How can you use emotional intelligence to improve your negotiation skills?

1 What is emotional intelligence?

Emotional intelligence (EI) is the ability to understand, manage, and express your own emotions, as well as to empathize with and influence the emotions of others. EI consists of four main components: self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, and relationship management. EI can help you negotiate better by enhancing your communication, rapport, trust, and problem-solving skills.

4 How to deal with difficult emotions and situations in a negotiation

Negotiations can often bring up difficult emotions and situations, such as anger, frustration, fear, or an impasse, which can be detrimental to the process and the relationship. To prevent these challenges from escalating, there are several strategies to consider. Firstly, it is important to recognize and acknowledge the emotions and situations, for instance, by naming the emotion or situation, like "I can see that you are upset" or "We seem to be stuck on this issue". Secondly, it is beneficial to pause and take a break, by asking for a timeout, a change of topic, or a change of setting, to give both parties some space and time to cool down and reflect. Thirdly, reframing the emotions and situations can be helpful, by using positive or neutral language, such as "challenge" or "opportunity", to describe the situation, or using humor or compliments to reduce the tension and restore the rapport. Lastly, it is important to resolve and move on, by apologizing or forgiving, if necessary, expressing your willingness to continue the negotiation, and focusing on the future and the solutions. By following these strategies, it is possible to effectively manage difficult emotions and situations in a negotiation and prevent them from escalating.

5 How to follow up and maintain the relationship after a negotiation

After a negotiation, it is essential to follow up and nurture the relationship with the other party, especially if you plan to collaborate with them in the future. To do this, you should review and evaluate the negotiation process and outcome, asking for feedback and noting what went well and what can be improved. Additionally, you should confirm and implement the agreement, writing down the details and terms of the agreement, clarifying any doubts or questions, and monitoring the progress and performance of the agreement. Lastly, you should appreciate and nurture the relationship, expressing your gratitude, appreciation, and respect, offering your support and assistance, and staying in touch and updating the other party on relevant matters.