NEGOTIATIONS: Reducing Anxiety

Feeling nervous? Having cold sweat? Heart pacing as if it will come out of your chest? We have all been there! This is an automated mechanism in our system that creates anxiety before entering a negotiation. Even after years of practising sales and negotiations, we still get that anxiety from time to time, especially if the stakes are high.

Being able to reduce that anxiety is a key element on how you can significantly increase your chances of being effective in your negotiation process. Below, are the four easy steps to get you there:

1. Calm Down: Never rush into a negotiation with a feeling of anxiety. Take a moment to yourself, or more, to bring yourself to a calm state of mind, where you can think clearly and not be driven by anxiety and desperation. One of the best was to do this, is either by switching into an excited mode, or driven motivation mode (Harvard Business, 2018)

2. Perspective: What causes anxiety in negotiations is the feeling of failure and this is why we always think to ourselves of the worst possible scenarios. To get over this, simply instead of thinking "What could go wrong?", start thinking "What could go exceptionally well?" and play that scenario in your head.

3. Preparation: Most of the times anxiety is caused due to a lack of preparation. We walk into a meeting or negotiation without effectively being prepared for the upcoming interaction. It is a GOLDEN RULE in negotiations to always OVER-PREPARE if you want to have a desired outcome.

4. Practise: Just like with everything else, practise increases your confidence and familiarity with the different questions, objections, twists and turns a negotiation can take. Put the time in practising with another person, or even in the mirror, to boost your confidence and in turn reduce your anxiety.

These are the four steps you can take in ensuring that you reduce your level of anxiety, and boost your chances at success on any given negotiation.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I hope you have found this topic useful and helpful. Please leave your comments below.