Dec 28, 2011

How To Calculate The Number Of Pay Periods In A Loan?

When you consider taking out a loan, you may know how much you want to borrow, but you may not know how long it will take you to pay it back. The interest you pay can extend the life of the loan, making it difficult to determine the total number of payments you will have to make. If you gather three figures, you can calculate your total pay periods in a matter of a few minutes.

Instructions

1.Write down the loan amount. This must be the actual amount of money you want to borrow, not the total payback amount. Lenders are required to tell you the total amount you will pay back over the life of the loan, but this includes interest, so don't list the payback amount. List the principal only, which is the actual amount you borrowed.

2.Record the monthly payment amount. This is sometimes called the EMI, which is the equated monthly installment. You can use an estimate for your monthly payment amount, based on what you would like to pay. Determine how much extra money you have in your household budget for loan installments, and assume for the purpose of making calculations that this will be your monthly payment.

3.Write your interest rate on your page of figures. You should call several lenders and determine what rates may be available to you. Don’t choose the most favorable rate for your calculations. Choose a rate that is the average of all rates quoted to you. This will give you a figure that is most likely to be close to the rate you will actually get.

4.Use a free online calculator to determine the total number of payments you will have to make (see References). Many mortgage companies and other lenders offer free calculators that allow you to enter your figures and determine the total number of payments you will make. The calculations can be done by hand, but these calculations require knowledge of logarithms. The calculators have the logarithms already entered in the software for you. Enter the loan amount, the monthly payments and the interest rate, and the calculator will tell you how many payments you will have to make.

Dec 23, 2011

Jobs And Employment

We are kicking off June to an early start by blogging about a topic that seems to be on everyone’s minds right now – JOBS & Employment! We will share with you articles of interest, provide you helpful tools and resources to aid you in your job search, and help answer questions that you might as you embark on this journey. We invite you to subscribe to our posts if you have not already done so, recommend & like our website to your friends and colleagues, and ask us your questions and provide feedback on the posts you read here.
All of this will help us tailor our topics to what you would like to read and learn more in your community locally in Milwaukee & statewide in Wisconsin. We are continually exploring and establishing new partnerships with other advocate agencies, employers, and local businesses to bring you an enriched iCare-2b.org portal with valuable resources.
The first post in this two part series is the Campaign for Disability Employment’s Outreach Toolkit. This is a great resource that promotes positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities in your business and community! The Campaign for Disability Employment is a collaborative effort to promote positive employment outcomes for people with disabilities by encouraging employers and others to recognize the value and talent they bring to the workplace. This toolkit contains resources that employers and groups can use in their outreach activities and website to promote awareness. These materials and resources are available for free on their website.
Being employed, having a job, supporting their family, being happy and healthy are all important factors in people’s lives today. In today’s economic climate, being able to find a good balance between all these factors can be quite challenging. In a recent article that CNN Money published, you can read How to find a job in 2011. The article discusses that though the job outlook is improving, the rules of landing a job have changed. The way job seekers are connecting with potential employers is also changing. If you are a job seeker reading this article, we’d like to hear the challenges you face in today’s job market. If you are someone that recently found a job through social networking, we’d like to hear your success story.
Please share your experience with us and the iCare-2b community in the comments section below. We hope that your stories and experiences will inspire others to continue their job search journeys and not to give up hope!

Dec 22, 2011

What's the Employee Rights After Termination

An employer is obligated to inform a terminated employee of his rights. The U.S. Department of Labor establishes and enforces the termination issues that are essential to an employee’s well being after they separate from a company. A worker that understandsrights as an employee is in the best position to ensure the company has not violated employment standards upon termination.
Final Paycheck
According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, employees must be paid “for all hours worked in a work week” up to and including the time they are terminated. While employers are not required to immediately give an employee their final paycheck, an employee has the right to receive her last paycheck on the regular payday of the last pay period worked. If a worker does not receive the final paycheck by this time, she may request assistance from their state’s department of labor.
Health Benefits
Employees that had group health insurance coverage through their employer lose their benefits upon termination. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) gives an employee the right to continue health benefits for a certain amount of time after their employment ends. An employee may also be able to purchase individual coverage once COBRA benefits have been exhausted.
Unemployment Benefits
Employees have the right to receive unemployment insurance benefits if they become unemployed through no fault of their own. Unemployment insurance provides temporary compensation to workers. Benefits are funded by taxes imposed on employers. Certain eligibility requirements as determined by state law must be met before an employee can collect unemployment, however. For example, an employee must meet the minimum salary requirements of their state. Further, a worker must prove that he is now unemployed through no fault of his own, such as for a layoff.
Equal Employment Opportunity
All employees have the right to work in an environment free from discrimination. A employee that suspects she was terminated because of discrimination has the right to file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). The EEOC investigates incidents that involve violation of an employee’s civil rights. An EEOC investigation can result in restitution of the employee’s job or compensation for damages suffered by the employee.
Employee Layoffs
The Workers Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act require employers with more than 100 employees to provide at least 60 days advance notice of a mass layoff. During this time, workers have the right to seek other employment opportunities or training programs before the anticipated layoff date. Employees that do not receive proper notification can have the laws of the notification act enforced through the U.S. district courts if they feel their rights have been violated.

Dec 18, 2011

Expand, Succeed: What’s That Mean

I grew up in a typical middle-class home: loving parents, the youngest of three girls, a solid religious foundation, never wanting for the necessities while enjoying a comfortable life. In spite of this, I made choices that placed me in turmoil, drifting from day to day with no clear purpose, having nowhere to call home, all the while mastering the art of being unemployable.
By my 25th year I hit the lowest point imaginable. Not sure how this happened, I was quick to blame everyone but myself for the lack to which I became accustomed. I was abusing various substances to ease the pain, yet the more I attempted to escape, the greater the pain got.
My daily mantra was, “God, not another day.”
So, how did I go from this life of desperation to one in which I am blessed to do what I love, enjoying amazing abundance in all areas of my life, including clarity of mind and spirit?
I learned how to tap into an incredible source of energy that took me from a well-seasoned underachiever to an extremely high achiever.
This didn’t happen overnight. Nor did it happen without a few bumps in the road; some minor, some major.
Having come from a place of complete lack, with ever-increasing success (or what I thought success should be) I experienced something I never imagined. I became fearful of losing everything only to return to a life of desperation.
The greater the fear, the harder I pushed for success. At one point that meant getting as many awards and recognitions possible. Yet nothing would fill the secret hole I felt in my gut.Perhaps you are preparing to step into your next life chapter, but you feel afraid, unsure of how to make it happen. You have doubts and fears that it won’t come true. You so want more freedom; better, deeper, more loving relationships; more income; a healthier body; more knowledge; deeper faith; a career that inspires your passion. You want these, but are afraid that when you take that leap of faith, you’ll fall into the abyss rather than step into your bliss!
Are you really afraid or do you just not have a clearly defined vision of your passion and true purpose? You know it’s there; you’ve felt it; you’ve glimpsed it in your mind’s eye for a fleeting moment, but just can’t quite describe it exactly. Let’s take a moment to suspend fear and disbelief and catch a glimpse of your passion and purpose again.
Imagine living your life as you know you are meant to live it. You’ve been there before. Remember that perfect day, when all was in alignment.

