A negotiation is a conversation.  It's as simple . . . and as complex . . . as that!

Negotiation is just a part of life.  We negotiate everyday, whether we realize it or not.  We are negotiating when we discuss a  . . . . .
     - a personal issue - discussing with your spouse if you will watch a sports or gardening TV show;
     - a community issue -  discussing with your neighborhood homeowners' association whether you should re-pave the roads or hold off;
     - an on-the-job issue - discussing whether you can take an extra week of vacation and still complete the report;
     - OR . . . . a job offer - discussing with your prospective employer their and your needs for the work to be done and compensation to be offered.
It's ALL negotiation!

Negotiation is really just a conversation in which 2 (or more at times) parties have different wants and needs, yet enough shared commonalities, to make it reasonable to sit down and have a conversation.  The goal is to arrive at a workable solution, or compromise, that is acceptable to both parties. 
 
The key to successful negotiation is that the more satisfied both parties are with the solution, the better off each will think they are.   No one gets everything they want, but each gets enough to feel they got a good deal!  

It is really what's meant by a "Win-Win solution." 

A Win-Win solution is the goal
 A win-win solution is always the goal of a sincere and well-intentioned negotiation.  Both parties in the negotiation have wants and needs.  The win-win is derived from a conversation, called a negotiation, in which both parties discuss their own wants and needs and arrive at an agreement of what is fair for both parties.

The goal is for each party to come away from the negotiation satisfied that they got as much of their own needs and wants satisfied as possible without doing harm to the other party(ies).  The more satisfied both parties are with the outcome, the better, and longer lasting, the solution will be for them and for everyone involved.

It's a choice
Some folks will always shy away from negotiation, particularly if they equate negotiating with arguing -- volatile arguing.  But, negotiation does not have to be like that.  If thought of and conducted as a conversation aimed to achieve a "win-win" solution, it's not only a choice, but a good choice!

For additional information on marketing yourself and your capabilities, please refer to the many articles found under the Articles tabs of the AJC–Career Strategy website.
For individual coaching for your job offer negotiation, feel free to contact us here at the AJC to schedule a consultation.  
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