CHAPTER 10: CREATING AND CLAIMING VALUE IN EVERY NEGOTIATION #

Every negotiation holds the potential to build something bigger than anyone expected. This is not about grabbing what you can and leaving the table. This is about seeing the full field, then deciding what to plant, where to grow, and when to harvest. Negotiation is a craft, a practice, a mindset. It is not a one-time tactic. It is a way of operating with intention and clarity. The goal is to bring value into the room, then walk out with your share of it.

The first step is to recognize that shared interests are not buried treasure. They are already in the room. You find them by listening without interrupting and asking questions that invite real answers. You stay present. You ask what matters most and you notice what keeps coming up. The deeper you listen, the more chances you give both sides to discover where their goals overlap. That overlap is the starting point for building real value.

Once you know the interests on the table, expand the conversation. Create multiple options instead of narrowing too soon. Think of each option like a door. The more doors you open, the more likely you are to find one that both sides can walk through without losing ground. This creates room for trade-offs, creativity, and flexibility. It creates space for movement.

Fairness holds power. Use standards, not opinions. Reference market prices. Reference expert reports. Reference what would be seen as fair by an outsider with nothing to gain. When the standards are clear, decisions feel justified. Agreements made on objective terms last longer and land better.

None of this works without trust. You build trust by being consistent, honest, and respectful. When trust exists, information flows. When information flows, value is easier to find and easier to grow. Strong relationships lower the cost of disagreement. They open the door to better deals and future work together.

After you’ve built value, claim it. This is where confidence counts. Know what matters to you. Know what your alternatives are. Know what you will and will not accept. Your BATNA is not a fallback plan. It is your foundation. The stronger it is, the more relaxed you can be. You are not desperate. You are deciding.

Speak clearly. Be direct. Say what you want and why. Assertiveness is not aggression. It is clarity in motion. It gives the other side something to respond to and shows you take yourself seriously. That alone shapes how they treat you.

Group your issues. Don’t isolate them. Negotiate them together. When you look at the whole picture, you see places to move. You might give a little on one point if it means securing something more important elsewhere. This kind of movement keeps the deal alive and increases satisfaction on both ends.

Make the first move. Anchoring works. The first number said out loud usually becomes the reference point for the entire negotiation. When you speak first, you define the range. That kind of framing changes the game before it even starts. Use it with care, backed by preparation and solid reasoning.

The best negotiators do not divide. They connect. They do not demand. They describe. They do not rush. They read the room. They know when to speak and when to stay silent. They are willing to walk away and equally willing to keep building. They don’t just want the deal. They want the right deal.

Now that you know how to create value and claim it, you’re ready for what comes next. Not all deals happen across a familiar table. Some happen across oceans and cultures, where every word and gesture carries weight you may not yet understand. In the next chapter, we step into that world. Because knowing how to negotiate is one thing. Knowing how to read the signals before a word is spoken is what takes your skill to the next level. Let’s go there.