The workplace is full of negotiation opportunities. In fact, most people negotiate at work far more often than they realise. From discussing pay and workload to agreeing terms with suppliers or internal stakeholders, it is hard to avoid it.
If the idea of negotiating at work makes you feel nervous, let us put your mind at ease. Negotiation skills can be learned by anyone, in any role. With the right structure and preparation, you can develop negotiation tactics that help you reach more positive outcomes and even benefit your personal life. Let's explore why this is important, some skill examples, and the situations in which you may use them.
Negotiation skills matter because work can be full of competing priorities, limited resources, and pressure. When you neglect to learn the art of dealmaking, you could end up giving ground without knowing it. Those who do prioritise negotiation skills, on the other hand, tend to see the following benefits.
Strong negotiators are clear about what they can and cannot agree to – reflected in the 71% of negotiators who consider what is important to themselves before approaching the table. This does not mean being rigid. It means knowing your limits and communicating them early. When you know the difference between your non-negotiables and areas of flexibility, it is easier to approach conversations with decisiveness and control.
How many times have you said yes to a deadline that is not workable? Without a negotiation structure, pressure pushes people into agreeing too early. This is not uncommon, with 41% of salespeople sometimes entering negotiations with no preparation at all. Having a pre-prepared plan and learning how to manage expectations allows you to slow the conversation without slowing progress. In the process, it gives you space to decide when to push forward and when to pause.
People often link negotiation to money, but value at work also includes time, scope, and quality. Negotiation skills can help you trade creatively across these variables. For example, instead of immediately agreeing to a client’s request to deliver a report two days earlier than planned, a project manager can trade value by suggesting that their team can meet the deadline only if the scope is reduced. This way, she avoids a small concession turning into a long-term precedent.
Regardless of your natural negotiation style, there are some key examples of negotiation skills at work that are important to learn. Grounded in the Scotwork 8-Step Approach© and based on the analysis of over 100,000 hours of negotiations, each skill supports control of the process, from preparation through to agreement.
Slowing down to carefully consider the information you have been presented with is an absolutely critical negotiation skill. When you analyse well, you stop treating negotiation as a debate and start treating it as a collaborative decision-making process. Do this by breaking the discussion into issues, priorities, and tradeables, then packaging your deal accordingly.
While you may wish to separate emotions from your professional life, it is not uncommon for negotiations to bring up feelings of frustration, especially if a conflict arises. Emotional intelligence (EQ) means being self-aware of your own emotions and expressing them in a cooperative way. It also encompasses understanding the other side's perspective and responding accordingly.
From presenting proposals through to closing a deal, good negotiating communication is clear, structured, and controlled. Rather than filling the space with argument or explanation, skilled negotiators guide the conversation so it stays focused on central issues. Communication is not only about what you say, but when you say it. Used deliberately, you can also use silence to prompt reflection or signal that it is time for the other side to move.
Negotiation is about more than explaining your own position. It requires active listening skills. This looks like taking time to put aside your own agenda and really take in what the other side is saying. No daydreaming about what you want to say. No assumptions. The National Library of Medicine advises that for active listening, "it is critical that the receiver acknowledges receipt of the information and provides feedback to the sender to ensure mutual understanding."
Learning to listen ties neatly into building rapport. When you listen to and find common ground with the other party, you build trust. This acts as a relational foundation that makes the other side more likely to feel safe to share information, consider options, and implement what is agreed. You can also build rapport by considering and respecting cultural differences, such as forward vs reserved communication styles or relationship vs task motivations.
Counterintuitively, being flexible can help you keep control in negotiations. Why? Flexibility is about movement, not weakness. One way to do this is to prepare a best alternative to a negotiated agreement (BATNA). This means having a plan B for if negotiations don't go as you hope, so that you don't inadvertently agree to a worse deal than your best alternative.
Stuck with a deadlock? Problem-solving can get you out. Instead of repeating positions without any headway, look for the underlying issues that drive those positions. Once you understand the real problem, you can reframe it into tradeable variables. For example, an employee may push for a higher salary than their employer can afford to offer, leading to tension and employee dissatisfaction. When they identify that the employee wants a higher salary to pay for childcare costs, the employer could trade value by offering flexitime or a four-day workweek instead.
Negotiation involves choices, sometimes at short notice and with incomplete information. You don't need to be good at thinking on your feet to make decisions quickly, though. Deciding in advance what your response will be to any eventuality will reduce the likelihood of becoming flustered. Calm decision-making means you know when to pause or adjourn and avoid making decisions simply to reduce pressure. This keeps the process deliberate rather than rushed.
Self-control is the skill that stops a negotiation from drifting into reactivity. It shows up when you hold your nerve, stay silent, and listen fully, especially when the other side applies pressure or makes a provocative demand. In Scotwork terms, it helps you manage the Argue and Signal steps of negotiation: you ask better questions, spot movement, and avoid interrupting proposals. It also supports a disciplined adjournment when you need time to think.
When these skills are applied consistently, you can increase your chances of success in multiple areas of workplace negotiation. Here are some common types you may come across.
Salary negotiations are more than a numbers game. They require clear preparation around evidence and professional experience, alongside an understanding of business capacity. When a valued graphic designer with ten years of experience approaches his manager for a raise, he cites other professionals with his experience level receiving, on average, 10% more. Unable to argue with evidence and not wanting to risk the graphic designer moving on, his request is accepted.
Internal negotiations in the workplace are considered to be some of the most difficult. Not only are there competing deadlines, budgets, and priorities, but also internal politics and unspoken expectations. A woman who is asked to take on more social responsibilities on account of her gender could trade value by emphasising equal partnership and requesting support in return for giving a favour. This structured approach can help her discuss her needs confidently without turning the conversation into a confrontation.
Supplier negotiations require balancing cost, service, and risk. While it may be tempting to sacrifice a supplier relationship to save a dime, building long-term value means thinking beyond the immediate deal. Unfortunately, only 21% of negotiators believe that working relationships are strengthened following negotiation. If you are worried about disagreements further down the line, you can protect flexibility by building in a re-negotiation clause.
Sales negotiations are rarely just about price. A savvy used car buyer will consider trading across different variables, such as interest rates or extra perks like servicing and extended warranty. If under time pressure, the car salesman may, in turn, choose to prioritise making a sale quickly in exchange for offering a lower price. She will also have a plan to handle objections constructively, keeping the conversation focused on reaching an agreement rather than defending positions.
Closing is about judgment and timing. Skilled negotiators know when enough movement has taken place and can manage last-minute demands without reopening settled ground. Clear summaries ensure that what is agreed is understood and implemented. This was successfully implemented by The Walt Disney Company, which acquired LucasFilms after two years of personal, behind-the-scenes negotiation.
Negotiation at work is not about winning arguments. It is about building collaboration, staying in control, and protecting value under pressure. The skills outlined here work best when they are applied within a clear structure, not in isolation. When implemented well, it can turn negotiation from reactive competition into constructive value trading.
At Scotwork, we help people at all levels build these skills using a proven, practical approach. Our experts work with you to develop confidence, improve judgment, and handle real workplace negotiations more effectively. If you want to understand how structured negotiation skills can support your role or organisation, we would be glad to help you take the next step. Get in touch today.
