How can you use your negotiation skills assessment results to grow professionally?

1 Why take a negotiation skills assessment?

A negotiation skills assessment is a self-evaluation tool that measures your knowledge, skills, and attitudes related to negotiation. It can help you understand how you approach different negotiation scenarios, what strategies and tactics you use, and how you cope with challenges and emotions. By taking a negotiation skills assessment, you can gain insights into your own behavior and preferences, as well as how others perceive you. This can help you identify your areas of improvement, as well as your competitive advantages.

2 How to interpret your negotiation skills assessment results?

Once you have completed your negotiation skills assessment, you will receive a report that summarizes your scores and feedback. The report may include different dimensions of negotiation, such as preparation, communication, persuasion, problem-solving, ethics, and emotional intelligence. You may also receive a rating or a ranking that compares your performance to a norm or a benchmark. To interpret your results, you should look for patterns and trends that reveal your strengths and weaknesses. For example, you may find that you excel at preparing for negotiations, but struggle with managing your emotions. Or, you may discover that you are good at communicating your interests, but need to work on listening to others.

3 How to set goals based on your negotiation skills assessment results?

Based on your negotiation skills assessment results, you can set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals that will help you improve your negotiation skills. For example, if your results show that you need to improve your problem-solving skills, you can set a goal to use more integrative or win-win strategies in your next negotiation. Or, if your results indicate that you need to enhance your emotional intelligence, you can set a goal to practice mindfulness or self-regulation techniques before and during your negotiations. Your goals should be challenging enough to motivate you, but realistic enough to avoid frustration and burnout.

4 How to develop an action plan based on your goals?

Once you have set your goals, you need to develop an action plan that will help you achieve them. Your action plan should include specific steps and activities that will help you improve your negotiation skills. For example, if your goal is to use more integrative strategies, you can plan to do some research on the interests and needs of your counterpart, brainstorm possible options and trade-offs, and prepare a proposal that creates value for both parties. Or, if your goal is to practice mindfulness, you can plan to do some breathing exercises, meditation, or journaling before and during your negotiations. Your action plan should also include ways to monitor your progress and evaluate your outcomes.

5 How to seek feedback and support for your action plan?

One of the best ways to improve your negotiation skills is to seek feedback and support from others who can help you learn and grow. You can ask for feedback from your negotiation partners, colleagues, mentors, coaches, or trainers. You can also seek support from your peers, friends, family, or professional networks. Feedback and support can help you identify your strengths and weaknesses, celebrate your achievements, overcome your challenges, and adjust your action plan as needed. You should seek feedback and support regularly and constructively, and be open to different perspectives and suggestions.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?