6 negotiation
tactics for women
To win negotiation

Negotiation: it's one of the most important "n" phrases of business practices and yet, it's a practice that is often rarely done by women. In fact, studies have shown that only 7% of women will attempt to negotiate for higher pay, compared to 57% of men.

There are several prominent reasons women will avoid negotiation, stemming from gender expectations and norms. For example, women are often taught from a young age that assertiveness, confidence and competitiveness are not suited traits for them and are instead attributes better suited for men. Instead of developing these personality traits, women are taught to be collaborative and focus on the group's goals and interests rather than individualistic pursuits. Moreover, historical gender norms and stereotypes saw women's place in the home rather than in the workplace, leaving men to be the ones making the authoritative and influential decisions.

Negotiation remains important in the workplace due to the long-term effects that not negotiating can have on one's overall career. For example, a man who negotiates for a pay raise every year and a woman who does not will see the man earning much more than the woman over the span of their respective careers. Moreover, negotiation skills are also important when it comes to receiving promotions, completing sales and forming good relationships with clients.

Fortunately, in the 21st century, the dynamics of men and women in the workplace have been changing so as to promote more equality. As a result, there are an abundance of ways to negotiate that will match every kind of women's personality and skills, as seen below:

Many individuals have been taught to be as guarded as possible when it comes to negotiation. It's often believed that revealing all intentions will only weaken one's stance and lead to inevitable failure, especially with women. In fact, the exact opposite is true. By remaining guarded, a person can come off as unapproachable and potentially untrustworthy. By being open and honest with what one wants, the other individual involved in the negotiation is more likely to be open and deepen trust in the overall negotiation. Women should not be afraid to be upfront when entering a negotiation with what information they have in order to set a mutually respective scene.

In relation to transparency, it's also important for women to not diminish one priority over another in a negotiation. It's quite common to go into a negotiation with a couple of key goals or ideas to discuss and end up having other priorities not mentioned at all so as not to seem one is asking too much. It's common for women to do this due to the habit they have developed of putting others' goals or time above their own. Instead of following this route, it's imperative for women to know that their own goals and time are just as important as any of their other colleagues, male or female. Every negotiation should address all priorities, as women should not feel limited in what they can say.

Making the first offer: doing so is almost unthinkable to most women. After all, it goes against all of the traits and beliefs they have been taught previously; it seems to come off as assertive and as a power move, something is often associated with men. In all actuality, making the first offer can be seen as beneficial to all in the negotiation. This is because it sets the stage for others to make their offer around the offered number. The offer acts as a great point to begin the negotiation, and takes pressure off of the other party.

Another "n" phrase to follow: "no." If not able to make the first offer in a negotiation, it's common to make an offer that ends up being too low in order to quicken the process and come off as agreeable to the other party. It's crucial to say "no" to doing this, as it will often lead to unfavorable results. Instead, women should counter the initial offer with the offer they had planned to make before the negotiation, even if it is higher than what was just offered by the other party. This technique, often referred to as "re-anchoring”, or restarting the negotiation, will shift the power back to the woman and assure the other party that she deserves what she is offering.

Even if the other party in a negotiation makes an offer that a woman wants, she should always make a counteroffer. Counteroffers actually benefit both the negotiator and the other party. Negotiators want to feel that they earned what they were looking for after working hard and taking a firm stance. In contrast, those who are being negotiated with want to ensure that they successfully offered something after setting up their own limits in regards to what they are willing to give. Counteroffers allow both parties to achieve these goals.

Contrary to popular belief, negotiation does not have to be a dreadful practice; rather, with the right preparation and attitude, it's something all women can succeed at every single time. Now, more than ever, negotiation has become an equal tool to be used for all genders in the workplace.