The uniqueness of every one of us is what makes humanity so beautiful.

We are all unique

individuals who coexist peacefully with people who are vastly different from us. These
people come from various backgrounds, have distinct upbringings, beliefs, and values, and
practically everything about them will be different from ours. As a result, it's normal that
when two or more individuals discuss something, they can differ on some points. If both
sides have something to lose or gain from the debate, they may not be willing to compromise
for the other. This is where a person's negotiation abilities are put to the test. Being able to
effectively negotiate is being able to acquire what you want while also pleasing the other
person in the conversation.

They would need to have particular talents in order to do this efficiently. Negotiations would
still be feasible without these skills, but they would almost certainly be unpleasant. Both sides
in the talk would become upset, and they would take their emotions out on one another.
Getting upset during a negotiation is the worst thing you can do since it will aggravate both
parties and make them unable to come to an agreement.

The following are the necessary negotiation abilities:

1) Communication - It goes without saying that in order to get what you want, you'll
need good communication skills. In a negotiation, the situation is similar. Here,
one must be able to clearly communicate all of his arguments while also being
willing to listen and take in comments from the other person. It's a give-and-take
process, and you have to be able to ensure that both parties are satisfied and that
the discourse is courteous.
2) Emotional Quotient - We've all heard of IQ (intellectual quotient), but what about
Emotional Quotient? The emotional quotient assists an individual in utilising the
emotions of the other parties in order to reach an agreement on a contract that is
satisfactory to both parties. If you approach the negotiation with a positive attitude,
the other party will have more faith in you, making it simpler to persuade them.
3) Problem Solving - A negotiation is usually held to resolve a problem. Given this, it
is critical for any negotiator to have strong problem-solving abilities, including the
capacity to provide intelligent solutions that benefit both parties.
4) Active Listening – A crucial aspect of every good negotiation and a necessary
ability for a competent negotiator. Ascertain that the other party feels heard and
that their suggestions are taken into consideration. If the other side believes you
 are willing to adapt and listen to their concerns, they will be more willing to
accept a compromise or negotiate an agreement that benefits both parties.
5) Giving Feedback – This is almost as important as Active Listening because it has
a similar effect. When we ask inquiries about the other person, we give the
impression that we are interested in their concerns, and we gain their trust.
Making a contract that benefits both sides become easier once this understanding
is established.
6) Persuasion - Being able to demonstrate how your plan is better than the opposing
party's proposal, as well as persuade them that your idea is advantageous to both
sides, is a very evident component of negotiations.
7) Planning - Looking forward and preparing for the negotiation by establishing clear
goals and determining the necessary terms of the transaction to be made. In the
deal-making session, decide where you and the other party can agree on
something. If the other party isn't ready to agree to your proposal, you'll be able to
counter with a counter offer that they'll be more likely to accept if you've done
your homework.
8) Strategize — To bargain effectively, just like a stand-up comedian, one must first
understand his audience. All of the consequences of the negotiator's actions must
be understood. They should be mindful of the consequences of their conduct in a
given setting. They should be aware of both their own and the opposing party's
roles, and keep these two aspects in mind during the negotiation.
9) Adding Value — In a typical negotiation, both sides will be striving for the best
alternative for themselves; no one enjoys compromising. Being able to produce
value is one of the most valuable skills one may have in a situation like this.
Rather of increasing one party's cut, which reduces the cut for the rest of the
parties, one should be able to provide a larger entire. One should be able to
provide greater value to the other parties in exchange for the cut they will receive.
10) Having a Plan B – In the event that the other party flatly rejects your initial idea
and makes it obvious that they will not agree to your proposal until you make
costly revisions. In this instance, a competent negotiator would have backup plans
available, and even if the other side rejects them as well, the negotiator must
inquire what they liked and didn't like about the proposals so that the necessary
revisions may be made and both parties can reach an agreement.
 11) Analysis – Last but not least, a smart negotiator should always think back on
previous negotiations. They should think about the positive aspects and the things
they did well, but more importantly, they should concentrate on the areas where
they need to improve. They should figure out what went wrong in certain
negotiations and what changes they need to make to ensure that this does not
happen again.

Having these negotiation abilities offers its own set of advantages. If you have good
negotiation abilities, it becomes easier to create long-term partnerships in the corporate
sphere. This is because both sides will have developed a level of trust as a result of reaching
an agreement that benefits both parties, and the solution presented will always be long-term,
ensuring that no concerns arise in the near future.

Negotiation skills have to be practiced; one cannot learn it while sitting in a classroom.
Which is why a example would help a lot in the understanding of the skills. So, to explain the
skills, the example we will be using today will be that of a college student asking his father to
raise his monthly allowance.

First of all, the student approaches his father for a raise in his allowance. The student had
recently joined a gym and to improve his diet, he needed to buy some healthy food and whey
protein, which would help him lead a healthy life. The father is already giving him a decent
allowance which takes care of his necessities. But the allowance is not enough for him to buy
the items he now requires.

The student must first make his argument clear to his father, that why does he need the extra
items. The father should also actively listen to the argument his son is making. He needs to
showcase that he cares for his son. Instead of outrightly rejecting his request, they both
should solve it in a way that is acceptable to both of them. Father asking more questions
would make the son feel that he is genuinely concerned about the situation. The son would
also think that since father is actually invested, he would settle for something less also. The
son knew that his father would not raise the allowance directly, so he gave him an incentive,
that he would score above 60% for sure if he raised his allowance. The son also made the
argument that he is investing in his own health and that he is looking for a healthier future
and also, he is going to study harder. The father was happy and he raised his allowance.

This might seem like a very straight forward process but it is not. The father was not satisfied
with his son’s academic performance. So, he leveraged that for raised allowance. The son
also didn’t need whey protein but he asked for something more so that he was also willing to
settle for something less, that was his plan B. Thus, he carried a successful negotiation with
his father where both of them satisfied.

To recapitulate, all of the talents listed above are required to be a competent negotiator. A
smart negotiator will always ensure that both sides are satisfied when they leave the table.
They'll make sure that all parties get equal takes and that no one gets a lower cut or a lower
level of satisfaction.