Dec 14, 2011

Co-operation Make or Break

HOW people collaborate, in the face of numerous temptations to cheat, is an important field of psychological and economic research. A lot of this research focuses on the “tit-for-tat” theory of co-operation: that humans are disposed, when dealing with another person, to behave in a generous manner until that other person shows himself not to be generous. At this point co-operation is withdrawn. Fool me once, in other words, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me.
When he encounters such a withdrawal of collaboration, the theory goes, the malefactor will learn the error of his ways and become a more co-operative individual. And there is experimental evidence, based on specially designed games, that tit-for-tat does work for pairs of people. Human societies, though, are more complex than mere dyads. And until recently, it has been difficult to model that complexity in the laboratory. But a paper published this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences by Nicholas Christakis and his colleagues at Harvard has changed that. Dr Christakis arranged for a collaboration-testing game to be played over the web, with many participants. As a result, he and his team have gained a more sophisticated insight into the way co-operation develops.
Dr Christakis used what is known as a public-goods game for his experiment. At the beginning of such a game, points are doled out to each participant. During every round, players are given the opportunity to donate points to their neighbours. Points so donated are augmented by an equal number from the masters of the game. If everyone co-operates, then, everyone ends up richer. A “defector” who refuses to donate to his co-operating neighbours will, however, benefit at the expense of those neighbours. At the game’s end, the points are converted into real money, to ensure that proper incentives are in place.
To play his large-scale public-goods game, Dr Christakis recruited 785 volunteers via Mechanical Turk—a service provided by Amazon, an online retailer, that works by farming out small tasks to an army of individual workers. Each volunteer was randomly assigned links to, on average, eight other players. Together, they played repeated rounds of one of three variations of the game.

Dec 11, 2011

How To Dress For Negotiation

When you are going for an interview you have to be very cautious about your dress. Interview is a formal introduction with your perspective employer so wearing flashy or sexy clothes won’t do the trick. It is always wise to leave good impression on your employer by talking and behaving nicely without leaving bad impression.
As per a saying, your clothing tells a lot about your professionalism and helps in obtaining a job easily. In this article I am going to give you few interview dressing tips which will help you in securing a good job by leaving a nice impression on your employer.
Do not wear a strong perfume. Your employer or the HR might be allergic to strong perfume and would not like to indulge in long conversation.
Wearing proper business shoes will always be a good idea. Do not wear fancy or flashy shoes. Make sure your socks color matches with your dress and shoes.
Avoid wearing casual clothes while going for an interview. It would be nice to wear proper business suit to leave a big impact on the business community. Idea is to look closer to their culture and not to look alien in their world.
Some women find it very difficult to wear business suit because their body doesn’t allow them to wear such tight suits but believe me it will always be wise to wear nice business suit than any other casual suit. If business suit of good color is worn with dignity it will look good and leave a very nice impact. Do not choose colors which you wear for parties.
Business community and your employer is not interested in jewelry so avoid them as much as you can. Still, you can wear a very light pendant which matches with your business suit.
Do not wear heavy makeup and avoid any kind of hair sparkles. You are not getting ready for a party so just avoid all those and wear a very light and bright makeup.
Do not style your hairs in a vogue fashion; just tie them in a professional manner.
Display excellent hygiene by cleaning your nails, teeth’s. Personal hygiene counts as much as any other characteristics.
It is a common misconception that wearing sexy and short clothes will help in securing a job but its nothing but a myth. No organization will hire just because you wear short clothes, they would rather prefer decent clothing.
Sport a nice smile on your face and look relaxed even when you are asked a tough or complicated question.

Dec 7, 2011

The Only Win Win Solution

The online market on the world wide web is wide open to all businessmen around the globe. Any entrepreneur with some knowledge in computers and the Internet can start an online business of his own. There are many tycoons in the network marketing industry who publish their story of success on the Internet. This attracts several business minded people who want to chase the big bucks online. They either set up the MLM business on their own or join someone they already know in the business. But they regrettably wind up a few months after setting up the business because of stagnation or lack of profits. But by the time they realize it; the business would have cost them a small fortune and a lot of precious time.
They will have just two options in front of them: 1) wind up the business 2) acquire an online business system. The first option is taken by all losers and the second option is taken by the winners. The difference between winners and losers is their attitude. If the marketer has a good positive attitude, he will of course do whatever it takes to breathe life into his dying network business. An automated down line building system like my lead sys pro can save your business from closing down and take it to the highest level you could possibly imagine. The prospects will crowd your business and the money will start rolling in.
My lead sys pro is your win-win solution because there is no chance of failure once the system starts to pay. It can teach you how to do the multi level business, funnel enough leads for you to work with, train your team, keep you updated on the newest technologies utilized in the industry, provide you with the best performing down line building scheme and so on. There is almost nothing it cannot do for the growth of your online business. It keeps your network business progressing forever. You can build your business organization around it, surely and securely.
My lead sys pro is one of the best business training platforms available online. It can train you on how to close all your deals positively. The business will flourish and more and more money will be generated from your sales. At this moment, you can start the recruitment for your team. Use the same proven system to school the newcomers. Make them the foundation of your massive organization. Keep them motivated and they will keep your network marketing business on the move. The online training programs comprise of excellent webinars piloted by the big guys in the multi level marketing industry. Interacting with them will clear all your doubts on business. This will be a constant source of motivation for your team members. You can have your down lines attend the weekly live webinars or guide them to specific recorded webinars from the lead sys pro's collection.
The elite mastermind team of my lead sys pro will support you during every step of your growth. They are well-qualified professionals in the network marketing business. Their knowledge coupled with your experience will make your network marketing business one of its kind in the online business community.

Dec 4, 2011

My Lead System The Only Win Win Solution

The online market on the world wide web is wide open to all businessmen around the globe. Any entrepreneur with some knowledge in computers and the Internet can start an online business of his own. There are many tycoons in the network marketing industry who publish their story of success on the Internet. This attracts several business minded people who want to chase the big bucks online. They either set up the MLM business on their own or join someone they already know in the business. But they regrettably wind up a few months after setting up the business because of stagnation or lack of profits. But by the time they realize it; the business would have cost them a small fortune and a lot of precious time.
They will have just two options in front of them: 1) wind up the business 2) acquire an online business system. The first option is taken by all losers and the second option is taken by the winners. The difference between winners and losers is their attitude. If the marketer has a good positive attitude, he will of course do whatever it takes to breathe life into his dying network business. An automated down line building system like my lead sys pro can save your business from closing down and take it to the highest level you could possibly imagine. The prospects will crowd your business and the money will start rolling in.
My lead sys pro is your win-win solution because there is no chance of failure once the system starts to pay. It can teach you how to do the multi level business, funnel enough leads for you to work with, train your team, keep you updated on the newest technologies utilized in the industry, provide you with the best performing down line building scheme and so on. There is almost nothing it cannot do for the growth of your online business. It keeps your network business progressing forever. You can build your business organization around it, surely and securely.
My lead sys pro is one of the best business training platforms available online. It can train you on how to close all your deals positively. The business will flourish and more and more money will be generated from your sales. At this moment, you can start the recruitment for your team. Use the same proven system to school the newcomers. Make them the foundation of your massive organization. Keep them motivated and they will keep your network marketing business on the move. The online training programs comprise of excellent webinars piloted by the big guys in the multi level marketing industry. Interacting with them will clear all your doubts on business. This will be a constant source of motivation for your team members. You can have your down lines attend the weekly live webinars or guide them to specific recorded webinars from the lead sys pro's collection.
The elite mastermind team of my lead sys pro will support you during every step of your growth. They are well-qualified professionals in the network marketing business. Their knowledge coupled with your experience will make your network marketing business one of its kind in the online business community.

