I have a client that is enthusiastic by nature. A new travel mug inspires a happy dance from him. Lucky for his team, this translates to his enthusiasm about the negotiation mistakes his staff makes.

Yes, that was not a mistake, their mistakes. He is also happy about their successes… the only thing that makes him unhappy is when his team is not setting goals for themselves as negotiators.

He is smart enough to understand that if his team is consciously working on their negotiation skills, he will win in the end. Mistakes are a part of pushing the envelope of our skill level.

When someone from his team knocks on his door to share that they stretched themselves to get out of their comfort zone in a negotiation process, his reaction is what you expect from hearing the news they just won a Nobel Prize! This type of response keeps his team completely engaged, excited, and on fire about becoming better negotiators.

Some managers only want to hear the outcome of the negotiation. Never asking about the process. Did you reach your target? Yes or no? This question does not encourage the development of negotiation skills in their team.

Compare that to a manager that asks these questions after a negotiation:

• What did you do well in the negotiation?
• Did you probe to understand their true interests?
• Were you satisfied with your preparation, given the time you had?
• What would you do differently next time?

I am starting a negotiation skills co-coaching group (by webinar) for people who are interested in continuous negotiation improvement. If you would like to learn more about this, email for details – Coaching@CastleNegotiate.com

Remember to Negotiate Smart™!