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Do you consider the role influence has in your negotiations? Do you know how to use influence in your negotiations once you have obtained it? If you wish to improve your negotiation skills and outcomes, you’ll find the following insight about obtaining and using influence in your negotiations to be very insightful.

Influence Relating to Negotiations:

In a negotiation, the negotiator that casts the most influence will usually come out ahead in the negotiation. That’s due to the fact that influence allows a person to persuade another individual to follow and/or adopt his perspective and point of view. That leads the person possessing less influence to move in the direction of the influencer. The one variable in this scenario is the degree that the person with the lesser amount of influence is willing to be led by the influencer. Thus, when seeking to influence someone, consider to what degree they’re open to following your request, based on the insight and reasoning you give them to do so. If the lesser of the two is not willing to be led, your efforts to cast your influence will be unsuccessful.

Acquiring and Using Influence:

So now that you have a better perspective of the role influence has and plays in a negotiation, how can you acquire it? There are multiple ways to do so. I’ll discuss two of those ways.

One, cast the clout you’re perceived as having. This is done based on those that you’re around (e.g. if you’re in the company of high-profile people, one will assume you’re a high-profile person). If that’s important to the other negotiator and he wishes to obtain such status, you’ll have the trappings of influence needed to inspire him to follow your directions.

Two, you can gain influence by controlling the way the other negotiator thinks; this is not brainwashing. The way to do this is to force the other negotiator to question his current state of beliefs and have him confront them as to their validity. Then suggest how he can improve his plight by adopting a new belief, one that you lead him to. Once he relinquishes his current beliefs and adopts yours, you will have gained influence with him.

Enhancing Your Influence:

To enhance your usage of influence in a negotiation, enhance your ability to accurately interpret the opposing negotiator’s body language. To be specific, observe his verbal and nonverbal reactions to your attempts to influence him (i.e. him leaning towards or away from you indicating acceptance or non-acceptance of a thought or offer/counter offer, position of his hands up or down when he responds to such offers, etc.). By observing such nonverbal signals, you’ll gain insight into the degree your attempts to influence him is taking hold.

As you can see, influence can be obtained and used for the purpose you establish for the negotiation. By having and using influence, you’ll have an intrinsic advantage from which to make your offerings, which will enhance your efforts of coming out ahead in the negotiation… and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!

Some people make it look really easy – closing deals and winning great transactions without breaking sweat. But do you know that there are ways to become an expert on the essentials of negotiation and getting things done your way? The benefits of knowing the essentials of negotiation are endless!

You can score many opportunities, create better professional relationship with customers and ultimately enhance your career. Read on to discover the essentials of negotiation and reap the benefits…

1. Maintain a relaxed mood. Keep a friendly but emotionally resigned front. It helps to be patient. In the total length of time it takes to negotiate, decisions and compromises are met at the last remaining minutes of the discussion. Keep it cool.

2. Always have your focus in mind. No matter where the conversation leads to or how hard the other party tries to mislead you, jump back to the topic at hand and retain your focus. Though this seems so simple, it is actually considered one of the essentials of negotiation.

3. Be open to options. Hey, who says you’re supposed to get it all done on your own terms all the way? If it’s not possible, don’t just give in to the other person, ask for other options. Better yet, suggest some of your own. Do make sure though, that your suggestions are still within your negotiating capacity.

4. Point out both the “good” and the “bad”. Making good negotiations entail many different decisions. In order to make good decisions, all the sides of an idea should be clear and known by both parties. Be sure you mention the risks involved while you state the benefits. It won’t do your conscience any good if you won a deal by covering up some “cons” involved. The essentials of negotiation require you to be dedicated to your goal but also virtuous to avoid a possible backlash from unsatisfied clients.

Good negotiators are not born with negotiation skills; they have learned and polished such skills through time. Knowing the essentials of negotiation will not only get you through that deal, it will make you spell success through the greater opportunities of life!

What do you notice that people who are truly “masters” on stage have in common? What are those small differences that over time put in motion large differences that separate them from the pack. As a student of presentation skills since 1992, I have some definite observations. It just gets clearer and clearer to me. Though they are simple, habits, over time they define our growth rate. Do you incorporate these habits?

