Depending on who we’re dealing with, to be able to effectively persuade them, we need to adjust our approach.

Have you ever had that experience of spending time with someone who you admire, whether it’s certain attributes, the values that they stand for or for what they’ve achieved in their lives? How did it make you feel?

It’s time for a re-brand.

The term “soft skills” grossly undermines the value of a collection of business skills that are critical assets in the toolkit of any businessperson.

There’s no need to be afraid of negotiation! It’s a skill that can be learnt by anyone, and it’s fun.

Here are Martin’s top 10 negotiation tips. What’s stopping you from trying them?

Dealing with difficult people can feel uncomfortable as it runs counter to our basic “fight or flight” human-programming. In confrontational situations we can find it challenging to take control of and suppress our adrenalin to remain calm

Do you often send a detailed e-mail, clearly articulating (at least in your head) what you want the other person to do, only for it to be met with an incomplete or late response, or worse, total silence?

Tactical empathy goes deeper by, in addition, aiming to understand what lies behind the feelings expressed by the counterpart so that the negotiator can increase their influence throughout the process.

Why have we become so averse to picking up the phone and actually talking to someone?

Establishing rapport with a counterpart is the cornerstone of achieving a successful negotiation outcome, maintaining a constructive long-term business relationship and being able to persuade someone to your way of thinking.