Nov 30, 2011

When The Best Techniques Don’t Work

Fresh out of college, with a degree in special education, I was quite excited when I landed my first job as a teacher in an experimental program – a joint venture between New Mexico State University and the public schools.
The program was housed on the university campus. It was the only classroom and I was the only teacher of 13 children ages six to ten. We were observed by university students through a one-way mirror.
This was a “demonstration classroom” of how to use behavior modification and a “token economy.” The children received poker chips as rewards for completing assignments, participation, and good behavior. At the end of the day the chips were exchanged for prizes.
Misbehavior was “timed-out” in an isolated area of the classroom. They would stay in the time-out area for a short period until they could return and behave appropriately. In short, the techniques are based on the theory that change occurs by rewarding positive behavior and ignoring negative behavior.
One of the children taught me that theory and reality don’t always line up.
Benny was 7 years old, but looked like a stiff little old man. He never laughed, he didn’t play with the other children, and it seemed like his only goal was to see what he could get away with. He was a constant disruption, didn’t care about getting poker chips, and spent a lot of time in time-out.
I tried all the techniques I had learned and nothing worked. I could not motivate him to participate. It was really awful because while he was in time-out, he knocked things over, made a lot of noise and often tried to run away.
One day as I watched him tear up the time-out area for the twentieth time, it occurred to me that I was totally out of ideas. I had tried everything, all the right techniques, and nothing had worked.
I couldn’t keep him in the classroom any longer. It was too disruptive for the other children.
In those days, there was no law that said schools had to provide an education. If I didn’t keep Benny in the class, there was nowhere else for him to go. He would not be in school.
This was the moment of truth.
I walked into the time-out area and sat down on the floor next to him, totally at a loss for what to do or say. After a moment I started to cry, and then I just spoke from my heart.
I told Benny that I knew he thought I didn’t care about him. I told him I cared more about him than he would ever believe, that I had tried everything I knew to help him and I was totally out of ideas. I didn’t know what to do.
Here’s the amazing thing. Benny just looked at me, stunned. He watched me intently while I spoke. He never said a word. But in that moment he transformed from a stiff little old man into a little boy.
As we left the time-out area together, I noticed he had visibly softened. From that moment forward, Benny would do anything I asked. It was incredible. He became a model student. He loosened up and began to laugh and play with the other children. By the end of the year, he was caught up with his own age group and able to enter a regular classroom.
Benny taught me far more than I taught him.
Benny taught me that life’s not just a matter of “handing out the chips.” You can use the all the best techniques, but if you want to make a difference when it really counts, you need to act with your heart as well as your head. I learned that when the best techniques and tips don’t work, try getting real.

Nov 26, 2011

Six Guidelines To Create A Vision For The Life You Really Want

Why hasn’t my life turned out the way I planned? Twice in one week I heard this exact same question. Both times I was surprised because each accomplished, attractive woman would be considered enviable by most standards.
Michelle’s warm personality and infectious laugh attracts a lot of friends. She has a loving husband, two teenage sons who are honor students and varsity athletes, and on the side, she trains women to run marathons.
Sarah, an executive in a Fortune 1000 company, is one of the elite group of women who inhabit the C-Suite. Intelligent and with a quick-wit, she’s a natural leader.
So what was the problem?
Michelle was disappointed that she hadn’t created the successful career she had envisioned when she was in college.
Sarah wanted to have children, and she had not fallen in love with a man who measured up to the standards she had in mind for a father. She was now considering adopting a child as a single parent.
If Michelle and Sarah knew each other, they might have been envious of each other. They each had what the other wanted. In one sense, their situations were very different. But in another way, they had sometime quite fundamental in common.
They each had only a vague plan for their lives which they were now unsatisfied with. Having never created a real vision, they didn’t know what they really wanted. When I asked Michelle why she thought a career was important, it was because she had an idea of what a successful woman does. When I questioned Sarah further, I didn’t get the sense that she really wanted children; it was more of an idea she had about what would lead to fulfillment as a woman.
You’re more likely to get what you want if you know what it is.
To help them get clear about what they really wanted, I began with “The Three Whys.” This is how it works: When you think you want something, you ask yourself why you want it. And then ask “why” again. What do you really want? Getting to the core of what you really want reveals your true purpose and what you care most deeply about, your most precious values. Sometimes when we find the answers to these questions, we discover that the things we thought we wanted were things someone else convinced us we wanted—not what we truly desired. Sometimes we buy into other people’s dreams for us, such as our parents, teachers or friends, and lose touch with our own dreams.
In clarifying her vision, Michelle discovered that she actually had created the life she wanted. The voice that told her she should have a professional career was her parent’s, not hers. Her own vision was grounded in having loving relationships, having freedom and flexibility to be creative with her time, and being physically active and healthy. Her current life actually filled these desires..
Sarah discovered, when she clarified her vision, that something was missing from her life, but not what she had thought. What she really wanted was a committed, intimate relationship with a partner. She realized that having children would not give her the kind of love she really desired. She stopped shopping for someone who would be a good father and opened to the possibility of attracting a partner who could engage in the kind of meaningful, loving relationship she really wanted.
Create a vision for your life that reflects what really matters to you.
If you think your life hasn’t turned out the way you planned, it’s time for a reality check. What do you really want?
Most people don’t get clear about their vision overnight. It requires time for reflection, using both logic and a feeling perspective. Vision comes from your own desires, hopes, dreams and values. When you create a vision that resonates with your purpose and values, it generates energy, passion and commitment; and magical things start to happen.
Here are some guidelines to help you as you reflect on your vision:
The most difficult step in a creating a vision is discovering what you truly want. These guidelines can help you discover what matters most to you.
Focus on what really matters to you. Ask, “What do I want to do?” — not “What should I do?”
Use the “Three Whys.” Each time you think you have an answer, ask yourself “Why do I want that?” Dig down to what is fundamentally important to you.
Be proactive, not reactive. Create a vision for what you truly desire, not what you want to move away from. Focus on where you want to go, not what you want to leave behind.
Give yourself permission to explore, to dream. Be creative. Be playful. Use your “right brain” – logic can kick-in later.
Spend some relaxed time dreaming and imagining: What will the results look like; what will be accomplished; how will I feel about myself; how will I feel about others. Focus on the end-result, not the process for getting there.
Don’t limit yourself by what you may think is possible. A vision can overcome seemingly insurmountable obstacles.

