Why Are Good Negotiation Skills Important?

Negotiation is something everybody is familiar with. It’s something you use all the time in your work as well as in your personal life. Do your supervisors understand the importance of being a skilled negotiator and how it will affect their success? Here are some examples to give your supervisors of when they will be negotiating and why these skills are important for them.

Negotiation happens every day. For example, you negotiate with your boss so that you can hire an additional employee. You negotiate with other supervisors to coordinate the operation of your departments and work groups. You negotiate many issues with your employees from performance goals to vacation schedules. You negotiate salaries with job candidates. And after work, you go home and negotiate with your spouse over this and that and with your kids over chores and probably just about everything else.

The fact is that whether you’re aware of it or not, you spend a significant part of your day negotiating. That’s why good negotiation skills are so important. Studies show that having good negotiation skills plays an important role in your success as a supervisor and your potential for advancement.

Why? Being a good negotiator allows you to build, maintain, and improve important workplace relationships, which is a very important part of being a successful supervisor. Additionally, being a good negotiator also makes you more efficient. Instead of spending hours arguing with people and trying to force them to do what you want, you can reach agreements, find solutions to tough problems, and keep work moving ahead more easily and with less effort if you negotiate effectively. Finally, being a good negotiator helps you achieve important goals and get what you need and want for yourself, your department, and the organization.