Effective Communication in Negotiation

The worst sales advice I ever got? "Just listen more." As if listening alone closes deals. See, most reps think they're listening. They're actually just waiting for their turn to talk. Or worse - frantically scribbling notes while missing the real message. Level 1: Eye Contact Not staring at yourself in the corner of Zoom. Not checking emails on your second screen. Actually looking at them. Showing presence. Simple? Yes. Common? Absolutely not. Level 2: Active Engagement Don't just nod along. Repeat back what they've said. "So what you're saying is..." Then dig deeper with specific questions. This is where deals actually move forward. Where trust gets built. Where you separate yourself from the 90% who just pitch. But Level 3? This is the game-changer. Level 3: Total Capture with Otter.ai I stopped pretending I could remember everything. Stopped the frantic note-taking that kills connection. Started transcribing every single word instead. Now while competitors are scrambling with notes, I'm: ↳ Maintaining full eye contact ↳ Asking deeper follow-up questions ↳ Actually hearing what they're NOT saying ↳ Building real relationships, not just taking orders Otter.ai captures it all: - Every commitment made - Every concern raised - Every buying signal dropped - Every stakeholder mentioned After the call? I've got: - Complete transcription - AI-powered summary - Action items extracted - Follow-up points clear See for yourself here https://lnkd.in/ewux7QDE The result? My close rate jumped 37% in 90 days. Not because I became a better talker. Because I became an elite listener. Your prospects don't want another rep taking notes. They want someone who truly hears them. Eye contact shows respect. Active engagement builds trust. But total capture? That's what wins deals. Free yourself from note-taking. Start actually listening. Let technology handle the rest. Because in 2026, if you're still choosing between listening and note-taking... You're already losing to someone who doesn't have to choose. What's your biggest listening challenge in sales? 👇

Listening is a skill I’ve never truly mastered I tend to fill silences when I should leave space. I often jump to making suggestions instead of asking questions. I sometimes wonder if I focus more on what I’ll say next rather than truly hearing what’s being said. These are weaknesses. But tackling a weakness can only happen once you accept it. And now I am working on it. Because being a better listener isn’t just about being polite — it’s essential for building trust, understanding others, and making better decisions. So here’s what I’m trying to do to get better: 1. Pausing for 3 seconds before responding. 🤫 It’s hard for me to pause purposefully, but research shows that leaving a small gap rather than filling it encourages the other person to elaborate. 2. Maintaining eye contact — but not too much. Looking away occasionally makes people feel less pressured and more open. Which is of course what I want. 3. Making an effort to ask open-ended questions instead of giving advice. Offering unsolicited solutions is a bad habit, just ask anyone I work with. “Can you tell me more about that?” works better than jumping in with advice that starts with me saying: “If I was you this is what I’d do…” 4. Summarising what I’ve heard to check my understanding. Saying “What I’m hearing is…” helps clarify miscommunication and shows I’ve been paying attention. It’s one of the techniques I learned from master negotiator Chris Voss’ books. 🤔 5. Physically removing distractions. If music is on in the background I turn it off or down. And putting my phone out of sight and out of reach makes an immediate difference in how present I am with people. Being a better listener takes effort — it’s about being intentional and patient. I’m still a very long way from perfect, but progress matters more than perfection. What’s one thing you’ve done to become a better listener? I’m all ears!

The most underrated skill in sales today? It’s not what you think. Most people assume it’s prospecting, building a perfect process, or even follow-up (which you know I love). But the real competitive advantage heading into 2026 is far simpler and far more powerful: Listening. Really listening. When you stop waiting for your turn to talk and start tuning into what your customer is actually saying, everything changes. Because customers will tell you: Exactly what they want How they want it When they want it Why they want it And what they’re willing to pay for Your differentiation lives in their words. Your value lives in their pain points. Your next sale lives in your ability to listen. So on your next call? Flip the script. Talk 20%, listen 80%. You’ll walk away with gold, the kind that closes deals and turns uncertainty to your greatest competitive advantage.