Nov 23, 2011

Collaborative Negotiating Strategies

I believe there are two ways to negotiate: manipulatively and collaboratively. You could call it “win-win” versus “win-lose.” From which perspective do you currently operate?
Manipulative negotiating sees the participants as adversaries. Tactics include exerting power, using subterfuge and hiding your own nonverbal communications. There is a lot of mistrust, tension, and suspicion. The Manipulative Negotiator’s goal is to win. There are usually hard feelings on somebody’s part–typically the loser. The focus is on single answers and positions–”This is what I want!” It’s hardball negotiating. If you are making a one-time negotiation and you’re not going to see the people anymore, perhaps you can get away with it, but it’s not a healthy business practice.
The collaborative negotiator sees the participants as problem solvers looking for a mutually satisfactory solution. It’s a process that both parties can walk away from and feel comfortable that neither one was “had.” It relies on trust, openness, credibility and honesty. The goal is a wise and fair outcome for all parties. The focus is on multiple options. There are many ways to satisfy both parties’ needs, not just one.
Everybody should have a negotiating philosophy. Many people enter important negotiations without having a clear idea of what they would like to accomplish. A negotiating philosophy could be that you want to go for low price; or you may be willing to pay going rates, but you want to get as many additional amenities as possible. Here’s my personal negotiating philosophy: “When two people want to do business with each other, they will not let the details stand in the way. However, when two people do not want to do business with each other, the details will rarely pull the deal together.” If somebody wants to do business with you he is more apt to compromise and less apt to seek unreasonable compromises from you.
There are six major steps to Collaborative Negotiating.
PLAN — MEET — STUDY — PROPOSE — CONFIRM — ASSURE
Planning is all the behind-the-scenes research and preparation that you do before you come face-to-face with the other party in the negotiation process.
The Meeting Phase is where it all begins. Here’s where both parties determine how agreeable they are going to be with each other. You both are positioning yourselves — you’re both trying to project credibility, authority, power, and the ability to back up your promises. Remember, when two people want to do business with each other they will not allow the details to stand in the way. In the meeting phase, both parties determine from the way the other looks, talks, and behaves — “Do I want to do business with you?”
The Study Phase is where the negotiating parties exchange crucial information about what they are trying to accomplish — their end results, goals, needs, and objectives. Each determines all the parameters of the other person’s current situation. There is a danger here. Do not focus too heavily on specifics. Look for the big picture. Do not start looking for “answers” too early, before you understand what the other person is trying to accomplish.
The Proposing Phase is where you clarify all the specifics. Who’s to do what, when, where, how and why? This is where you get commitment and implementation, and sign contracts. This is also where contract details are negotiated and some of the fine points of negotiations come into play.
The Assuring Phase is making sure that everything comes off as planned and that everybody lives up to his end of the agreement. Here’s where the goods or services are delivered as promised, and payment is made.
These steps can occur all together, one at a time, or some can be skipped.
Now let’s look at several specific actions you can take during the six steps of Collaborative Negotiating.
1. Develop a negotiation strategy that clearly spells out what you will and won’t do during the negotiations.
2. Collect as much background information as possible beforehand on the people and companies you’ll be facing in the negotiation process.
3. Evaluate your competitive exposure. What are the odds that another supplier or meeting planner will come up with a better offer than the one you are making? This information can help establish your maximums and minimums.
4. Prepare and role-play with colleagues prior to your initial negotiation meeting. It provides you with confidence in facing questions and situations you are now prepared to handle.
5. Make sure that your clothing, grooming, materials, handouts, preparation and depth of knowledge project credibility, authority and strength. This is where you start creating the “confidence” factor because people do “judge books by their cover.” People will not negotiate seriously with you if they don’t believe you have the power and credibility to make decisions.
6. Tailor your pace and presentation to the individual differences of the other people. People who are very relationship oriented and low in assertiveness are called Relaters and are primarily interested in relationships. Those who are “people” oriented and highly assertive are called Socializers and are interested in recognition. Task oriented, highly assertive people are Directors who are concerned about results. Less assertive, task oriented people are Thinkers who like structure.
Be flexible in your “approach” with the differences in people. It will reduce relationship tension and subsequently increase interpersonal trust, credibility, cooperation and productivity.
7. Take time to study all dimensions of the other person’s current situation. Ask questions and listen with your ears and eyes. Try to determine the end results the other person is attempting to accomplish, not solely his position or demands. However, it would be important to find out the decision-making criteria (must haves vs. should haves vs. nice to haves) of the other person. This will provide you with his/her negotiation limits.
8. When presenting your desires/demands, try to relate them to the end results the other person is attempting to achieve. Show how your requests will also benefit the other person.
9. Negotiate the points of difference. Do not always go for low price (unless that’s your negotiation philosophy). Look for other points to negotiate.
10. Do not attack the other person’s position (specific demands) -Look behind them (objectives/end results).
11. Do not defend your position. Invite criticism and advice, e.g., “What would you do if you were in my position?”
12. At the conclusion of your negotiations, make sure all parties fully and clearly understand who is to do what, when, where, how, and why.
By following the strategies presented in this article, you should significantly improve the outcomes you generate from your negotiations. Furthermore, your counterparts in the negotiation sessions will feel much better about you, the process, and the outcomes. Together you’ll both feel that a “fair” position was reached that was in the best interest of both sides — a “win-win” outcome. That’s the bottom line benefit of Collaborative Negotiating!

Nov 21, 2011

Go Through Our Win-Win Negotiation Training To Build Your Career

  We all have to negotiate some way or the other in each and every phase of life whether is it in the field of learning or in some other business strategies. But sometimes it is hard in case of negotiation such as negotiating a new piece of work, or for a salary increase or even with the price that we have to pay for a house, some times for an advertising campaign or for any used car. So sometimes it is also the soft negotiations such as getting one’s child to do their homework or deciding who is going to do what in any one’s team or some times handling any staff conflict with in the organization. The principles are the same, though but differ at some minute points in each case. So our negotiation programs for the negotiation training some how help people to define their own rules and also the beliefs about the negotiation and how they either support it or get in the same way of the achievable success they desire.
  Like the case in any game, there are rules and conventions as in every case. So our approach for any good negotiation is not about winning it al through and it is not about someone else losing also. It is through the desired negotiation training; however about learning to play the game in a much better way, only because that is what negotiation is not that simply a game. We always like to think that our work is an aspiration, with more and more people getting a real feel and the actual flavor of how the best negotiators work to achieve the best. It is with subtlety and flair and with the knowing of what to give away, when to make the actual demands and how to compensate when there are many such difficulties. It also deals with how to let go of their positions, or even giving up one want and also even choosing another. From there we are able to look at individual negotiation style of each person and then only can develop negotiation skills of people in being able to see some what better that is going on for other people, or reading the body language, and also some times handling tricky meetings.
  The behavioral change is really hard at the best of times but so we encourage such a change that is compatible with individuality of each person. Through such negotiations training it also seems that some people are born as a real negotiator and they relish doing such kind of deals as well. But may be in your organization, you may need a lot more than a toe when ever your own people have to enter the negotiating fray in some time of the day. It may be that some times you also have people who do need to do hard negotiations such as union or other contracts, or some times some other bargaining with suppliers, and some times reaching a kind of settlement.

