Get This Fundamental of Negotiation Right

Why do we struggle with negotiating

- better pay
- better terms
- better deals
- better outcomes

The answer is straightforward:

If you can’t afford to walk away, you can’t negotiate

As the theme with most of my posts, this again is something much harder to execute than think about.

So here are we again.

How to let go of the fear of walking away?

Leverage

And there are types of leverage:

Need people to sign up for your newsletter?
- Need leverage of past shared knowledge

Need new jobs to give you a better package?
- Need leverage of good work experience

Need people to pay to talk to you?
- Need leverage of renowned wisdom

Need people to understand you better?
- Need leverage of communication

One more for funsies, need clients to stop scope creeping on your projects
- Need leverage of documentation

See what happened here? It’s called unlocking a new perspective.

You’re welcome.

When you look at negotiations as an exchange of leverages, getting a better deal is a piece of a very complex cake.

But this being posts above helping people’s careers grow, you must be wondering -

Saqib, I have none of the things listed above, how can I negotiate better?

Well, you have the most important thing then, your time!

Learn to leverage your time -

Next time:

- Instead of working a contract for cheaper, ask to work less for a fixed amount of time and then expect better terms

- Instead of randomly easy applying for jobs on Linkedin, take the time to learn a skillset

- Instead of seeking entertainment all the time, seek knowledge in profitable domains

If you don’t have the leverage of knowledge, experience, or wisdom — then you are (probably) young — put the time in.

Your time, with time, becomes your leverage.

Keep at it!