Topic for Discussion: Why are negotiation skills key to leading your company?

Answer: Vicky wanted funding and she wanted a low price for the San Diego Office Pavilion. She had good information and presented it perfectly to motivate Herman Miller to back her. At the same time, she kept all of her communication close to the vest to prevent others from entering what could have been a competition that would have definitely driven the price up. What we learn from Vicky here is her negotiation worked because of her depth of knowledge of every aspect of the situation and even the players involved. The more you know, the tougher you can be.

Vicky scared Herman Miller into thinking that the San Diego location would go down the tubes with an absentee owner. Next, she painted the picture to the owner that his life would be so much more enjoyable if he didn't have to worry about running the San Diego operation from his new home in North Carolina. Vicky's communication and negotiation skill completely changed a plan that was already put in place by the old owner.

In another episode, Dr. Keith Grint of Oxford's Templeton College of Business said that the ability to negotiate is the single most important skill of leadership. His reasoning is that you can no longer simply tell people what to do. That is because almost no one has to do what they are told to do. We are living in a century where we find ourselves with an educated and independent-minded workforce. You may think you can tell people to jump and they will say, "how high." However, that doesn't work well and for sure it doesn't work well over the long haul. Thus, we have to provide people all around us with information and the reason that they will benefit if they do what we suggest that they do.

You think about it: What problem could you solve if you decided to negotiate?