Nov 15, 2011

Win-Win Needs Cooperation

  The phrase “win-win” is looking pretty ragged along about now. How about if we talk about the much more meaningful “both win” strategy for negotiating?
  The key to creating a successful both-win negotiation is to remember that at its heart, negotiation is all about sharing value between both parties. If it was as simple as that, we really wouldn’t need this blog! However, as human beings we often use one of two different approaches when we enter into a negotiation: competitive mode or cooperative mode. Can you guess which mode most of us enter a negotiation with?
  When we are in the competitive mode, we focus on who is currently getting how much of the pie. When we are in the cooperative mode, we focus on trying to make the pie larger so that everyone will walk away with more. Clearly the cooperative mode is the route to creating a both-win deal for both parties.
  So all of this discussion leads to the big discussion: how can we go about creating a both-win deal when we always seem to start out in competitive mode? The answer is that we need to start asking ourselves the right types of questions. Specifically, we need to ask the questions that will allow us to find out what things can be changed that will allow both sides of the table’s interests better. A good example of how to do this is when you start to talk about schedules for what you are negotiating. If you can either receive or deliver the thing that is being negotiated earlier, later, or maybe all at one time or even in parts then all of a sudden there is additional value to share with both parties.
  One additional way to cause this shift in negotiating modes to occur is to find a way to communicate to the other side of the table that you really WANT to reach an agreement with them, not that you HAVE to. Doing this and helping them feel good about it will go a long way towards allowing you to reach your negotiating goals.
  If you are able to shift the negotiation from the competitive mode to the cooperative mode, then you will have greatly improved your chances of reaching a negotiated agreement. It’s not always easy to do, but I think that you’ll find the results well worth the effort.
  What mode do you start your negotiations in: competitive or cooperative? Do you try to shift modes during the negotiation? Have you ever been able to do this successfully? How did the negotiation turn out? Leave me a comment and let me know what you are thinking.

Nov 11, 2011

Win-Win Negotiations Training

  Remove Barriers That Keep People From BuyingHow often do sales people hear - What deal can you give me, Let's split the difference, Can I have the volume discount even without buying the volume, I want a credit, I'll sign the agreement if…., How much can you sharpen your pencil?
  These are just a few of the many situations sales people negotiate through on a regular basis. Win-Win Negotiations helps to make these encounters better with longer-lasting sales agreements that work.
  Often revenue losses occur when sales people aren't either prepared, confident, or comfortable negotiating. In addition, sales managers find themselves investing valuable time to reach an agreement with a customer after the sales representative has attempted, unsuccessfully, to resolve an issue.
  The Right Tools and Techniques
  Win-Win Negotiations is about achieving sales goals with the use of successful negotiating strategies. It focuses on how to "create value" for mutual gain, build profitable long-term relationships, separate people from the problem, and use objective standards to resolve differences about who should get what. As a result of this workshop, sales representatives gain the tools to prepare for a variety of situations and many of the other day-to-day interactions that require negotiation skills.
  Sales people will:
  Work better deals more quickly and efficiently
  Get people to the table
  Avoid concessions and decrease your losses
  Exceed your aspired outcome values
  Employ methods of fairness
  Tame the most difficult negotiating situation
  Build long-term business relationships

Nov 9, 2011

Negotiating across Cultures Improve Your Capabilities

  “In all negotiations of difficulty, a man may not look to sow and reap at once; but must prepare business, and so ripen it by degrees” – Francis Bacon (1561-1626) ‘Of Negotiatin.Negotiation is probably as old as mankind itself and was born out of Homo Sapiens’ early struggles for survival and dominance.
     During the last century or so, negotiation has become a science, dominated by the Americans. But anyone who has mediated at, for instance, a Japanese-US joint venture knows that the moment intercultural factors enter the equation, the landscape can change utterly.In international negotiation, cultural preparation to understand different worlds is central to successful strategy and tactics.
   Is your counterpart persuaded by logic or force of personality? Is price the key issue, or is there a broader more long-term view? Are they more likely to paint a rosy picture of the deal, and expect you to do so, or do they prefer to err on the side of caution, even pessimism? What is their reaction to concessions?
    How do they see you, and how do your assumptions colour your view of them? What is their notion of truth? Of ethics? And, most important of all, what builds trust in their eyes – the glue without which no negotiation is truly going to succeed?But where to begin?
    There are over 200 national cultures world-wide, and many other ‘cultural layers’, such as region, generation, gender, class, education, profession – in fact all the norms that we have learned through being members of a particular group.

Nov 7, 2011

How To Make Your Online Business Progressive

This article is all about internet marketing, using the power of internet, a business owner can gain profits and be ahead of the competitors. Internet marketing is used to increase income and promote your own product in different sites. Internet marketing involves selling your product through email messages, as long as you have your own computer with an internet connection you can start working on your business. Negotiating with different clients via email is much easier, faster and hassle free. As an internet marketer, you must know on how to convince those who visited your website and your target audience. Show the advantages of the product, encourage the viewers to try on the product and tell them why they need it.Internet marketing helps in increasing your sales, this is considered as the best strategy in order to make your product popular. Online marketer helps in increasing your sales, instead of hiring an advertising company which charges way too high prices for ads, lame commercials and billboards why not hire an online marketer?

Nov 4, 2011

Putting Emotional Intelligence Skills IN The Right Place

Customer relationship management is vital to managerial training and learning procedures in any business organization. It takes foremost place in the business sector, as the growth of any organization is heavily dependent on its repute and goodwill of its clientele. Hence the concept of customer relationship management which gives an insight into the basic codes of conduct regarding company-customer relations. There is a new group of executives known as Customer Relationship executives whose basic responsibility is to acquaint customers with the business profile of their respective companies, their working policies and how their clientele can benefit from them. These executives maintain the fine art of balancing healthy company-customer relations as their primary goal. Customer relationship executives also update clients about company policies, taking care to inform them of plans and structures of the companies before them. They also look after finances and investments in a big way.
 In certain situations, there are difficult customers and complaints which necessitate absolute negotiation skills to sort out the differences. In the eventful situation of clinching deals or making important HR decisions customer relationship executives form modules like business negotiation skills which help to understand the dynamics of business negotiations. Business negotiation skills would mean looking at the various factors which come into play while negotiating, be it with prospective clients, existing customers, suppliers, employees or even employers. Such an exercise could provide support and advice regarding such situations through proposed theories, statistics and case studies regarding successful as well as not-so-successful deals, to provide a breakdown of what works and what does not in such situations.How to read into emotions and people while negotiating, what are the aspects which need to be considered for successful negotiations, business ethics and codes of conduct (international relationships, gifts for delegates, presentation requirements in terms of gender, nationality, religion and company culture of the client) are all various attributes of effective business negotiation Another important aspect of customer relationship is emotional intelligence training which would provide guidance regarding understanding customers and dealing with related issues. This basically works developing ones EQ (emotional quotient) and helps to understand customers from an emotional standpoint.
Again applicable to all, no matter how big or small, it is very vital to understand your customer to be able to help them or even to decide in which situations they cannot be helped. Emotional intelligence training is an asset to life in general, as it helps an individual to make better group decisions, and hence become an efficient team player and a effectually a good leader. Customer relations is increasingly being considered to be the mantra for success in today's highly competitive corporate world which is also highly customer oriented and is hence an invaluable asset for today's professional.
  

