially negative messages to be softened.

Level of Context. Some people are ‘big picture’ and need to know the whole story with all the background before they can understand and action what is needed. Others take a more expedient approach; they prefer a short and sweet instruction and are then happy to get on with it.

Location. Some of your colleagues will be more or less comfortable with having potential sensitive or challenging discussions in public places or shared office space.

Building awareness of your own communication style and preferences is the first step in more successful communication but many organisation provide communication skills training and coaching programmes to help their employees to adapt their communication style – and be more successful in their roles.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

Tagged with: • • • • •
Feb 28

The Art of Influencing

Communication Skills No Comments »

The Guardian has recently highlighted the importance of influencing and negotiating skills for achieving promotion and career progression. And in fact, influencing is a crucial skill in so many aspects of modern working life whether you are working in cross-functional teams, managing external supplier relationships or networking with potential new clients. We often have to persuade and influence those over whom we have no real authority.

Business Woman shaking hands i The Art of Influencing

© istockphoto.com/ Neustockimages

A subtle, empathetic approach is recommended rather than a more direct or forceful style. If you can give the other party the impression that you have met them half way or further, that they have bought into or even come up with the idea themselves you will get real support and longer lasting results. Successful influencing is about making a connection and appealing to the heart as well as the head. It is about identifying personal triggers and adapting your style to others’ to get the best results from the people you are trying to influence. A combination of communication and interpersonal skills will help you to get the results you need. Below are some practical hints to help develop your powers of influencing whether you need a decision from your boss, an “awkward” peer to help you or a client to accept your new prices.

Create rapport with the person you are trying to influence – it may sound like common sense but if they like and trust you there is a greater possibility that you will be able to persuade them

Listen and show you are listening. If someone feels valued they are more likely to be persuaded to your point of view

Ask the right questions – use questioning techniques to lead people towards the answers you want

Be Aware of Body Language and mirror the other person’s body language to create better rapport

Sell the Benefits of your argument to the other person and try to see your position from their perspective

Be relaxed – a relaxed and natural demeanour is more likely to achieve a successful outcome rather than an emotional or demanding approach. Demonstrating a natural confidence will help to persuade others that your ideas are good

Invest your Time – influencing isn’t a quick fix. It can take time to develop empathy and awareness but you are more likely to get what you want if you play a long game

The art of influencing doesn’t come naturally to everyone and many professionals who would like to be better perceived by those they work with and to get better results from their business relationships invest ininfluencing and negotiating skills courses to ensure success.

© Communicaid Group Ltd. 2011

pixel The Art of Influencing
Tagged with: • • • • •
preload preload preload
Allow Cookies?
Powered by Strategic Internet Consulting