"Good communication is an especially significant source of negotiating power."
– from the bestselling book "Getting to Yes"
The Harvard Negotiation Project, founded by William Ury, is known for championing a win-win approach, achieved through guiding principles detailed in the book he co-wrote, Getting to Yes.
Many of Ury's recommendations line up with guidance we give in our public speaking seminars for making influential presentations. And when our students role play negotiations in our communication workshops, they see many similarities between negotiating and speaking techniques.
Research, plan, anticipate
We coach speakers to plan and practice their presentations. We push them to anticipate questions and prepare answers.
Smart negotiating requires you to invest time and effort in advance, too. What are your options? What are theirs? How will you know when to walk away?
Understand perspectives: their why and yours
In a presentation, knowing what your audience cares about helps you frame your message in more appealing ways. Knowing why you’re speaking helps you create a focused message that takes advantage of the opportunity.
In a negotiation, understanding the other party’s why and yours can help you find mutually beneficial solutions, the sought after win-win.
Work at building rapport. Show respect.
When presenting, a speaker has an advantage when they can build rapport with an audience. If the audience likes you and you speak with respect, they are more receptive to your message - even when they disagree with you.
When negotiating, efforts to connect, to find common ground, and to be respectful even as you hold your position can help you reach your goal.
Speak simply. Know when to stop talking.
For presenters, moments of silence can make a message more powerful and demonstrate confidence. Using simple, concise language improves understanding, minimizes frustration, and can make you seem more genuine. These things are also true in a negotiation.
Reflect on what works. Respond. Adjust. Keep learning.
The best speakers are always learning and improving. We learn by watching others. We learn by doing our best, then reflecting on the outcome. What worked for us this time and why? What was less successful? What might we do differently?
Also like speaking, negotiating requires that you consider context and think critically. You particularly need to be able to read your "audience" and make adjustments.
