All right, everyone, welcome back.
Ready to dive in today. We're tackling something
everyone can relate to, negotiation fundamentals.
We've got a chapter here kind of like a negotiation 1O1 crash
course and I am so ready to break it all down.
You know, it's funny. People think of negotiation like
buying a car or a house, but it's really everyday stuff, you
know, like figuring out where to order dinner or salary talks at
work. It's everywhere.
Totally. And this chapter, it dives right
into this concept of BT and a your best alternative to a
negotiated agreement. It's basically your backup plan,
right? The thing you'll do if the deal
goes South? Exactly, like imagine you're
buying a car, your BTNA could be that used car you saw online or
even just sticking with your bike for now.
So. It's not just about having
options, it's about knowing your walk away point when to say, OK,
this isn't working for me. Yeah.
And the chapter stresses this. You got to figure out your BATNA
before you even start negotiating.
That prep is key. So it's like knowing your bottom
line, but even more than that, it's knowing what you'll do if
you can't reach a deal at all. Right.
And that changes things. You know, if you're desperate
for a deal, the other person can sense that.
But a strong BATNA? That's power.
It's like playing poker, holding a good hand but not letting
anyone see it just yet. Exactly.
And that leads us to another big idea from the chapter Zutee, the
zone of possible agreement. So we've got our BAP and A our
secret weapon, right? But we need to know where we're
even aiming for. And that's where this whole
Zeutae thing comes in. The zone of possible agreement.
It's like figuring out where we might find some common ground.
Exactly that sweet spot where a deal can actually happen, where
your interests and theirs, they kind of overlap.
Like let's say with our car, I'm thinking, OK, I can maybe go up
to $10,000, but hoping for less obviously.
And the seller they want, I don't know, $12,000.
So that space between, that's our ZOP.
Right, exactly. And knowing that zop, it helps
you focus, you know? No point arguing over something
neither of you will actually agree to.
It's like, why waste time, right?
If there's no way we're going to see eye to eye, let's just not
even go there. And the chapter even says
sometimes that zopay, it's not obvious right away.
You got to ask questions, listen to what they're really saying,
which. Brings us to something else.
They talk about active listening, and I don't just mean
waiting till it's your turn to talk.
No, no, it's more than that. It's really paying attention to
what they're saying, how they're saying it, asking questions to
be sure you get it, even reflecting back what you hear,
Like, OK, so you're saying. Showing them you're actually
trying to understand, not just win the argument.
It builds trust, yeah, you know, makes them more likely to open
up, meet you halfway. Totally like that whole seek
first to understand idea. Sometimes just feeling heard is
huge. Huge.
And you know, the chapter made a good point here.
Nobody's born a master negotiator.
It's a skill, right? Like anything else, you got to
practice. Exactly.
Every time you negotiate, big or small, it's a chance to get
better, to try different things and see what works.
I like that. So we're always learning.
Now Speaking of skills, the chapter talks about reservation
point and I think this is huge for like keeping your
expectations in check. Absolutely.
Think of it as your absolute bottom line, the point where you
walk away. So with the car, my BA TNA, is
that online option right? My reservation point would be
the absolute most I'd pay at the dealership.
Before I say you know what, I'm out of here.
I'm getting that other car. Exactly.
Keeps you grounded, stops you from making a decision you'll
regret later. Like a little voice saying Nope,
time to go. It helps especially when
emotions get involved. You know how it is.
You get caught up in the moment. Oh, tell me about it.
Impulse buys anyone? But having that reservation
point, it's like a safety net. It helps you stay rational even
when the pressure's on. I like it.
That safety net can really come in handy now.
The chapter also gets into different negotiation styles,
right? Distributive and integrative.
Yeah. So distributive, that's your
classic fixed pie situation. Like we've got this much to
split and every piece you get is a piece I lose.
OK, like haggling over the price of something at a flea market?
Yeah. It's about claiming as much
value as you can. Think price negotiations.
Who does what chores, even who gets the last slice of pizza?
Makes sense. So then, what's integrative
negotiation all about? Integrative is more
collaborative. You're looking for a win win
something that benefits both of you less.
About computing. More about teamwork.
Right, exactly. You're figuring out each other's
needs and getting creative to find a solution that works for
everyone. It's what you'd want in a long
term business deal or even just resolving conflict within a team
keeping things it's. Like picking the right tool for
the job. Sometimes, yeah, you need that
hammer. Sometimes you need a
screwdriver. It depends on the situation.
And that's what I like about this chapter.
It doesn't just say, here's BT and A, here's Zoopa, good luck.
It's all about communication, empathy, the human side of it,
right? Because it is about people at
the end of the day, building that connection, trusting each
other, finding that common ground.
Totally. And remembering that person
across the table, they're not the enemy.
They've got their own reasons for being there, their own
needs. Like that saying everyone's
fighting a hard battle, you don't know what someone's going
through, so a little kindness goes a long way.
Absolutely, and this really stuck with me from the chapter.
Good negotiators. They don't just win, they see it
as a chance to learn every time. Not about being right, but about
getting better. Right, exactly.
It's curiosity finding those creative solutions that actually
work for everyone. That's what matters.
Love that. So it's less me against you,
more, hey, we're in this together.
Exactly. And that changes everything.
You know, suddenly it's not so scary.
It's collaboration, not conflict.
So anyone listening who maybe gets nervous about negotiating
this chapter is great. You can get better at this.
It's a skill. Learn the basics, practice that
act of listening and remember every conversation.
It's a chance to learn something.
Well said. Well, I think we've officially
unpacked negotiation one O 1 for today.
We hit those BATNAS Zoo PAS active listening negotiation
styles. Even squeeze in some laughs
along the way, I'd say. Always a good thing.
But you know what the best part is when you listening right now,
actually use this stuff. So this week I challenge you,
pay attention to those little negotiations.
How are you using your BAT and a can you spot the ZPA?
Most importantly, go into those conversations with curiosity,
wanting to understand. You might be surprised what
happens. Until next time, happy
negotiating everyone.