Negotiation is a crucial skill for anyone who wants to be successful, and even more so for women who want to take on leadership roles and take charge of their careers. Negotiation happens in all kinds of forms, whether it be negotiating business deals, contracts, or salaries. It is an important asset to be able to convey your arguments in a structured and effective manner such that you are able to get your points across and have a productive conversation that achieves the ultimate goal, and that could be to close that business deal, improve the terms of that contract, or to increase your salary. Knowing how essential this is, we have outlined 4 key tips to help women professionals improve their negotiation skills.
Tip #1: Do your research and prepare thoroughly
A study published by the Journal of Organizational Behavior found that effective preparation was positively associated with negotiation success. Knowing relevant details prior to any negotiation situation is powerful because you understand what the industry benchmarks are and can negotiate for the value you are worth. In the case of salary negotiations, there was an 18.7% difference between men and women full time workers in 2020, with women earning significantly lower than their male counterparts despite holding the same positions.
Tip #2: Build strong relationships with peers and mentors
The ability to establish rapport and a strong foundational relationship with someone is a key characteristic of a good negotiator. Research conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership confirmed that those who are able to communicate well and actively strive to understand the other person, accomplish better outcomes in distributive and integrative negotiations. This is a direct result of trying to find a mutually beneficial solution for both parties and often leads to positive outcomes for everyone involved.
Tip #3: Communicate positively
Not only is the way you present yourself important when negotiating, but also the words that are used as you convey your thoughts can have a significant impact on how the negotiation will pan out. A study published in the Journal of Applied Psychology found that using positive language achieved more favorable outcomes than negative language. Positive language revolves around a proposed solution as opposed to solely focusing on the issue at hand. An example of this would be to phrase “we are unable to make this work” into “while we are unable to make this work, we could attempt this other method to see if it would achieve our goal.” By applying a positive filter, it frames the situation in a light of possibility, where solutions can be reached, making negotiation simpler and more successful.
Tip #4: Practice and be confident
No skill can be improved or perfected without practice. As we mentioned, negotiation happens in almost everything, so be mindful the next time you engage in a conversation with a peer or coworker and monitor how you present yourself through your posture, your words, and your reactions. As you practice and employ these negotiation strategies, ensure that you are also confident in yourself. Know your value and worth because other people are not going to respect you until you respect yourself. A study by KPMG found that only 67% of women professionals felt confident in their capabilities compared to 85% of men. This disparity in confidence levels directly correlates to the gender pay discrepancy and places women at a disadvantage when it comes to career advancement opportunities, so make sure to remember that you are capable, that you belong where you are, and that you deserve to negotiate for more.