Nov 2, 2011

To Learn Hypnosis and Boost Negotiation Skills



       What are the reasons why a person would wish to learn hypnosis or, more specifically, would wish to learn conversational hypnosis? While some may be able to put forth a direct response to this question, others may not be able to make a direct response. That is because they may be unfamiliar with the reasons associated with learning such a helpful skill. For those that may not have an immediate answer to such a question, here is a common reason why hypnosis can be effectively employed: it can be used to boost one's ability at negotiation skills.
  Some may assume this is an incredulous statement. That is because they may look at the notion to learn hypnosis for this purpose to be considered an endorsement of sorts for mind control. Most assuredly, this is not the reason why it would be done. Actually, "mind control" hypnosis is something more akin to what would be found in science fiction films as opposed to the realm of negotiations. So, it is best to examine the actual role that the potential to learn hypnosis plays in the art and science of negotiations.
  Negotiations are, essentially, a means of dealing with the give and take of various parties seeking their own benefit from the process. This does not mean that negotiations are a zero sum game. However, each party needs to achieve their own main benefits in the negotiations. That means the party that ends up persuading the other person to make a decision that is agreeable. When you learn hypnosis, you can effectively improve the ability to guide someone to such a decision can be achieved in a more effective manner.
  But, is it easy to learn hypnosis? Well, the answer to this question will often be based on how you opt to learn hypnosis. There are a number of books and videos on this subject but they are not exactly the most helpful of product to purchase. Rather than dealing with the lesser products, procuring the audio series produced by master hypnotist Igor Ledochowski would be a much better plan. Without a doubt, these audio recordings could be considered the very best on the market for instilling the skills needs to succeed with such a venture.
  Why is this? The material on the audio series is well organized, properly produced, and clearly presented. And, of course, the true value of material is its ability to present the most definitive instructional process that has ever been recorded on the subject. That means people wishing to learn hypnosis can most definitely do so with this brilliant audio series.
  Playing the audio series consistently over a period of time will aid in boosting your skills in hypnosis. Of course, the skills will be developed and refined over the period of time when you actual venture into a negotiation situation. It may take a while to get the hang of things which is true no matter what type of skill you want to develop. When you learn hypnosis and see how strong it improves your negotiation skills, you will realize the time commitment was worth it in the end.
  Discover the secret a rebel psychiatrist has revealed that allows you to put anyone completely under your control through hypnotism. Want to learn how you can possess the power to get virtually anyone to do what you want?

Oct 31, 2011

Using Negotiation Skills to Reach a Compromise

In the world of business, negotiations can play a major role in your success or failure. Even if you don’t realize it, virtually every interaction you have – with clients, customers, suppliers – falls into the category of negotiations. All too often, people do not fully consider the value that negotiation skills offer to businesses. There are many opportunities for a trained negotiator to take advantage of every day which can add greatly to the overall success of a company. Learning how to turn the opportunities for negotiations into positive events for your business is the main reason to take part in negotiation training programs.
Winning Isn’t Everything
You should have the ability to turn every business interaction you have into a positive for your business. But that does not mean that you need to “get the upper hand” in every one of these negotiations. In fact, when it comes to business negotiation, it is usually better to come out of it with a compromise agreement. This (hopefully) ensures that both parties are treated fairly, and would not have a problem conducting business together again in the future. As you well know, repeat business is good business, so try not to burn any bridges with your negotiation skills.
How to Reach a Fair Compromise
There are quite a few factors that go into
negotiation skills. Let’s go over some of these techniques that will help you get a fair deal without destroying business relationships.
1. Goals
You must first determine exactly what you want to get out of the interaction. At the same time, try to figure out what the other party wants. In all negotiation training programs, they teach that it is just as important to know what the other person wants.
2. Assets
What do you have that the other person needs? What does the other person have that you need? What are you willing to part with? What is the other person willing to part with?
3. Alternatives
It is not uncommon for negotiations to break down at some point. You may be unwilling to part with something that the other party wants, or vice versa. You negotiation skills will be sorely lacking if you do not learn to incorporate alternatives into your thinking. Determine what else you would accept after your primary goals.
4. Consequences
The most commonly overlooked aspect of a negotiation is the consequences. Many people fail to think of what will happen if they get their way in the interaction. Will it destroy your relationship with that person? If so, it may be better to compromise.
Invest in Training
There are many negotiation courses out there that will help you improve your negotiating skills. Make you sure look around for one that incorporates all of the aspects we discussed above. Invest in a very good, high-quality negotiation training program, and you will reap the benefits in the future.
  

Oct 29, 2011

Attaining Business Success With Negotiating Skills

Not everybody can negotiate properly. In fact, this is what probably separates successful businesspersons from the not-so successful ones. In today's competitive world of business, the success of an individual or a group will lie heavily on negotiating skills.He is a good communicator. Negotiating involves the act of communicating your needs and wants. Aside from the need to have open communication between parties involved, a good negotiator must be able to maximize the time spent with the other business partners by being able to communicate his ideas well. Misunderstanding among businesspersons and/or business groups may sometimes arise because of the inability to converse properly.He is a good listener. The act of communicating ideas in a negotiation does not end with having to inform. Remember that communication is a two-way process and the recipient of the information communicated must be able to understand and interpret the data properly. In order to do so, he must have good listening skills to get the job done.
He is competent and knowledgeable. He follows the simple rule of "You cannot give what you do not have." You cannot negotiate on something that you don't know about. As a businessperson, he must have intensive knowledge and experience about the company, products and services, and projects that are being negotiated with other businesses. Moreover, he must also have a good idea of what the other party wants from the transaction and be able to balance his needs with their needs.He is able to analyze situations. The art of negotiating is all about analyzing the offers made in a given transaction. In fact, before making an offer, it is a given that he has processed the results that he wants to incur from the business deal. Furthermore, the acceptance or disregard of a counter offer from the opposite side will need analytic skills from his end.He can make bright decisions quickly. Time is money, and money is what constitutes a business. Thus, arriving at business deals at the least possible time with calculated risks is a vital factor in negotiating in trade.The steps in negotiating:Planning - involves data gathering and research.
This is where the negotiator’s knowledge on the deal will stem from.Initiation - is the process of beginning a business deal. This step is concerned with the act of starting the communication between the parties involved.Bartering - the act of making offers and counter offers. This involves analyzing the conditions of the deal.Finalization - the art of closing a deal. Since there are transactions that will have to be settled at the actual place where the negotiating process is taking place, this is where the negotiator’s ability to make quick calculated decisions will be used.If you want to become a good negotiator, it is important for you to realize the steps in negotiating to assess yourself on which aspect you may need to improve. Also, recognizing these phases in the art of negotiating will allow you to strengthen your negotiating skills by being able to direct the flow of the deal. You'll find yourself calling the shots and not being misguided in any transaction.

