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Tag: Imperfection

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

You’re Always Negotiating

“If you seek greater progress in life, negotiate better and greater progress will seek you.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

Right now, you’re creating your future. And, you’ve done so in the past. That’s what created the environment that you’re in, right now.

My motto is, you’re always negotiating. That means, what you’ve done in the past has led to where you are today, and what you do now will lead to where you’ll be tomorrow.

If you’re like most people, you don’t understand how frequently you’re engaged in negotiations throughout the day. When you’re talking to an associate, you’re negotiating. When you engage in a conversation with a client, your superior, your spouse, you’re negotiating. The fact is in those situations, you’re giving insight into your thought process, your beliefs, and how you might engage in different situations. That’s a negotiation.

Why is it important to recognize that you’re always negotiating? The answer is, the more you’re aware of what you say and do, along with how you say and do it, the better you can shape your persona. By shaping how others perceive you, you can become more aligned with the way you wished them to perceive you in the future.

Here’s the point. Always be mindful that your actions are under constant observation and evaluation. To reiterate, that means you’re always negotiating. Negotiations occur in many places, not just at the negotiation table. Every time you engage in actions that detract from your goals, you’re detracting from them through your actions.

Raise your sense of awareness no matter the environment. If you feel the need to ‘let your hair down’, control the degree. Don’t expose too much of yourself by letting your hair expose too much of you. Once you raise your awareness that you’re always negotiating and align your actions with your future goals, you’ll be in a better position to achieve those goals. In so doing, you will have raised your dreams, hopes, and lights that lead to a better future. That will make living life more memorable … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations?

When negotiating, even good negotiators lose their cool. They display aspects of their demeanor that belie thoughts that would be better left unexposed; we’re all prone to being off kilter at times. Not so good negotiators fall into a deeper abyss by not recognizing that their self-constraint and reasoning has deserted them. Good negotiators distinguish themselves by regaining their composure quickly. They do so because they focus on their mental agility. They’re aware that they need to spotlight the long-term goal of the negotiation.

Progress never moves in a straight line. If you remember that you’re always negotiating, you’ll be more mindful of when progress has exited that line. Your attentiveness will serve as the alert to get the negotiation back on track.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Mind #Brain #Thinking #Success #Emotion #Business #Progress #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #Mask #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions

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Best Practices Body Language Culture Entrepreneurship Human Resources Investing Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

What Mask Are You Wearing Right Now?

“The mask you wear is a display to others of who you are. Always be aware of when and why you’re wearing that mask.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

What mask are you wearing today and how many times will you change it? The mask you wear affects your psyche.

A mask is a metaphor for the persona you project to others. It’s how you represent who you are. It’s the way you wish them to perceive you and the way you see yourself. Depending on the circumstances, you’ll wear different masks at different times throughout the day.

Some might say, changing your mask alters who you are; you’re not authentic. But who are you, and who’s to say when you’re authentic? You’re not who you were five years ago, or five minutes ago; you’ve changed. Does that make you inauthentic? No!

Since change occurs daily, moment to moment, do you not continuously morph into who you just became, while transitioning into who you’re becoming? In that transition, do you observe who you are in that moment? By being observant, you’ll note the direction in which your life is heading. You’ll note if you require change before displaying the mask you’re about to adopt. That will allow you to morph into a different mask to cast a different persona if you require it.

The point is, if you recognize the mask you’re wearing at any time and you’re aware of why you’re wearing it, you’ll be more mindful of why you display the personality you project, what promotes you to do so, and the circumstances that lead you to that point. You’ll have greater control of your life, the purpose for which you’re living, and a greater sense of where you’re headed in life.

So, what mask are you wearing right now and why are you wearing it right now? If you have an answer to that question, it’ll be easier to change that mask when it’s warranted. That will also mean that you’re at a higher level of recognition and control of your life. Those are invaluable factors from which to sustain growth, harmony, and success in life. Do that … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations? 

In every negotiation, negotiators wear multiple masks. It’s called their persona. They do so to create and project the right image for a phase in the negotiation that’s appropriate for that phase. The mask they adopt adds to the perception you have of them. It may be a mask of harshness, sorrow, bullying, or tenderness. Its intent is to affect your psyche. The mask worn may represent negative manipulation, which is different from one worn to serve the greater good of the negotiation.

You must be mindful of the mask you perceive, as much as the one you project. Your mask intertwines with the other negotiator’s mask. Therefore, the mask that both of you display is based on what’s perceived.

If you want to increase your negotiation abilities, you need to know how and when to adopt a mask that suits the situation. You must be savvy when detecting the purpose of the mask shown throughout the negotiation, too. By enhancing your mental agility to observe, detect, and adopt the appropriate persona during different stages of the negotiation, you’ll experience more winning negotiation outcomes.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com 

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Mind #Brain #Thinking #Success #Emotion #Lies #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #Mask #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions

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Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Investing Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

How Do You Expand Your Mind for Greater Success?

 “You expand your mind based on the way you think. To heighten that expansion, focus on the way you think.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

“If you could be everywhere at the same time, where would you be?” Puzzled, the recipient of the question said, “If I could be everywhere at the same time, I wouldn’t have to decide where to be.” Wrong, was the reply. “Even if you could be everywhere you’d still have to focus on being in the place that offered the greatest possibility for success”, was the retort.

