Conscious goal setting is one of the most effective techniques for moving forward in our lives to achieve the things we want, live meaningful lives and become the best people we can. What avid goal-setters often fail to realise, however, is that for most of us, achieving our goals requires the involvement of other people. We may need certain things from them such as advice, knowledge, experience or some active participation to get what we want.
Negotiation a Key Process in any Goal-Setting Activity
Including others in our goal-setting activities requires a range of interpersonal skills from all parties for a successful result, and one of those skills is that of negotiation. It is just not possible to work with other people who may have competing goals and agendas, without being willing to negotiate outcomes with them.
Real Estate is all About Negotiation
In the real estate industry, this attribute is absolutely essential to success. It is the essence of what we do here at Prudential Real Estate. The easy part is showing desirable properties to keen buyers. The hard part is getting the seller and the buyer from their opposing positions to a point where they agree on price and settlement terms so the sale can proceed.
The Three Key Phases
To reach this point, the outcome must benefit both parties. According to negotiation experts, getting there involves three stages – the preparation, the development and the close. When the negotiator follows this process, the seller and buyer in this instance each reach their goals, as does the agent who has negotiated the result and participates in the rewards.
Preparation Paves the Way for Good Decisions
Preparation involves being in the right mind set, having the information needed to keep the process moving and managing events rather than reacting to them. The two most common errors at this stage are to get cold feet and abandon your efforts prematurely, and to concede more than you should to other parties. Only solid preparation allows you to make these decisions.
Communication Skills Become Important
The development phase relies on good communication skills as this is where the discussions become serious. Pushy people often fall at this point, having forgotten that this should be a “win-win” scenario where everyone feels they have received something mutually beneficial. It allows everyone to reach their goals.
Build Relationships Instead of Exerting Pressure
This leads us into the final phase, the close. Here we have the opportunity to further develop a relationship, to continue co-operating, to offer alternatives or end in a complete breakdown where no one wins. A leading expert in negotiation skills suggests that pressure tactics only give short-term results.
The best results come from establishing relationships that are sincere, based on respect and are mutually beneficial. This is what we have found and we believe it works for everyone.
