Charting your path to professional success
This past spring, ASN joined with Women in Nephrology (WIN) to develop a series of webinars designed to help you advance your career.  In one of these presentations, Dr. Yasmin Davidds, Psy. D, M.C.C.,
and CEO of the Women’s Institute of Negotiation, provides advice on negotiating for leadership success.

Dr. Davidds centers on the four phases of negotiation:

• information gathering,
• determining your “what’s in it for me strategy,”
• managing your negotiation process, and
• closing strategies that assure commitment and performance.

Get the Right Information
Investigate what issues are negotiable in your organization and understand the possible outcomes from the negotiation process. All organizations have negotiation codes for what they will or will not negotiate, and Dr. Davidds stresses that you should understand the codes that apply to you before entering the negotiating room. Talk to your colleagues to see how project resources are obtained, and gather information from their networks. Obtain information from websites, news articles, and other sources.

Take the time to understand the person you’re negotiating with. Understand that person’s communication style; think back on your previous exchanges and talk to others who have worked and/or negotiated with this person. Make sure you know whether topics should be framed as problems, solutions, or choices.

What’s In It for Me?
Frame the negotiation in a way that highlights the benefits you will obtain if you are successful. Dr. Davidds notes that during this stage, you should think about how you will “combine the assertive, numbers-driven approach with the warm, sympathetic approach.” You must walk a line when negotiating: you should be confident and provide evidence for what you want, but do so in a collaborative tone that will not alienate anyone else.

Manage Perceptions
Focus on controlling the image that other people have of you. The psychology term for this technique, impression management, contains three key elements: language, tone, and framing. Use inclusive language and a “strong yet pleasant tone and approach.” Good negotiators should spend the first 10 to 15 minutes of the negotiation meeting engaging their counterparts in non-task-related talk, discovering common ground, interests, and values, and making verbal assurances that they wish to reach an agreement.

Closing the Deal
During this stage, make sure that all parties understand the negotiation elements and secure the decided-upon agreement in writing. Ask the person you’re negotiating with if they have any questions, and make sure to ask for clarification on anything you do not fully understand.

Throughout the presentation, Dr. Davidds provides the audience with ways to counter potential pushback. These include:

• Prepare a list of at least five alternative concessions.
• Ask “Would you consider…?” and “What if…?” to better understand their counterpart’s perspective.
• Use consultative influence to ask for help. If you do not receive what you would like from the negotiation, ask for an explanation and for ways in which you may improve and have more success in the future.
• Listening to what’s underneath the words: sometimes there are circumstances beyond the control of the person with whom you are talking.

Dr. Davidds also highlights critical points to hit when negotiating for a new position. Negotiate to garner respect and equal status, for any resources needed to complete the job well, for a powerful title, and for the right career path. She also strongly recommends demonstrating how getting what you want will benefit the organization and asking to meet all of the key players if a serious job offer is on the table.

“Negotiating for Leadership Success” and the entire WIN-ASN Career Advancement Webinar Series can be found on the ASN Learning Center .