Study after study has shown that women are less likely to negotiate for what they want than men are. Interestingly, as women, we love negotiating on behalf of others. And we get less social backlash when we negotiate for others, too. But when it comes to negotiating our own rates or needs, we stop short. Often because there’s a social “cost” to negotiating that uniquely relates to women. Maybe you’ve felt it? Harvard researchers have shown this isn’t just a feeling. Their studies show the social cost of negotiating for higher pay is greater for women than it is for men. And the flow on effects of this reluctance to negotiate can be significant… … less income … less support … more overwhelm … less opportunities … less business growth So, what can we do about it? I believe this is such an important issue. And one we need to address if more women are to grow their businesses and have the lives they really want. For me, personally, I’ve found the key to being able to negotiate well has been to always remain passionate about finding the win/win in any arrangement. 
Negotiation expert, Fiona Pascoe, agrees. She says it’s important that your negotiations are beneficial for both parties. But, as Fiona says, there’s a lot more to it, including:
- Planning for the best outcome (and why what you do before you step up to the negotiating table is crucial)
- Prioritising what she calls “sources of value”
- Handling objections and not seeing them as threats
- Gaining commitment
- And confirming next steps once you have an agreement
If you want to boost your negotiation skills, you’ll be interested in the Negotiate Now training featuring Fiona Pascoe, which is currently available in our Online Learning Library. Normally, you’d pay $59 for this training. But Premium Members have access to this PLUS 164 other trainings (yes, we are throwing open the doors to the whole library!) Suzi Dafnis P.S. One of the great things Fiona teaches on this training is how to avoid “giving it all away” when you’re in a negotiation. This one strategy alone could be worth thousands of dollars (or more) to you. I know it was really useful for me.
