By Michelle LaBrosse
Life is a series of negotiations. A common myth is to see negotiation as the purview of people in pinstripes. Instead, negotiation is for every one who wants to be more successful in life. And while negotiation is often considered a face-to-face activity, many good negotiation strategies can apply to your email conversations as well.
I co-wrote the book, Cheetah Negotiations because I wanted to make negotiations accessible to every one -- no pinstripe suit necessary. Here are some of the highlights from it, giving you a jump-start on your next negotiation, whether it's by email, in person, or a mix of the two.
Begin by looking in the mirror
The first part of a negotiation is knowing and understanding who you are. Before you can read others, you have to be able to honestly look in the mirror and know what you're bringing to the negotiating table. All you need is to understand some of the basics of personality types.
The theory behind personality types is based on the work of Swiss psychologist Carl Jung, and more recently, Isabel Myers and Katherine Briggs who developed the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. Here's a simplified personality assessment based on the four key personality dimensions.
E or I: Are you an Extrovert (E) or an Introvert (I)
How are you energized? Do you get excited or animated around others (E) or do you prefer to be on your own? (I)
N or S: Are you Intuitive (N) or Sensory (S)?
What do you focus on in your environment? Do you look at what could be (N)? Or do see what is (S)? People who fit the N classification are "idea" people and the people who fit the "S" classification are driven by "real" facts and data.
T or F: Are you a Thinker (T) or a Feeler (F)?
How do you make decisions? Do you make them impersonally with comments such as "I think" (T)? Or do you make decisions based on your own values, prefacing comments with "I feel..." (F)?
J or P: Are you Judging (J) or Perceiving (P)?
How do you choose to live? Do you keep you desk neat and tidy (J)? Or do you prefer to keep it more spontaneously organized and flexible (P)? People who fit the J classification prefer an orderly life and are happiest when matters are settled. People who fit the P classification prefer to be spontaneous and are happiest when their lives are more flexible.
Finding your blind spots
Once you've determined your personality type, then you need to be aware not only of your strengths, but especially your blind spots. For example, if you are an INTJ, you are strategic, thoughtful and deliberate, competent, logical and always prepared.
