Are Men or Women Better Negotiators?

Why is it that statistically, women traditionally, earn less than men, even when both are performing the same function? The answer to that question partially resides in the fact that women are less likely to negotiate when talking about money, promotions, or occurrences that happen in everyday life. I’m not saying this is the case with every woman, but in general, women are less likely to negotiate then men. That being the case, might a lack of negotiation skills by women lead to the premise that men are better negotiators? Once again, the answer is, not necessarily so.

Men have the reputation of being better negotiators, simply because they ask for more of what they want in life. By the fact that men are more apt to ask for more money when being hired, or ask for the promotion they seek, gives them an advantage, when in the job and other environments. As the result of asking for more, men statistically will outdistance women. The lesson to be learned from this is, women need to just ask for more. Surprisingly enough, if women did just ask, they would receive more. They would receive more in the work environment and every environment they find themselves in.

Since women are thought of as not being very good negotiators, they have a built in advantage. Women, once they acquire a little knowledge about negotiations and then start to apply some negotiation tactics, will start to acquire equilibrium in the work place and other stations of life, with men.

If you are a woman reading this article, you are positioned just right. You are poised to become an outstanding negotiator. Just start acquiring more knowledge about negotiations, then implement that knowledge and watch your fortunes soar. If you are a man reading this article, do you hear those footsteps getting closer to you? Turn around, most likely its a women armed with new and better negotiation skills catching up with you. Fret not; the negotiation game has just started. Remember the more you learn about negotiations, the better you become at negotiating. So, increase your knowledge and let the games begin.

Learn to Breathe Correctly: It Will Make Your Voice and Your Presentation Stand Out!

As a voice coach, the first thing I teach my clients is how to breathe with the support of the diaphragm. The reason is because you cannot discover your ‘real’ voice until you learn this simple technique.

When I discuss your ‘real’ voice, I am not talking about using different words or thoughts to make some psychological change to how you speak. I am talking about finding your ‘real’ sound. And, that ‘real’ sound comes from your chest cavity (the largest of your 5 vocal resonators) to produce a voice that is deeper in pitch, fuller in body, and mature in quality. The voice you are currently using is being produced by your other 4 resonators which include the cavities of your voice box, throat, mouth and nose.

Because most people breathe by means of the upper portion of the chest cavity – known as shallow or lazy breathing – and not the lower half, they are unable to make use of that large cavity as their primary sounding board.
All voices that have depth, resonance and a rich quality are being powered by the chest cavity. And those voices are reminiscent of James Earl Jones, Kathleen Turner, Kate Beckinsale, and George Clooney. The only difference between their voice and yours is in the placement of their sound. In fact, you may have a fantastic speaking voice; however, you will never know just how great it is until you learn to breathe with support and power your voice by means your chest resonator.

Another tremendous benefit of breathing with the support of your diaphragm is in the control of your nervousness in public speaking. There is nothing better that you can do physically than to allow your breathing to take control of your nervous jitters and put them to good use.

Nervousness can be either a nightmare or a blessing. When you allow it to work for you and not against you, you will benefit from the ‘fight’ response of nervousness in which your level of awareness will intensify, your sight will become sharper, and your perception of pain will be diminished. And this is exactly what you need if you want to be at your best when addressing an audience.

While breathing with the support of your diaphragm can have a tremendous effect on your speaking (and singing) voice as well as your presentation skills, it can also change your life in other respects because it is the most important thing you can do to eliminate stress in your life. Imagine something as simple as a diaphragmatic breath improving your life, both professionally and personally.

3 Winning Ways to Immediately Win Negotiations – ID Style

When you negotiate, do you assess the other negotiator’s style? Do you even take the styles by which others negotiate into consideration? Are you affable during your negotiations or stern? The image you project prior to and during a negotiation has an impact on the flow and outcome of it. Thus, (Negotiation Tip) prior to entering into a negotiation, you should assess the other negotiator’s demeanor, negotiation style, and any additional insight you can glean about him. This allows you to prepare more efficiently, based on those variables.

This article highlights 3 styles of negotiators and how to best interact with them.

. Personality Types and Styles of Negotiators

Personality type is a major factor in the style one uses to negotiate. Good negotiators know how to use different styles to affect the behavior they seek. To increase your chances of winning more negotiations, observe the following 3 styles, and determine which style you should use to enhance your position.

. I Win, You Lose: (Dogged and determined)

When negotiating with this style of negotiator, be on alert. If you’re affable and accommodating, this negotiator may take advantage of you. To assure that from happening, position yourself as a similar style of negotiator. Don’t show weakness in any form. When making concessions, make him work for them. Remember, you don’t want to be perceived as a pushover. You should also balance your rigidness against any displays of compromise he shows. Again be cautious. This may be a ploy to gain insight into how you might respond to such a tactic.

. Go Along to Get Along: (Affable)

With this negotiator, you can be a little at ease during the negotiation. This person wants to do what’s necessary to negotiate affably and will do so as long as she feels you’re reciprocating. To convey that impression, be pleasant, somewhat charming, and compassionate. You can even attempt to ‘take the lead’ in the negotiation and see how she responds. If her actions (i.e. the way she responds to your offers/counter offers) are amenable, continue down that path. Just be cautious not to ask for more than you really want. To do so could cause her to stiffen and become more rigid.

. Don’t Take Advantage Of Me: (Timid, unsure of himself)

Negotiating with this style of negotiator can be almost as difficult as negotiating with the ‘I win, you lose’ negotiator. The reason being, this negotiator is not sure of himself and may display signs of inconsistency, simply because he’s afraid of being taken advantage of. As such, even when making an offer/counter offer that is beneficial to him, you need to display sincerity through your nonverbal communication (e.g. smiling when appropriate, using a softer tonality, using open gestures with your hands, etc.)

It goes without saying that you won’t be able to win every negotiation. If you give consideration to altering your negotiation approach and style, based on the style of the other negotiator, you’ll be better positioned to succeed in getting what you want from the negotiation… and everything will be right with the world.

Remember, you’re always negotiating!