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How To Be Good At Negotiation

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Oxford Dictionary describes negotiation as a discussion aimed at reaching an agreement. But you and I know that is a lot more complex than that.

Not all of us, especially nerdy engineers, enjoy negotiations. However, to be a successful tech leader, you need to master this art.

Whether it is prioritizing features for the next release or convincing a top engineer to join your team – good negotiation is vital.

In this issue, I will share two things:

  1. Negotiation tips from Chris Voss’ bestseller – Never Split the Difference
  2. Framework to plan your next Negotiation meeting

Negotiation tips from “Never Split the Difference”

former FBI negotiator. I can never do justice to the book in a few bullet points – I strongly recommend you get a copy and read it if you are interested in the topic.

But I will try to summarize the key takeaways here:

  • A good negotiation starts with listening. Make it about the other person, validate their emotions, and establish trust in the conversation
  • Use mirroring to encourage the other person to empathize and create a bond with you. A good technique is to repeat the last 3 critical (or important) words the other person just said, which helps in a stronger connection
  • Watch your voice tone as it makes a difference too. Some example tones used by professional negotiators are late-night DJ, playful, professional, and assertive
  • Labeling is a technique to validate the other person’s emotion by giving it a name and acknowledging it. It often starts with “It sounds like… It feels like… It seems like…” and describe their emotional state
  • Don’t just focus on a “Yes”. Use “No” tactically to eliminate options that are not relevant or interesting to both parties
  • Before getting to a “Yes”, you need to get the other party to say “That’s right”. You can do that by a good summary of their expectations and emotional state, and get an affirmation. This takes you one step closer to closing the deal

You can read a detailed summary of the book on Shortform (paywall).

Now that you have some tips, let’s look at a template to prepare for the next negotiation.

Negotiation prep template

Please note this is not a one-size-fits-all template for all negotiations. But it can be a good starting point for most.

#1 Figure out what you want

  1. What do you want to achieve in the negotiation? (your end goal, e.g., securing a job offer)
  2. What is it you want more of? (key differentiator, e.g., at least a 30% salary raise)
  3. What are the issues over which you will be negotiating? (e.g., salary, location, hybrid mode, stock options)
  4. What are the potential agreement options for each issue?
  5. What is the relative or weighted contribution of each option to your final decision?
  6. What is your reservation price and alternatives for your negotiation? (a reservation price is the least favorable point at which you can accept a negotiation)
  7. Which factors influence your stance the most and why?

#2 Figure out what your counterpart wants

  1. What problem of theirs will your proposal solve?
  2. What are your counterpart’s goals in the negotiation?
  3. What are their likely issues?
  4. What are their likely interests and why?

#3 Develop your negotiation strategy

  1. How will you gather the additional information you need?
  2. What information do you still need to assess?
  3. What are any potential holes in your strategy?
  4. What are your sources of power? (e.g., a skill that is very rare in the market)
  5. What strategies and tactics will you employ to achieve your goals, taking into account the preferences, goals, and strategies that your counterpart is likely to employ?
  6. Will you make the first offer? (It is important to decide as the negotiation will generally pivot around this)

I hope you have some solid tips and a template to rock your next negotiation. Often, this skill helps at better decision-making as well.

If you have any additional tips, feel free to share it as comments!

How to build a Tech Career for yourself?

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In my last 20 years with the tech industry, I was fortunate to work with some of the great minds and wonderful organisations. My tech career is peppered with numerous successes, several failures, happy moments, things to forget and above all – valuable lessons learned for life.

In this post, I am sharing my thoughts on effective ways to build a tech career – specially targeted at young and early-stage professionals. Though it makes equal sense to experienced professionals, being mindful of these early in your career has potential for maximum returns.

#1 Create a primary techstack for yourself

Choose a primary techstack for yourself. This is essential.

Current industry landscape requires you to switch between multiple technologies and platforms, almost on a daily basis. But this doesn’t mean you don’t have your primary techstack.

Think of it as a “T” shaped skill. Depth is where your primary skills are.

Your techstack should be well-rounded, to be able to create a technical solution end-to-end

Here’s one example techstack: Java / Spring Boot / ReactJS / AWS / Redis / MongoDB / PostgreSQL

If you have deep skills on each of these components, then you can create a production-grade solution from ground up.

#2 Focus on solutions, not just code

It is great to start as a start programmer. But as you grow in career, start thinking about solving problems in addition to writing good code.

Here are some questions to ask yourself when developing software components:

  • What is the business problem I am trying to solve?
  • Does my solution offer the best user experience?
  • Do I have to code the entire solution or integrate with existing ones?
  • Are there low code (or no-code) solutions that can solve the business problem faster and cheaper?
  • Is my solution easy to maintain and change as business evolves?

Being aware of business context and having a customer focus, helps you stand out as a great software engineer.

#3 Never underestimate the power of soft skills

Strong soft skills can take you to places that your technical skills alone cannot.

Here are some common skills that will make you stand out from others:

  • Simple and clear communication (verbal and written)
  • Giving feedback the right way
  • Negotiate priorities
  • Giving impactful presentations
  • Managing conflicts
  • Persuading everyone to get things done

A good technologist can not only build great software but be able to ship it, by navigating the challenges and constraints.

#4 Build a strong network

A strong network of like-minded professionals is essential to thrive in your tech career.

Have a diverse network – consisting of fellow engineers, interns, senior tech leaders and other industry influencers. It will not only broaden your perspective in the current job but may open up irresistible opportunities.

Here are some ways to build a network:

  • Attend meetups and conferences in your regions
  • Volunteer to help student communities
  • Engage with technologists and the content they create, using LinkedIn, Twitter, their own blogs etc.
  • Make it a habit to regularly be in touch with your ex-colleagues and other acquaintances

Remember to give more than you take from your network

It not only creates good karma but get you the support, when you need it.

#5 Be a fast learner

At any stage in your career, never stop being a learner. Also, be a fast learner.

Technology advancements are never ending and it is essential to be aware of them. A good technologist must constantly expand their toolkit.

When there is a problem to solve, use your toolkit – the broader and wide range of tools in it, better will be your solution.

Use opportunities provided by your organization or local government, to up-skill yourself. Treat it as an investment on yourself that has long term returns.

#6 Grow people

And finally, a good leader creates more leaders. Find opportunities to help and grow people.

Here are some ways to grow people within and outside your organization:

  • Mentor junior employees
  • Participate in new employee onboarding programs
  • Train others on things that you are good at
  • Give back to the community by sharing your knowledge
  • Genuinely elevate your team members and if there is a need, be ready to fight for it

To Summarize

Here are some tips to build a strong tech career from the start:

  1. Create a primary techstack for yourself
  2. Focus on solutions, not just code
  3. Never underestimate the power of soft skills
  4. Build a strong network
  5. Be a fast learner
  6. Grow people

A bonus tip is to be self-aware and aware of power dynamics around you – so that you can grab right opportunities when they present themselves. It can take you a long way!