👋🏻 Jacob here.
Negotiation is an ongoing dance where proactive executives win—and reactive ones lose.
Being proactive lets you say no to poor-fit opportunities and maintain confidence and leverage.
To navigate negotiations more effectively, follow the AAAA framework:
- Anticipate: Embrace “No” as your default response, keeping leverage on your side. Be open to hearing others out, but maintain your power.
- Assessment: Gather information, build rapport, and understand your partner’s objectives. Be cautious about sharing sensitive topics like equity and compensation too soon.
- Alignment: Collaborate with your partner, visualizing yourselves on the same side of the table instead of adversaries. Work together to establish a shared understanding of the challenge.
- Agreement: When concluding the negotiation, avoid rushing. Express gratitude and take time to review any concerns before finalizing the deal. Haste equals risk.
*Remember: EQ is more important than IQ in negotiation. It’s often not what you say but how you say it (or saying nothing at all). Mastery of behavioral psychology will help you beat much stiffer competition on paper. And rightfully so, you’ve focused more on what matters and what works.
Stay fearless, friends.
See you next week.