Oct 26, 2011

Significance of Cross-cultural Negotiation Skills

But with the rapid phase of globalization; growth in Free Trade and the relaxation of Foreign-Direct-Investment policies of many of the previously closed economies, today's business executives are required to deal with counterparts from different countries on a regular basis. In such business relationships, a high level of cross-cultural negotiation skills becomes prerequisite for success. While many companies may attempt at setting up International Joint Ventures (IJV's) or enter in to strategic alliances and mergers, many such attempts do not progress further than the negotiation process, mainly due to the challenges in managing the cross-cultural communication process.While there are varying views of national culture and the degree of its impact on organisational behavior, there is much consensus that it embodies norms, values, artifacts and symbols, which results in diversity in communication and interaction process within a cross cultural setting. It is also a key factor in gaining an insight into how people behave in different countries, their preferences, attitudes, values and beliefs.
 While it is mostly the social and anthropological meaning referred to in culture that has implications for cross cultural business, other manifestations of culture in terms of how people dress, greet others and eat are all at the tip of the "cultural iceberg" which needs to be considered in understanding national cultures. It is also true that different histories shared by nations affect their national cultures and a good example is the frugality and long term orientation which are hallmarks of Japanese culture, stemming from their struggle to rebuild their nation after the World War II over a prolonged period of time.As national cultures carry a direct impact on organisational behavior, the business practices, business relationships and all other areas of organisational activities tend to be influenced by the differences in national cultures. Although some multinational companies may have implemented standardized organisational practices in their subsidiaries across the world, the acceptance and effectiveness of such implementations tend to be superficial and differences in national cultures tend to affect the core values of the people at a more fundamental level.
Thus the importance of understanding national cultures becomes critical if businesses are to understand how and why people from different cultures will behave differently affecting business dealings (Francesco & Gold, 1998). This understanding would be the foundation of gaining effective cross cultural negotiation skills that would facilitate success in establishing international mergers and strategic alliances. When the significance of cross cultural negotiation skills for business success is being considered, it is important to understand what actually entails cross cultural communication. "Cross cultural communication occurs when a person from one culture sends a message to a person from another culture" (Adler, 1991 cited in Weiss, 2003, page 185). To make this communication process effective the communicating party should have a clear knowledge of the cultural values and assumptions which relates to each other's national cultures.
 

Oct 24, 2011

Price Negotiation Secrets of Smart Shoppers

Department stores and other retail outlets are starting to feel the pinch. But as the ancient saying goes one mans problem can be another mans opportunity. In this economic climate that saying is more true now than ever before, especially if you know how to haggle.Circuit City, Linens and Things, Old Navy and many other retailers are planning to close it’s doors soon. Yes, the daily tally of retail stores that’s shutting their doors and many others on the brink is staggering to the mind to say the least. But this can mean an unprecedented opportunity for savings if you know how to shop and what to negotiate prices.This is the time for price negotiation. Everything is negotiable has always been the saying of skilled shoppers, now it’s obvious even to those who balked at negotiating a price before.
In fact, because of the mountains of red ink many retailers are staring at each day, they wish someone would make them an offer – any offer within reason.Many would find it encouraging if someone would offer them an at cost offer. Other in-the-red retailers would take a small loss just to not have to keep counting and cleaning the same merchandise everyday – and having to pay someone to do it. This presents more opportunities for you to haggle for that t.v, stereo, suit, car or home you’ve always wanted.As in any major or minor endeavor, timing my friend is everything… and cash is king. If you have the cash you can negotiate business with confidence like never before. With credit shrinking faster than a cheap suit in the rain, more retailers will love the sight of cash in hand – and will be more open now to making a deal than they’ve ever been before.
Follow These Simple Negotiation Tactics for Big Savings.
1. To become a confident negotiator you must do your homework ahead of time. Find out what the items worth? Find out how many places have them for sale? Is the product or service a high, medium or low demand product or service? Remember, the more you know before you start to negotiate, the better you will negotiate.
2. When a negotiation is successful, both sides win. All negotiation is give and take. A win-win situation should be the result with both sides at least getting what they need.
3. Know that negotiation is not an event that happens, it’s a process of steps that lead to success. Paying attention to the simple but effective steps is the difference between getting a bargain price and overpaying for a product or service.
4. To negotiate effectively, you must be willing to walk away if the price or terms is too high. If you have to have a product or service no matter what, you’re negotiation power shrinks drastically.
5. Most salespeople worth their salt can spot a desperate buyer a mile away. So avoid appearing too desperate, anxious or needy for the product or service they’re selling. Otherwise prepare yourself to pay top dollar, in most cases.
6. Keep in mind an important part of negotiation is also knowing when to stop. Getting too greedy can often cause you to lose an otherwise good deal.
7. Lack of advanced preparation and setting a price limit is one of the biggest mistakes most people make when trying to negotiate. Set a spending limit and stick to it.

Oct 20, 2011

Conquering Interviews with Better Negotiating Skills

Negotiation experts will tell you the most important aspect in a good negotiation is knowledge. This requires researching the subject you are negotiating about thoroughly. In the case of interviewing, the more you know about the industry, the company, and the job ahead of time, the better. Especially when it comes to negotiating compensation, knowing what other people in the same type of position are paid can be very helpful. Negotiating skills can also be helpful in terms of persuading an interviewer that you are the right person for the job.Typically, when an employer decides they are going to recruit someone, they base their need on a specific person or a type of person that they have imagined. If the position is one that previously existed and the person who had the position last was good at their job, they are probably envisioning the ideal candidate should be just like the former employee.

Drawing out what the employer is looking for and convincing the employer that you would be a good fit requires negotiating skills.The good news is there are ways that you can research a company, an industry, and compensation before the interview. Does the company look for people who fit a certain profile? How much do people in your position generally get paid in the industry?A second principle used by effective negotiatiors is to come up with alternatives. Good negotiators don't walk into a negotiation with only one way they can get what they want. They think of several scenarios under which they could be satisfied. This kind of creative thinking can be very impressive in a job interview situation. For example, if you are not the best match for the position as they described it, presenting to the interviewer a couple of other scenarios under which you could be a better fit with their organization can score you major points and possibly turn a situation that could have been a waste of time for both parties into one with a positive outcome.

When most people hear the word "negotiation," they automatically think of one party being successful and the other not. Typically we think of a negotiator overpowering their opponent and getting them to agree to something they didn't want. While some negotiators do use tricks, most successful negotiators do not rely on them because they do not work in the long term. After all, someone can only be tricked one time, and after that they won't trust you anymore. In a good negotiation, both parties come away successful and get something they want.Another important point to keep in mind is that you have something the other person wants. They wouldn't take the time to interview you if you weren't potentially valuable to them. As in any negotiating situation, you should always be prepared to walk away if an outcome that you would be satisfied with does not appear to be available.

Oct 18, 2011

Dealing with Negotiating Skills smartly

Doing smart business is often a question of striking deals that are attractive to others while serving one's own interests. This is where good negotiating skills come in handy.Negotiating skills are needed during all business interactions, be it acquiring a new client, striking deals with suppliers, hiring new employees or even keeping the ones you have. Bear a couple of things in mind to negotiate well:The personal touch: Whatever be the deal you are trying to negotiate, keeping in contact with the other party is essential. By this we do not mean fixing appointments over the answering machine! Ideally, one should make an effort to meet the client or vendor in person. This will not only secure the other parties' attention but also give you a chance to assess them closely.Understand the terrain: The strategy you employ during negotiations will depend upon the other party as well. For instance, if you have common interests, collaboration is the most likely outcome. Compromise is yet another outcome, wherein both parties settle for something a little short of their individual targets. But if your groundwork is strong, you could be calling the shots.

Be a patient listener and try to get as much as possible out of the other person; this will put you in the driver's seat. Prepare and play your cards well, else you could find yourself accommodating more and more concessions.Aim high: While the idea is to make the deal as beneficial as possible, that's probably what the other person is going for as well. So, define your targets and keep them high enough to ensure that you do not lose out in the bargain. Ensure a fairly large margin to play with. While setting goals, stick to what is best for your company, (reputation included) rather than that which merely enhances profits. Remember to be discreet about your own goals while negotiating; keep the opponent guessing about what's on your mind!Keep the ball rolling: Good negotiating skills require adopting an active stance. For every problem the other party comes up with, discuss possible solutions. Be enthusiastic and persuasive; emphasize common ground and stress on the benefits of the deal to the other person.

