The economy
has been a little dicey over the past few years, and one of the
most obvious results has been a great big lid on top of your salary.
But recently, most of the economic news has been good. The new optimism
is being fueled by better quarterly financial reports. Suddenly,
that lid doesn’t look quite so tight. You have been patient
and understanding through a hard patch, but the time has come for
a salary negotiation. It doesn’t’ have to be as difficult
as you might think. Our Negotiation
Training Courses will give you the negotiation skills to prepare
and participate in a salary negotiation that is fair and fruitful.
You have a waited a long time. Now it is your turn.
Women are,
and smooth negotiations depend on polished skills.
It's been said
that women are better negotiators than men. Maybe that's because
they have to be. Say what you will about stereotypes, but society
gives men the one-up role: They're cheered for being loud, forceful
competitors. Yet for women, the playing field has never been
level, so dealing with the "boys' club" requires a more
sophisticated game plan. Where women can't use intimidation to come
out ahead, they can use negotiation to succeed.
Business deals
provide special challenges for female negotiators. "Men are
presumed competent, and women are presumed incompetent until proven
otherwise," explains Dorothy Richardson, an entertainment and
contract attorney and lecturer in Woodland Hills, California. Negotiation
is all about power, and this presumption creates an instant
imbalance. Unfortunately, women haul this baggage into every bargaining
room.
As with any
power imbalance (gender-related or otherwise), superior preparation
is by far the best equalizer. In most arenas, women must work harder
to prove themselves. The business world isn't any fairer—so,
to get what they want, women must approach the bargaining table
with clearer goals, better information, a savvier team and greater
resolve.
Deborah Tannen,
a professor of linguistics at Georgetown University in Washington,
DC, and author of Talking From 9 to 5: Women and Men in the Workplace:
Language, Sex and Power (William Morrow & Co.), says women are
often relational and cooperative, as opposed to men, who are independent
and competitive. From these generalities, you might conclude that
women favor win-win over win-lose situations, that they prefer cordiality
and good relationships
with the other side, and that they're inclined toward reaching agreements
as opposed to walking away. Obviously, depending on the negotiation,
these tendencies can be substantial strengths.
We can also
extrapolate the negatives. Are women more reluctant to use leverage?
Does their openness and civility reveal weakness? Are they simply
too nice to be taken seriously? Maybe some women are. But, of course,
so are some men. And maybe I should be skewered for even considering
such stereotypes.
Certainly, I've
negotiated with women who are tough, savvy and unrelenting—the
best—as well as those who are condescending, difficult and
insulting—the worst. In the latter situations, Richardson
cautions women about the "fragile" male ego. Regardless
of whether you accept this notion, every opponent needs to save
face from time to time. A little tact and
delicacy go a long way with either gender.
Finally, consider
sexual chemistry and flirtation—which pose similar pros and
cons. On the one hand, it's easier to make concessions to people
we like. If we can intrigue, titillate or flatter an opponent, so
much the
better. But the other hand points to a standard of professional
business conduct. Once charm crosses the line and behavior becomes
inappropriately seductive or manipulative, watch out. That's when
everyone's negotiating skills could really be tested.
Like it or not,
ladies, you are the underdogs. But, believe it or not, a lot of
us guys are rooting for you.
By Marc Diener
Seattle
Negotiation Training - Present Professional Business
Conduct
Salary
Negotiation Quote
"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation,
hard work, learning from failure."
Colin Powell
Suggested
Reading:
Negotiation
Theory and Practice
by J. William Breslin
Strategic
Negotiation in Multiagent Environments (Intelligent Robotics and
Autonomous Agents)
by Sarit Kraus
The Negotiation Fieldbook
by Grande Lum
The
Negotiation Sourcebook, Second Edition
by Pike Bob
Successful
Real Estate
Negotiation Strategy (Real Estate for Professional Practitioners)
by Herbert F. Holtje, Don Christman
Selling
Through Negotiation: The Handbook of Sales Negotiation
by Homer B. Smith
Think
Before You Speak: A Complete Guide to Strategic Negotiation
by Roy J. Lewicki
Managed
Care Contracting: Successful Negotiation Strategies
by Reed Tinsley
Negotiation
Games
by Steven J. Brams
Power
& Negotiation in Organizations
by Stuart Schmidt
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