Reply To: How I negotiate as a woman and get what I ask for?

Thank you Poonam for your sharing. I have quoted you where you said “I begin by listening deeply and genuinely respecting the other person’s perspective, even if I don’t fully align”. I find listening as the nucleus of the entire process of negotiation. I carefully listen to understand the other side. I create a space where everyone feels comfortable to share their interests and they should know that I truly mind about what they also benefit from the idea. Infact I very much try to apply one of the 7 habits of highly effective people by Stephen Covey which is “seek to understand before being understood”. This helps me to not overmind about what I want but also caring about what the other wants. Another important aspect that I strive to bring out is truthfulness and authenticity which helps to build trust that makes a person feel safe with me. After laying this ground, chances are high I will get what I want without thinking about my being a woman as a limiting factor. This doesn’t mean that I have all the times got what I wanted,but sometimes I have just appreciated the negotiation process. I think as we continue to lead in societies that have given room for gender inequality, we should practically let our strengths be felt in our spaces of influence through proper negotiations and proactive demand for what we want.