“Sunday Negotiation Insight”
Are you defined by labels and if so, who’s doing the defining?
Who is that, was the question posed by one member of the group to the other? He’s the caretaker was the response. Thus, in the eyes of the questioner, the person about whom he was inquiring was seen and defined as a caretaker and all that such a lowly label implied. But wait, that’s not the whole story. The ‘caretaker’ was someone that had enriched and influenced the lives of hundreds of thousands of people around the world through his writings and videos. He had taught people to view themselves and their abilities such that many had stepped outside of their comfort zone and become people that they had only imagined they could be.
What are some of the labels you have, who gave them to you, and how does such influence the way you see yourself and live your life?
Labels can define you, but you don’t have to live your life according to a label, unless such a label adds value to you per the meaning you give it.
Who defines you and the manner you act per that definition is the way you choose to interpret such meanings. Thus, define yourself for who you are. From there you can define yourself for what you want to be … and everything will be right with the world.
What does this have to do with Negotiations?
In a negotiation, negotiators assign labels to each other. He’s too rigid. She’s easy/tough to deal with. Such mindsets, if not controlled, sets the tone and pace of the negotiation. Thus, if someone is perceived as possessing certain traits, we tend to treat them like the label we’ve given them.
To be more successful in your negotiations, understand the mindset you enter into the negotiation with and be adaptable to change if you sense the assigned label is not appropriate. The more adaptable you are in a negotiation, the more flexible you’ll be mentally. That will always turn out to be a winning combination. From there … everything will be right with the world.
Remember, you’re always negotiating!