As we go through life, we learn new things every day. Those that apply learned lessons from one environment into another maximize their learning.

Some people discover new ways to solve problems, apply that new knowledge against other problems and discover that something has changed for the better. Then, they stop, never realizing that they’re more applications for which that new knowledge can prove to be beneficial.

There are times we seek to solve a problem and only focus on one solution. We do so without considering other possible solutions. For example, let’s say you’re looking for a hammer to drive a nail. If you only focus on finding a hammer, you’d omit the thought that you might use a shoe, brick, piece of wood, or any object that wasn’t fragile for that purpose.

By shifting your paradigm from needing a hammer and instead focusing it on what you might use to solve the problem, you expand your thought process. In doing that, you discover new ways to address other challenges. But, you must possess an open mind before that can occur.

Throughout my consultations, trainings, and presentations, I suggest to people that they think about the way they think. I provide the insight above to highlight that.

If you become more aware of the problems you encounter and the resolutions to solve them, you’ll increase your awareness of the wondrous ways of conquering them. That will take you to a higher plane of success from which you’ll view your life’s opportunities from a whole new spectrum … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations? 

When negotiating, you’ll encounter challenges and impasses that hampers a negotiation’s success. The determining factor for success will lie in the way you attempt to address such challenges. If you rely on tried and true solutions that worked in the past and they prove to be ineffective, you might succumb to the challenge. Instead, if you think with an expanded mind, one that’s not fixated on one solution, you can turn impasses into learning experiences that lead to greater insights.

So, constantly ask yourself in a negotiation and other facets of your life, how can I use what I’ve learned in one environment and apply it to another situation.

If you constantly look at situations as entries to greater opportunities and insights, your endeavors will adopt a platform from which greater knowledge will flow. First, you must open your mind to having an open mind about how you perceive challenges, problems, and situations. It’s through that open mind that new and greater success will flow.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Mind #Success #Emotion #Lies #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions

Categories
Best Practices Entrepreneurship Human Resources Management Marketing Negotiations Sales Skills Women In Business

The Hidden Value of Imperfection

“No one is perfect but knowing your imperfections will help you spot the imperfections in others.” -Greg Williams, The Master Negotiator & Body Language Expert

When was the last time you met someone that was perfect? If you can recall such a person, you had one of two thoughts. You thought this person is perfect, as you swooned with bliss, or you thought this person is perfect, in a mocking tone to yourself.

No one is perfect. If you’ve associated with someone that’s perfect, you haven’t been with them long enough to see their imperfections. That’s not to speak ill of them because there’s value in imperfection.

The way you view the imperfections of others speaks to the realistic perspective you have of them. That perspective can also keep you from following their leads when such would take you over the edge, off a cliff, into the sublime. Whatever cliché you choose, you get the gist of my meaning. As an aside, that’s also how some people become splayed for swindling.

It’s important to consider the imperfections of those with whom you congregate, because of the shadowy subliminal force of influence they cast. Consider the times when you enter activities that don’t serve your needs or goals, but you do so anyway. Understand, those are moments when you’re moved by unseen forces from your associates. You should consider attributing some sources of your actions to their influence and recognize it as such; you should also attribute your positive actions to such forces. Therein lies the value of an associate’s imperfections. Your recognition of their imperfections will lead you upon a different path.

We all have imperfections. The more willing you are about displaying yours, and accepting others for what their imperfections are worth, the greater will be your recognition of reality. That should lead to greater opportunities for you and those that you engage with … and everything will be right with the world.

What does this have to do with negotiations?

There are benefits to positioning yourself as someone that’s less than perfect in a negotiation; you appear to be more authentic. Thus, what you proport as reality will adopt a more realistic appeal. You may be familiar with the phrase, “keep it real”. That implies that you should keep the B.S. at bay, along with how you present your offers. To maximize your efforts, align your offer/counteroffers with the beliefs of the other negotiator’s reality. The more you match his beliefs (i.e. that which he senses as value and being real), the more valuable and acceptable will be you and your offers.

When negotiating, the display of imperfections can also be a double-edged sword. That sword can serve as fodder or the deliverance of a soul worthy of appreciation and value. You and the other negotiator will make that assessment.

To position yourself correctly, know of the expectations related to the type of negotiator your opponent wishes to negotiate with. Know also how you can match that expectation. Keep in mind that some negotiators want to display their knowledge in a helpful manner, while others will attempt to do so as a form of manipulation. So, be mindful of the role you’re casting as pertaining to how you should cast that role.

Remember, you’re always negotiating! 

After reading this article, what are you thinking? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com

 To receive Greg’s free “Negotiation Tip of the Week” and the “Sunday Negotiation Insight” click here http://www.themasternegotiator.com/greg-williams/

#Imperfection #hiddenvalue #Emotion #Lies #Business #SmallBusiness #Negotiation #NegotiatingWithABully #Power #Perception #emotionalcontrol #relationships #liars #HowToNegotiateBetter #CSuite #TheMasterNegotiator #ControlEmotions