Life is a Negotiation

Negotiation is a life skill that should be taught in our high schools!  It’s a skill that is used starting at home at a young age.  

Negotiation comes in very handy in everyone’s life.  Ever bought a car? Had a significant other? Had a kid or two? Been made a job offer? 

Even a 5-year-old knows to strike a deal with his or her parent….

Kid 5yo: “Mom, may I please have a snack?” 

Mom: “Dinner is in half an hour, so no.”

Kid: “Well, can I have a snack later if I eat some of my dinner?”

Mom: “Only if you eat ALL your dinner.”

Kid: “Ok, and will you read a book to me after my bath?”

Deal!

That is a simple negotiation.  And as most parents know, the negotiations get tougher as their kids hit their teen years!

Married life is not much different….

Person 1: Want to go out to eat? How about Chinese food?

Person 2: I’d rather go get some Italian food!

Person 1: Ok. If you agree to get Chinese food next weekend, I’ll go get Italian food tonight!

Deal!

A final example is buying a car.  I received great advice from work colleagues over a decade ago (thanks, Tom, Sharif and Gaetan).  

1. Know what the deal is worth (how much under sticker…or over…should the “real” price be?)

2. Know what is important to the other party (price? Making the sale at the end of a quarter? Getting rid of last year’s models?)

3. Negotiate everything separately (price of the car; financing (amount, length and rate); trade-in; additional upgrades)

4. READ the final contract carefully to make sure nothing that you’ve negotiated has been inadvertently omitted!  Yes, it happens!

The advice works for almost any kind of negotiation.  The car salesman I worked with thought it was “cute” when he asked me what I did for a living and I answered “strategic sourcing with an emphasis on contract negotiation”.  I knew I’d hit his bottom line for the car I wanted when, an hour later, he growled “if I give you another $500 for your trade-in, will you buy the car??!”.  I smiled sweetly and said “yes!”.  And I did….not so “cute” now is it?  😊