Negotiating

An enormously valuable skill to have in the world of sales is negotiating. Since childhood, everyone has practiced negotiating in some form or fashion. When you were seven, you negotiated with your parents to get the new toy kids had. When you were a teenager, you negotiated driving privileges and so on. These learning experiences carry into adulthood. I remember when I traveled to China it was commonplace to have negotiations over the smallest merchandise. Many cultures still do this and as a result, unsuspecting Americans are ripped off. However, negotiating isn’t limited to small shops in China; it affects many areas of life. Oftentimes, days hold conversations where you come to an agreement with your friends, parents, professors, or employer. It is important to remember to listen to their side to achieve the best results. Going into a negotiation with the preconceived idea that you’re right no matter what will lead to a futile conversation and no productive result. No one enjoys a one sided conversation. Practicing compromise through listening and good reasoning in small things like deciding where to eat with friends will have a tremendous impact on the big negotiations. It will better prepare you to discuss a new project at work and get it moving in the right direction with the agreement of all your co-workers. It will also help you learn how to properly listen to others’ beliefs when you talk about your faith. You must be persuasive, confident, and articulate as well, but knowing the other side of the argument will make these things come naturally.