Many times we find ourselves the only female around the table, around the room. Yet our teams trust us to advocate on their behalf. How do you negotiate in male-dominated teams, and expand your influence despite the gender inequity?
Women are still few and far between in Technology, especially in leadership positions. It is very important to have that diversity as women and men bring different attributes and strengths to the table. A key attribute of leadership is the ability to develop other leaders. As women leaders, it is our responsibility to empower and encourage more women to take a seat at the table, in a world where there are so many men.
Men and women have different approaches when it comes to negotiating. Women naturally have more experience negotiating, due to various roles they play in their personal life as mothers, wifes, daughters-in-law. Some of us grew up watching and learning from our mothers and grandmothers who tactfully negotiated with everyone from street vendors to various family members. That is a lot of exposure and training.
You may have to negotiate for many things at work, here are just a few examples:
- Getting the right resources - people, equipment, budgets
- Getting your team’s voice be heard on key issues
- Getting the deserved rewards and promotions for your team members
- Working with your business partners across the organization on project related issues
Here are a few tips for successful negotiations in these situations:
Establish your credibility: In a world where is natural bias towards men and there are more men at the table than women, the key to successful negotiation for women is to establish your credibility, such that your voice is heard and your opinions matter. Preparation is very important to establish this credibility. Do your homework and have the facts ready.
Make up your mind: Decide ahead of time which aspects of the negotiation you care most about, and which aspects you are willing to compromise on. After all, negotiation is give and take. No one wants to negotiate with someone that wants to win all the time and is not willing to give and take. But, you need to draw a line between what is negotiable and what is not. Mental preparation goes a long way to help with this.
Believe in your cause: Demonstrate passion around the cause you believe in. Your passion is evident to others and helps you to be taken seriously.
Control your emotions: Stay calm and don’t let things get personal or emotional. Women are stereotyped as being emotional, pay special attention to this, and don’t let emotion get the best of you.
Use the right body language: Stay firm in terms of body language, words used etc.
Take the initiative: Whether it is purely for work or for your personal career growth, you have to take the initiative, present your case and negotiate for what you want.
Persuade, don’t be forceful: Understand what's important to others involved and convince what you are asking makes sense with logical and persuasive arguments.
Be persistent: You can’t always win, don’t take it personal. Let it go and try again with a different approach.
Utilize your signature strength: Build your brand around your signature strength. For some, it is the ability to connect with people easily, for others it is the logic and reasoning. Use it while negotiating.
Take your time: When it is comes to accepting a position or agreeing to a deal, ask for time to consider the offer and speak with your family or friends. Go back with a clear mind when you are ready.
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