Top 10 Negotiation Skills You Must Learn to Succeed

Increasingly, business negotiators recognize that the most effective bargainers are skilled at both creating value and claiming value—that is, they know how to collaborate and compete at the same time. This balance lies at the heart of integrative negotiation, where parties work to expand the pie before dividing it.

The following 10 negotiation skills will help you succeed at integrative negotiation while still protecting your interests.

1. Analyze and cultivate your BATNA. In both integrative negotiation and adversarial bargaining, your best source of power is your ability—and willingness—to walk away and pursue another deal. Before coming to the table, skilled negotiators spend time identifying their best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA) and, whenever possible, taking steps to strengthen it.

A strong BATNA not only improves your leverage; it also helps you negotiate with confidence rather than desperation.

2. Negotiate the process. Don’t assume you and your counterpart share the same expectations about how negotiations will unfold. Instead, negotiate the process before negotiating substance.
Clarify issues such as:

• When and how often you’ll meet
• Who will be present
• What topics will be discussed and in what order

Addressing these procedural questions early can prevent misunderstandings and clear the way for more productive discussions.

3. Build rapport. Although it’s not always practical to engage in small talk—especially under tight deadlines—even a few minutes of rapport building can pay dividends. Research suggests negotiators are more collaborative and more likely to reach agreement when they make a modest effort to get to know one another.

If you’re negotiating virtually or over email, a brief introductory phone or video call can help humanize the interaction. This is one of the most consistently valuable negotiation skills to master.

4. Listen actively. Once substantive talks begin, resist the temptation to plan your response while the other party is speaking. Instead, focus fully on what she is saying.
Try to:

• Paraphrase her main points to confirm understanding
• Acknowledge emotions such as frustration or concern
• Ask follow-up questions that clarify interests

Active listening not only uncovers useful information—it often encourages the other side to listen just as carefully in return.

5. Ask good questions. Integrative negotiation thrives on information, and good questions are how you get it.
Avoid:

• Yes-or-no questions
• Leading questions (“Don’t you think…?”)

Instead, ask neutral, open-ended questions that invite detail, such as:
“Can you tell me more about the challenges you’re facing this quarter?”

Thoughtful questioning helps reveal priorities, constraints, and opportunities for value creation.

6. Search for smart tradeoffs. In distributive negotiations, parties often haggle over a single issue, such as price. Integrative negotiations, by contrast, typically involve multiple issues—and that creates opportunity.

Look for differences in preferences. Identify issues your counterpart values highly but that matter less to you, and vice versa. Then propose trades that give each side more of what it values most, rather than splitting the difference across the board.

7. Be aware of the anchoring bias. Research shows that the first number mentioned in a negotiation—no matter how arbitrary—can strongly influence what follows.

When possible, make the first offer to anchor the discussion in your preferred range. If the other party anchors first, pause to revisit your goals, your BATNA, and your target outcomes so you’re not pulled off course by an aggressive opening.

8. Present multiple equivalent offers simultaneously (MESOs). Rather than putting one offer on the table at a time, consider presenting several multiple equivalent offers simultaneously.

If your counterpart rejects all of them, ask which one came closest and why. This feedback provides valuable insight into their preferences and can spark creative problem-solving. MESOs also reduce the risk of impasse by shifting the conversation away from yes-or-no decisions.

9. Try a contingent contract. Negotiators often reach stalemate because they disagree about how the future will unfold. In such cases, a contingent contract can help.

A contingent contract is essentially a bet on future outcomes. For example, if you doubt a contractor’s claim that a project will be finished in three months, propose incentives for early completion and penalties for delays. If the contractor truly believes his timeline, he should be comfortable accepting such terms.

10. Plan for the implementation stage. Another way to improve the long-term durability of your contract is to place milestones and deadlines in your contract to ensure that commitments are being met. You might also agree, in writing, to meet at regular intervals throughout the life of the contract to check in and, if necessary, renegotiate.

In addition, adding a dispute-resolution clause that calls for the use of mediation or arbitration if a conflict arises can be a wise move.

What negotiation skills would you add to this list? Leave us a comment.