Positioning yourself in a #negotiation impacts a #deal makerThe ability to #negotiate before the negotiation begins. Because the way you position yourself determines how the other negotiator will perceive you. And it will regulate your interactions. Therefore, to be a better negotiator, you must #control any risky #positioning that may impact a negotiation.

Everyone considers what they might encounter before engaging in an activity; that is especially true in negotiations. And it’s better to shape your perception before they do. Doing so offers the image you want them to have of you versus the random perspective they might create.

The following are examples for checking your positioning before a trade occurs.

Dating Influencers:

You are perceived as an influencer when you surround yourself with those who influence others, that allows you to be better positioned. To leverage your position, consider being seen with the influencers who will have the biggest impact on those you want to influence. That will improve your positioning based on how others perceive you.

Reviewing your message:

People will try to control your message. And they can hijack your intention to fulfill a purpose that is better aligned with your goals, not yours. To oppose their efforts…

  • Control others who try to control your message. Don’t let them flag you or your message if it doesn’t support your positioning; confront them when they oppose you.
  • Beware of ear thieves: Ear thieves are people who will eavesdrop on your conversations when they are in your environment. They most likely appear to be involved in other activities. They may be looking for lewd information that they can misrepresent to demote you or boost their rankings (for example, I heard him say ‘XYZ’. I knew there was another side to him that he didn’t want the public to see).
  • Watch what happens in slow motion. Because we are bombarded with activities, we sometimes miss what’s in front of us; most events occur over a long period of time. Take note of the changes that occur around you on a daily basis. It’s the short-term changes that could turn into long-term damage to your positioning that you should be aware of.
  • Be Innovative – When they see you as an innovator, they see you as someone who is leading others to their future. If they perceive it as a benefit, they will more easily follow it. And when you are at the negotiating table, they will be more willing to accept your offers.
  • Control the flow of your messages. Always consider the impact one message will have on another when you send it out into the public eye. If you start messages that are less important too often, the messages that could have the biggest impact on your rankings will be less powerful, and the most important messages may miss your target audience entirely.

Use appropriate words:

Words control emotions. And emotions control perceptions. To better control your positioning, control the words that control your message. As an example, depending on the situation, it may be beneficial to use the word quarrel versus fight (for example, we had a fight), that has less impact than we had a fight. The exchange of those two words alters the perception of the situation.

Perception is reality:

When it comes to controlling your positioning, perception is reality. Your intentions for integrity may be aligned with your actions, and if someone taints them with his ill will, you could be seen as less than integrity. That will affect how the other negotiator interacts with you. That could be to the detriment of both of you and the negotiation.

Being a better negotiator starts with how you are positioned first. It shapes the way you are perceived at the negotiating table. Determine how the other negotiator will strategize for negotiating against you. And it will have an impact on the effectiveness of your trading efforts. To better negotiate, always pay close attention to your messages and how they position you. Because, the better you position yourself according to how you want to be perceived, the easier the negotiation will be… and all will be well with the world.

Remember, you are always negotiating!