How do you build self-confidence for negotiations?

1 Know your worth

One of the most important factors in building self-confidence for negotiations is knowing your worth. This means being clear about what you bring to the table, what you want to achieve, and what you are willing to accept or reject. To know your worth, you need to do some research and analysis of your skills, achievements, market value, and alternatives. You also need to identify your strengths and weaknesses, and how to leverage or address them. Knowing your worth will help you set realistic and ambitious goals, and communicate them effectively.

5 Ask questions and listen

A fifth factor in building self-confidence for negotiations is asking questions and listening. This means being curious, attentive, and engaged in the conversation, and seeking to understand the other party's perspective, interests, and emotions. You need to ask open-ended, probing, and clarifying questions that elicit information, feedback, and agreement. You also need to listen actively, attentively, and empathetically, without interrupting, judging, or arguing. Asking questions and listening will help you gather information, build rapport, and find common ground.

6 Learn from feedback and experience

A sixth factor in building self-confidence for negotiations is learning from feedback and experience. This means being open to feedback, criticism, and suggestions from the other party, yourself, and others. You need to seek and accept feedback, without taking it personally or defensively. You also need to reflect on your performance, outcomes, and mistakes, and identify what you did well and what you can improve. Learning from feedback and experience will help you grow, improve, and adapt your skills, strategies, and mindset.

7 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?