Unexpected opportunities might emerge during the dialogue; hence be prepared to request for more time, if you need to consult with others. Likewise, if dispensable clauses seem to be getting in the way, compromising on them is probably the best thing to do.See which way the wind blows: Don't hesitate to make or seek clarifications as this will avoid confusion later. Think twice before you agree to anything new on the spot; there might be more to it than what is obvious. Keep your ears and eyes open for any changes that might not be in the best interest of your business. Calling off a deal that is a no deal is just as important as negotiating well.Face roadblocks head on: While conflicts are common to all negotiations, they need to be handled with caution. Suggest temporary solutions to problems until they can be discussed at length later. This way you could buy more time to tackle those difficulties efficiently. If there are more than two people on either side then call for a vote to resolve the setback.The devil is in the details: Once you see the deal through, take care to outline the terms and conditions carefully. Specify the validity of the contract and clauses addressing compensation if the deal falls out among other things.

Do this meticulously to avoid loopholes. Attention to minute details will help save precious time and money, should the tide turn against you. Look before you leap; don't make any commitments before the deal is down in black and white.There might come a time when it seems like the discussion is headed nowhere; stay patient and focused through it. "Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement without Giving In" by Roger Fisher, William L. Ury and Bruce Patton available at http://www.amazon.com, could be a good start for those of you wanting to nail the deal at top speed. "Interviewing, Counseling, and Negotiating: Skills for Effective Representation" by Robert M. Bastress and Joseph D. Harbaugh, also available at, could improve your negotiating skills a great deal. If poor communication has been getting in the way of your negotiating skills, solve your problem atFinally, be confident about yourself and your offer; most importantly, end the discussion on a good note, whether you decide for or against the arrangement. With our tips to guide you, "The Negotiator" could well be your second name!!

Oct 17, 2011

Putting Your Negotiating Training to Work

For this reason, every business person can clearly benefit from taking the time to advance their negotiation skills through a negotiating training course guided by experienced professionals. Superior courses are customized to your specific business area, and are tailored to help you learn negotiation skills suitable for the specific types of negotiations that you might soon be facing in the business world. Many of these courses offer the chance to follow up after the class is over and you have had a chance to assimilate all of the techniques learned. This helps to ensure that you can hone the skills you gathered in class and turn them into effective strategies that you can rely upon. The most popular method of learning these skills is through a class setting, but one-on-one mentoring is also commonly available.Negotiations require a great deal of preparation. As part of their negotiating strategy, good negotiators will try to identify any potential mishaps and prevent any damaging circumstances that may waylay the talks.

 For example if your counterpart in negotiations is from another country and does not speak your language, translators will be needed. They way the furniture in the room where the talks will be held is arranged can have a positive or negative effect on communications, if the seating arrangement is such that eye contact cannot be made, and body postures cannot be seen clearly. All of the non-speaking aspects of body language play a role in the heat of a negotiations session, and you will want to do all that you can to be able to pick up on them and respond in a way that is nonconfrontational and open, so that talks among the conflicted parties do not break down.Several negotiation skills may be relied upon as you work to reach your negotiation objective. Knowing which one might be the best to select in any given circumstance comes with experience, but it can also be aided by effective negotiating training.


Depending on the specific business negotiating situation you face, after hearing your counterpart's initial offer, you might select to do one of the following. Asking for the other party to clarify their stance helps you to understand more fully what it is that they want from the negotiation, and can help you to formulate a counter offer that will appeal to them. If you know what their objective is, you can frame your counter offer in words that will show them how they will benefit from the offer. You might also realize that you can give them what they desire without changing your objective, which would be a highly agreeable outcome. Negotiation skills can vary depending on your and your counterpart's objectives, and moment-by-moment changes that you detect as you proceed with the talks. Training can give you valuable tools that you will have at your disposal to utilize in reaching your negotiation goals.

Oct 10, 2011

When to Accept an Offer

Crossing a rushing stream is easier if you take the time to locate the stones creating a path across the stream before wading into the water.The art of negotiating is most required when you are presented with an offer that is acceptable; but you don't know if it is the best you can do!When it's time to stop negotiating and accept the terms is an art of timing.While you do not want to needlessly leave anything on the table, you do not want to over negotiate a point and risk losing the whole transaction.
Understanding your business model enables you to know when you have acceptable terms. Knowing the other person enables you to know when you have pushed him as far as possible.How do you get to 'know' the other person in the time span of a negotiation?You do it by observing how he or she reacts/responds to various aspects of the negotiation. As you discuss terms, make offers, and react to offers made to you, carefully observe the non-verbal reactions of the other person. These reactions become the benchmarks you will need to evaluate how hard you have pressed them when the final offers and counter offers are being made.No conversation should be treated as idle conversation. If you are not studiously learning something about the other side you should assume they are learning a lot about you. Learn to mask or vary your reactions, especially the non-verbal reactions, to keep them off balance. Negotiating is in no small part bluffing.

Oct 8, 2011

Countering Power in Negotiation

There is a way that you can consistently create power for yourself whilst at the same time countering the power of your counterparts. If you consistently apply this technique, you will be rewarded with a significant improvement in the quality of the deals that you close. Much has been written about the power that can be found in negotiations. Here are some examples of the things that might provide you with some power:Status & position (you or your position may be held in high regard.Physical appearance (you may be very big physically or be deemed to be physically attrractive)Organisational position (your organisation may be considered powerful)Whilst the aforementioned are examples of some of the things that may confer power on you or your counterpart in negotiations, without a shadow of a doubt, the single most effective way to create power for yourself in negotiation is to create alternatives.

You will never have as much power in a negotiation as you will have if you are not restricted to one option only. If you can place yourself in a position where all you have to do is choose between options, then you will always ensure that you have both power and leverage in negotiations. The funny thing is that whilst we do think of other options when we negotiate we tend to make 2 key mistakes:We think about the alternative options too late in the negotiation process. Typically, we only start think about alternatives when we realise that we are in a deadlock or in a difficult position. The problem with thinking about alternatives late in the negotiation process is that we might find ourselves in a position where we have no time left and then we may be forced to accept an outcome we would have preferred to avoid. The key to successfully developing alternatives is to do so even before you start negotiating.

We do not really invest ourselves in creating alternatives. Whilst we may think about alternatives, often we do not put in place specific actions to develop these alternatives. It is very important that once we've identified possible alternatives that we actually actively engage in exploring these alternatives.If you want both power and leverage in your negotiations, then you will have no option but to explore fully all the alternatives available to you. As a matter of fact, you may even have to invent some alternatives if there seems to be no alternatives available.Remember that successful negotiations and creativity go hand in hand. Here's a word of warning though. You should carefully think about whether you should let your counterparty know about the alternatives that you at your disposal. If you are in a very competitve negotiation environment then there is not much harm in letting your counterpart know that you have many alternatives available. However, if you are in a collaborative environment, it may be best to not openly reveal the alternatives available to you as this may have a counterproductive impact on your relationships.