#1 Think Differently:
Did you know that the first thing Craig Valentine did when he got off the plane from winning the World Championship of Public Speaking was to get a book on public speaking? That is the attitude of a master presenter. People who are the best and have a passion for their craft and their message are always looking to learn more. If every presenter had Craig’s attitude, rarely would any ever sit through a boring presentation ever again. When I jumped into the comedy world, I took every class I could. Many of the teachers I had became “life changing” mentors. I have invested $10,000 each year for the past three years in my own education. Since that has been so helpful, for next year I have already invested over $20,000. Will you invest more in your own self-development next year?

#2 Effort in their introduction:
A master presenter understands that “setting up” the listening is just as important as what is said. Too many presenters do not put any time or effort into their introduction. If anything, they give the introducer an ego filled bio that is usually about seven minutes too long. True professionals keep their introductions under three minutes. They have “you focused” questions in them. These are followed by your credibility, and then a single humbling piece of personal information. The introduction should answer: Why should people listen to you? What will they get out of giving you their time?

#3 They Focusing on Connect with the Audience First:
Master presenters are fully aware that they must “connect” with an audience before they can persuade them. The connection is crucial. This is why I spend a great deal of time researching my keynote audiences before hand. I don’t stop there either. I will also attend other sessions prior to mine, just to find that “one nugget” that will allow me to connect with them. In fact, this ties into the previous point, that part of your introduction’s purpose is to start the process of connecting. Do you strategically focus on connecting?

#4 Long Enough Pauses:
Pauses for the audience’s benefit, not there own comfort level. Too many people on stage only pause long enough for their own comfort. They do not hold the pause long enough for the audience to “think.” This is the whole point of the presentation. Master presenters know that if they are not letting them reflect on their perspective, they are in fact breaking the connection with the audience. All too often the presenter is the problem, not the audience. If you ask a simple yes or no question, a short pause is plenty. If your question requires deeper thought, let them! Do you pause long enough? If they are not reflecting, you are not connecting!

#5 Worry Bigger:
Much more concerned for the audience’s outcome, rather than what the audience will think of them. I recently interviewed Maria Austin, a Professional Trainer, for an audio learning program for new trainers. She is one of the best I know at this. She has what I call the “Maria Mindset.” Before she was a Trainer, she was in customer service. She brought her “serious service” attitude to her training. She looks at it exactly the same way. The only difference is her product is now education. She is so adamant about what the audience members take away. She fully understands that it is not about her. Do you?

#6 Get Lots of Laughs:
It has been said that you don’t have to use humor in presentations unless you want the audience to listen. Although you can have a powerful presentation without it, most master presenters usually have heavy doses of humor. Here is a crucial difference between good speakers and masters. Master presenters infuse the humor into the story. It is not a tangent from the message. Many less experienced presenters will tell a joke, or use something they found on the internet. They use it to break the ice. Wrong! Humor should always have some relevance to your main message. Otherwise, it is a detour and wastes valuable time! Keep in mind what Steve Allen said: “Humor arises between the incongruity between the character and the situation.” The essence of the “sitcom.” For speakers we need “sit-stories.” The purpose of the story should be anchoring a key point. If you are not getting laughs now, learn to!

#7 Craves Feedback:
When master presenters walk off the platform they are fully aware that a crucial part of their next presentation is just about to begin. It does not matter what we say, it only matters what is heard by the audience. Presenters who are passionate about their message are constantly evolving. New ideas are constantly “tested.” Things that are common in my keynotes now, were once new ideas that were experimented with at one time. For example, I never used to show a video clip of my very first time on stage. I also never used to show a photo of my closet full of video recordings. They are now essential, but may some day be replaced with something more powerful. When I spoke in Canada this past fall I had a video introduce me!

Are you on track to become a master presenter if you are not already? If you believe you already are, may I suggest you read over number one again? I get off track occasionally myself, but it only takes one humbling audience to remind us we all still have much to learn. Where will your current habits take you in five years?