Written by Nichi Ayoka
Calling all trailblazing female entrepreneurs! Are you ready to unlock the secrets of successful negotiations?
In the dynamic world of business, negotiation skills are the key to unlocking opportunities, sealing deals, and forging impactful connections. In this blog post, you will discover the 5 negotiation styles, each with its own advantages and considerations. By the end of this article, hopefully you will also have a better idea which style is the most suitable for female entrepreneurs.
Get ready to harness your negotiation prowess and achieve your business goals like never before!
Let’s begin with the first style…
Accommodating
The accommodating style is characterized by a passive approach. When you adopt this style, you prioritize maintaining relationships over personal gains. You are willing to yield to the demands and preferences of others, seeking harmony and goodwill.
For female entrepreneurs, the accommodating style can be useful when trying to preserve long-term relationships, or when building rapport with the other party is crucial. It can help foster collaboration, bridge differences, and create win-win outcomes that benefit all the parties involved.
Avoiding
The next negotiation style is the avoiding style. This style is marked by a preference for sidestepping conflicts and negotiations altogether. When you employ this style, you are avoiding confrontation and may even postpone or withdraw from negotiations. While this style may not appear initially advantageous, there are some instances when you should use it.
For example, in situations where the timing is unfavorable or when the potential risks outweigh the benefits, adopting the avoiding style can buy you some time for further preparation or coming up with alternative solutions.
Competing
The competing style focuses on asserting your interests and winning at any cost. This is the classic negotiation style you see in movies. It is loud, aggressive and almost like putting on a show. When you employ this style, you are being assertive, direct, and you seek to maximize your gains while potentially disregarding the needs and concerns of others. One thing to note is that the competitive style does not necessarily align with the traditional female stereotype of being more agreeable.
That said, it can be suitable for you in certain scenarios, such as when negotiating under a tight deadline or when standing your ground is absolutely necessary.
Collaborating
The collaborating style emphasizes cooperation, active listening, and problem-solving together with your counterparts. When you use this style, you are striving for mutual understanding and creative solutions that will satisfy all parties involved.
For female entrepreneurs, the collaborating style can be highly effective in building trust, fostering long-term relationships, and leveraging diverse perspectives. Collaboration allows you to bring together different strengths and expertise, leading to innovative and mutually beneficial outcomes.
Compromising
The last style on the list is the compromising style. This negotiation style seeks the middle ground by finding concessions that are acceptable to all parties. When you are employing this style, you are open to making trade-offs to reach a satisfactory agreement.
You might find the compromising style suitable in situations where maintaining relationships while still achieving your goals is important. It allows you to find a balanced solution that addresses everyone’s needs in a smooth and timely manner, without polarizing extreme positions.
The Most Suitable Style for Female Entrepreneurs
While all 5 negotiation styles have their merits, the collaborating style stands out as the most suitable for female entrepreneurs.
Why?
Because collaboration fosters:
- open communication,
- trust-building, and
- the valuing of diverse perspectives
These are all qualities that women naturally excel in.
In addition, these qualities are in line with traditional female stereotypes and can fly under the radar unlike other negotiation styles (e.g. competitive) that might elicit social backlash.
By adopting a collaborating approach, female entrepreneurs can create a positive negotiation atmosphere, ensuring that all parties feel heard and respected.
This style aligns with your natural abilities to nurture relationships, seek consensus, and drive inclusive decision-making processes.
The trick is to turn a negotiation into a conversation.
It’s important to note that while the collaborating style is highlighted as the most suitable for female entrepreneurs, it doesn’t imply that other styles are inherently less effective or valuable. Each negotiation situation is unique and it is up to you to apply the most appropriate style based on the specific context and dynamics involved.
Negotiation in 2023
In a world where women continually break down barriers and make their mark in various industries, adopting the collaborating style empowers you to challenge traditional norms and bring fresh perspectives to the negotiation table.
Furthermore, the collaborating style aligns with the growing emphasis on ethical and socially responsible business practices. In entrepreneurship, you are often inclined to consider the broader impact of their negotiations on stakeholders, communities, and the environment.
By prioritizing collaboration, you can create win-win outcomes that not only benefit your business, but also contribute to sustainable development and positive societal change.
As a female entrepreneur, mastering the art of negotiation is your gateway to success. By embracing the collaborating style, you can unleash your unique strengths, foster inclusive partnerships, and reshape the business landscape.
Ready to take charge and unlock endless possibilities?
Perhaps you can begin by grabbing a copy of “Skills to be a Negotiation Genius”. This is a book written specifically for females who want to negotiate better in the workplace.
As a fellow fempreneur, I encourage you to keep exploring and let your negotiation journey begin!
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Meet Nichi:
Hi I am Nichi Ayoka, an indie author and solo-fempreneur.
My mission is to help women release the negative stigma of femininity in business, embrace and maximize their feminine soft skills for greater success in their business and find a better life balance without changing who they are – strong and graceful women.
Find her here: Instagram | Amazon Author Page | DM me on Facebook