Confidence in Negotiation- How Far Will It Get You?

Confidence is defined as a feeling of self-assurance arising from one’s appreciation of one’s own abilities or qualities.  Confidence is the most important trait needed to be a successful negotiator.  If you are not confident when you walk into an interview, for example, the interviewer is going to notice right away and you will be perceived as a weaker candidate.  Likewise, when you sit down to negotiate a business deal and you lack confidence in your ability, the other side will pick up on that and they will use it to their advantage.  Without a doubt, confidence is the number one trait of a strong negotiator. So how can you increase your confidence to become a better negotiator?  The following tips will help you learn how to become more confident and powerful in your next negotiation.

Believe in Yourself

Confidence is all about mindset.  If you doubt yourself and your abilities, think about how you can retrain your brain to focus on more positive thoughts.  You need to believe in yourself if you want to exude confidence.  Tell yourself “I can do this” before walking into a negotiation meeting.  Your mindset is your greatest asset when it comes to gaining confidence.

Practice, Practice, Practice!

When it comes to building confidence, perhaps the best strategy is practice.  Confidence in negotiation is built through experience so look for every opportunity to practice those skills. Get experience by starting small with things like yard sales and work your way up to negotiating bigger things like projects at work.  The more you practice, the more comfortable you will become negotiating and the more confident you will feel in your ability.

Have a Plan B

You need to remember that negotiations do not always go as planned.  If you are prepared with multiple options and alternatives, you are more likely to feel confident in your ability to achieve that win-win outcome.  The best negotiations happen when both parties have multiple options to come up with an agreeable solution.  Don’t let your confidence fade the minute things go awry.  Be prepared and have a backup plan ready to go.

Fake It Until You Make It

Even if you aren’t feeling super confident in a particular situation, act as if you are! No one will know any differently and if you convince yourself that you know what you are talking about, they will think you do!  Simply put, always exude confidence no matter what.  You can actually trick your body into thinking you know something even if you don’t when you act confident.

Negotiation skills are essential to any professional who wants to be successful. The good news is that negotiation is a learned skill and we can all get better with effort.  Confidence can be a great asset to your negotiation and can help you become more powerful in your abilities.