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The Art of Negotiation in 535 words


I want to get better at negotiation, but where to start?  UK Amazon currently has 2332 books on negotiation.  Google indexed nearly 4 million relevant (yeah right) pages.  All I need is a simple, straightforward model that I can put to use now. 

Phased by the glut of information, I went within and remembered the wise teachings from a senior manager in my early working life.  So, come closer, listen up, because he was very wise indeed?

He said "Do you know your LIMits?"

"My what? said I cautiously, wondering if he was asking about my drinking capacity, driving speed or something equally off the wall.

Being worldlier than I, he noticed my confusion and helped me out.

"Lyndsay, if you want to be successful in life, you need to know your LIMits.  Let me explain.  What would you Like to have?  What do you Intend to have?  What Must you have?  What are your LIMit's?"

Slowly it dawned on me that he was talking the strange management language of mnemonics.

He wrote down the word for me like this.

L
I
M
I
T
S

And next to the letters he wrote

L - like to have: your number 1, top of the pile, best outcome
I - intend to have: your realistic, shoot for the stars but reach the moon outcome
M - must have: your bottom line.  Deal is off if this is not met.

(The I,T and S are irrelevant, just convenient additions to prevent asking what your LIM are!)

Testing the Theory

And so ended his lesson.  Off I scampered like the eager young graduate I was, itching to put this into practice.  Thinking about a possible secondment opportunity I wrote the following:

Like - 10% bonus, new laptop, mentoring with new senior manager
Intend - 5% bonus, attendance at special course, return to new job after secondment
Must - same pay, relocation expenses paid, credit in my appraisal

The final deal I struck landed somewhere between Like and Intend, with a few perks I had not even considered, so I felt it was a success.

Why Negotiation Works

There are a couple of reasons why simple models are useful but often forgotten. 

The LIMits negotiation model encourages flexible thinking in that there are 3 potential good outcomes.  Compare this with the most common alternative - success or failure - and you can see there is only 1 measly good outcome.  You don't have to be a gambling pro to work out which approach is best!  The secret of the LIMits model is if you don't meet all the criteria for success, then the opposite is not failure, just a different outcome. 

The other benefit of using the LIMits negotiation model is it forces you to prepare, gaining you vital spare capacity when you are in the thick of the negotiation.  You will be clear about your position and better able to get that across. 
 
Information overload

As I demonstrated, simple models are forgotten because we seek out newer, shinier ideas in books, the internet or from other sources.  Reduce information overload by re-using what you already know or recycling an old idea into one that works today.  Old knowledge is not always redundant.

So, negotiate that new job, better deal or contract.  All you need is to know your LIMits.

 

Lyndsay Swinton is an experienced team leader, people manager and business coach. Her website is www.mftrou.com - 'Management for the rest of us'. Subscribe to her free no-nonsense Management Tips newsletter at mftrou.com today.


MORE RESOURCES:

Negotation Skills - Google News

REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: Medical events in Riney's sights - Crain's Detroit Business


REPORTER'S NOTEBOOK: Medical events in Riney's sights
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Riney has honed his relationship and negotiation skills during his 33-year career at Henry Ford by working in nearly every one of the system's business units. And he's forged relationships with numerous national leaders as vice chairman of the National ...

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Harvard helps J&K cops shed killer image - Daily News & Analysis


Harvard helps J&K cops shed killer image
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The police have roped in experts from Harvard University to introduce soft skills including negotiation and communication, listening skills, ethics and professional conduct based on a public service mindset. Conducted by Jim Tull, the training covered ...

'Hone negotiating skills to seal robust contracts' - Hindu Business Line


Hindu Business Line

'Hone negotiating skills to seal robust contracts'
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Robustness of a contract flows from the skill to negotiate convincingly and manage trade relationships and commitments, according to a leading management consultant. This requires constant updating of knowledge and exposure to various international ...

Learn to negotiate - GreaterKashmir.com


Learn to negotiate
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Close your eyes for a minute and think how many times you negotiated yesterday, you will see that your day almost started with negotiation and even ended with it. It is not just negotiation. There are other important abstract skills that we practice in ...

Donald Trump Gets Chumped in Century 21 Super Bowl Ad - Reuters


Donald Trump Gets Chumped in Century 21 Super Bowl Ad
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But the Donald's latest collaboration takes a playful dig at the famously egocentric real-estate mogul's negotiation skills. Also read: Super Bowl Ad Sneak: Preview Seinfeld, Ferris, "Hunger Games" and All the Rest In the spot, Trump goes head-to-head ...

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Three Negotiation Skills That Can Jumpstart The Economy - Forbes


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In a commercial environment laden with these challenges, negotiation skills are a key skill set to getting the economy back on track. Negotiation skills are the life-blood of business. From the decisions made by executives at the top, ...

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West Point group teaches art of negotiation - ArmyTimes.com


West Point group teaches art of negotiation
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Perhaps no Army organization values the power of persuasion like the West Point Negotiation Project, a group that is changing the way cadets and soldiers communicate — often by teaching techniques that fly in the face of traditional Army bravado.

The art of negotiating - Fiji Times


The art of negotiating
Fiji Times
Negotiation is an art and those who are good at it can bring success to a business entity. For international business, negotiation techniques and skills are necessary tools of the trade. Before we move to international trade and business, ...

Negotiation Skills have Global Appeal - NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)


Negotiation Skills have Global Appeal
NewsReleaseWire.com (press release)
"The students who sign up to improve their negotiating skills represents every aspect of ambition in life from securing admission to a particular university, improving the profits of an individual company or a giant corporation, counseling patients, ...

The Top 3 Negotiation Skills That Will Advance Your Career - MarketWatch (press release)


The Top 3 Negotiation Skills That Will Advance Your Career
MarketWatch (press release)
Jim Camp, states, "You are only one decision away from safety and one decision away from success when you have a system of negotiation." One should know strong negotiation skills are life's corner stone to all you will ever build.

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