Sigmund Psychie Says...

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By now, you realize that negotiations happen in every part of your life. You now realize that your ability to get what you want is directly proportional to your ability to negotiate. This month we will continue to look at negotiations.

This month, our format changes to focus on one question we introduced last month. We’ll examine how simply asking for a raise requires the use of all Seven Principles of Negotiations. Last month we explored the first principle (Prepare, Gather, and Manage Info) and this month we’ll continue with the next 3 principles. Review last month.

Seven Principles of Negotiations

  1. Prepare, gather, and manage info
  2. Recognize and understand your conflict style
  3. Position yourself from the beginning
  4. Set high goals
  5. Know your strengths
  6. Understand your customers needs over their wants
  7. Concede according to plan

In this Issue

  1. Principle 2: Know Your Conflict Style
  2. What's your conflict style?
  3. Principle 3: Position Yourself from the Beginning
  4. What are you worth?
  5. Principle 4: Set High Goals
  6. What do you want?
  7. Do Today

Next Issue

August - Negotiations part 3

  • Principle 5: Know your strengths
  • Principle 6: Understand your customers needs over their wants
  • Principle 7: Concede according to plan
  • Negotiation tactics

 

WORK RELATED QUESTIONS?
I'm Dr. Sigmund Psychie, Communications Expert. I have a wealth of experience in helping people develop powerful communications skills to work through complex challenges at work & home.

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LEARN HOW TO

  • Get what you want
  • Ask for a raise
  • Position yourself in a negotiation
  • Work with a difficult person
  • Manage multiple groups
  • Hire the right employees
Power Comes from the Inside Out

Dear Sigmund Psychie,

I have been working with my company for a long time and am due for a raise. My co-workers seem to be moving up ahead of me. I work as hard as anyone else in the office if not harder. How do I approach my boss for a raise?

- Left Behind in Albuquerque

Dear Left Behind

Raises are complex issues so I have to ask - are you a bit intimidated or afraid of asking for a raise because you don't want to 'confront' your boss?   This is a big factor for many people.   I am going to assume (maybe wrong) you are.   Let's see if we can reduce that 'fear' factor and build some power for your side. Three things come to mind.  

  1. When you negotiate what is your behavior like? Do you know your conflict style?
  2. Why do you deserve a raise?   Do you know what value you create at work?
  3. Do you value yourself?   Do you set high enough goals?
Power Comes from the Inside Out

Many people feel and think that negotiation is like conflict. It’s experienced as a clash between our wants and needs and someone else’s wants and needs. When confronted with conflicting interests (like a raise) or ideas or opinions, most of us behave in predicable ways.

These behaviors are called conflict styles. No matter what your style, whether competitor or avoider, you need to know what your style is and be able to use whatever style you need to get your raise. If you are an avoider, don’t worry because the next two principles will give you ways to develop your value and then help you set some appropriately high goals. You can get what you want! Every style is good when used appropriately.

Style

Helpful

Harmful

Avoid

You have no power

You want something but don't ask

Accommodate

You want to create good will

You always give in without any return

Compromise

You need to make a deal quickly

You don't get what you really want

Compete

You get what you want

You sacrifice relationships for what you want

Collaborate

You want both sides to come out happy

You are an avoider or a competitor who is unable to work with others

 

Taking Action to Gain Power

Avoiders
Tend to avoid any type of conflict situation

Accommodators
Would rather give it away and make other people happy

Compromisers
Want to split down the middle but no one really gets what they want

Competitors
Need to have it their way

Collaborators
Want to work together and solve everyone’s problems

Know Your Conflict Style
Strategies and Expectations

When you negotiate, you want to talk about your value right at the start. Do you know what value you bring to your work and to your boss?   You must add some value to your work; otherwise, you wouldn't be working there.   What is your value?   What is it you do at your office that creates productivity, efficiency, or order?   Do you save them money, time or stress?   In order to ask for a raise you have to be able to define your value directly to them.  

If you can define your value, both in objective terms, things you can prove, and subjective terms, skills that you have that expand your value and help them - I facilitate meetings and the company save time.   So, tell me, why do you deserve a raise?

Get What You Expect

Value doesn’t always have a dollar sign.

Do you:

  • Save time?
  • Save resources?
  • Reduce stress?
  • Get things done?
  • Encourage others?
  • Solve problems?
  • Find opportunities?

What are you worth?
Principle 1: Prepare, Gather, and Manage Information

So, what kind of raise are you looking for? Negotiation research shows that one of the ten biggest mistakes negotiators make is that they don’t set high goals. Why? Because people generally don’t think they’re worth it.

By now, you’ve figured out your value (refer to principle 3). Are you worth the raise? What kind of raise do you want? A raise can come in the form of extra cash, a parking space, better benefits, stock options, flex time, etc. Figure out what you want, value yourself, and go ask for it.

What’s valuable to you?

  1. More money?
  2. Better benefits?
  3. More time off?
  4. Working remotely?
  5. Tech goodies (PDA, mobile phone, laptop)?

 

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Knowledge is Power

Set High Goals

DO TODAY

Think of yourself in positive terms. Sometimes it's hard to think of yourself positively. So, instead think of it from the perspective of a loved one. Make a list of 6 things that your friends and family love about you. Post it up on your computer monitor so that you can see it everyday. Smile too!

Building Success through Interpersonal Communications

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