The Negotiation Book: Your Definitive Guide To Successful Negotiating

5.1. YOUR BEHAVIOURS AND ATTRIBUTES

The great thing about behaviours in negotiation is that they can be developed. Are negotiators born or made? It's fair to say that we each have traits which lend themselves better to some skills than others. However, effective negotiation is an output of what you do and this is why developing these fourteen behaviours is fundamental to your ability and performances as a negotiatior.

Consider any professional sports player who needs a range of skills to perform at the highest level. For example, a tennis professional needs to be able to serve, gauge the second serve, lob, backhand top spin, smash at the net, forearm top spin, slice, forearm back spin and so on. The range of skills required makes up their total game and their ability to deal with different types of situations. The same can be said for golfers, Formula One drivers, basketball players, and indeed anyone who needs to perform in competitive, changing environments.

Another interesting parallel between sports pros and negotiators is coaching and preparation. Sports pros have their own coaches. Training is a constant feature of their lives if they are to compete at the top. There are similar challenges for negotiators who are ultimately measured by the success of the outcomes of their deals. Those who believe that their position of strength requires little preparation, or that the skills they have developed over the years will continue to serve them well in the future, are in denial. ...