Nobody tells you this about enterprise sales The biggest deals are lost in the first 5 minutes. Not because of your pitch. Not because of your price. Not because of your product. But because of the language you use. Here's what I discovered after analyzing 1000+ sales calls: The higher the deal value, the simpler the language needed to win. Example: $5K deal (Lost) Rep: "Our value proposition addresses critical pain points in your tech stack integration, offering seamless scalability..." $50K deal (Won) Rep: "We help companies stop losing customers due to slow website loading times." See the difference? I tested this with a struggling SaaS team: Before: Complex sales language - 22% close rate - 108-day sales cycle - $127K average deal After: Plain English only - 41% close rate - 71-day sales cycle - $198K average deal Simple change. Massive impact. The truth is, every exec can smell rehearsed "sales talk" from miles away. Want to close bigger deals? Drop these phrases: - "Value proposition" → Say how you help - "Pain points" → Say what problems you solve - "ROI analysis" → Say how much money they'll make - "Scalable solution" → Say how you grow with them - "Best-in-class" → Say why you're better Top performers don't sound like salespeople. They sound like trusted advisors who happen to sell. Start talking like a human. Watch your deals grow. What's the worst sales jargon you've heard lately? P.S. If you need help with your sales, send me a message Let's talk about finding your breakthrough strategy

Listen up. I’ve coached thousands of sales calls and most reps sabotage their own deals without realizing it. When I started in 2007, I nearly got fired for not understanding how language impacts buyer psychology. Now, after helping teams double revenue in 90 days, I can spot the hidden mistakes instantly. You're probably killing your win rate with these “harmless” phrases. Here are 6 phrases that are absolutely DESTROYING your deals (and what to say instead): 1) "Sorry to bother you..." Starting with an apology tells the prospect, “I’m not worth your time.” You’ve lost before you’ve begun. Top 1% performers NEVER apologize for delivering value. They command attention through absolute certainty. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Hey Alice, Marcus here from Venli. I'm reaching out because we helped Company X increase their pipeline by 37% last quarter, and I noticed your team might be facing similar challenges..." 2) "Just following up..." This lazy phrase screams, “I’ve got nothing to offer, but want your money.” Total momentum killer. Elite reps are wildly precise with their words and always reference specific commitments made in previous conversations. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Alice, you mentioned you were going to discuss our proposal with Charles during your leadership meeting yesterday. I'm curious … what feedback did you receive that we should address?" 3) "I know you're really busy..." Say this, and you’ve just made yourself irrelevant. Game over. Remember: YOUR time matters. Top performers signal status through subtle positioning every time. ✅ POWER MOVE: "I was just wrapping up a strategy session with Lisa, the CEO over at Company X, and wanted to quickly connect about next steps before my afternoon gets packed..." 4) "What are the next steps?" This signals poor process control - no system, no playbook, no real method. The sales machines I build don’t ask for direction - they GIVE it. They own the process. ✅ POWER MOVE: "Based on what we've discussed, here's what typically happens next: First, we'll schedule a technical review with your team for next Tuesday. Then, we'll deliver a customized implementation plan by Friday. How does that sound?" 5) "To be honest..." Wait, Wait... so everything before this wasn’t true? Nothing kills credibility faster. When I turn around failing sales teams, eliminating this phrase is always one of the first habits we break. ✅ POWER MOVE: "That's an excellent question, Alice. Here's exactly how our solution addresses that challenge..." 6) "What do I have to do to get your business?" Is this 1988? This pushy close screams desperation and kills trust instantly. The best reps I've coached understand that closing isn't an event. It's the natural outcome of a well-executed sales process. ✅ POWER MOVE: "It seems like you're hesitating about X. I'm curious … what specific concerns do you have that we haven't fully addressed yet?" Which of these six phrases have YOU been using without realizing it? 

Chances are, you’ve been told to listen but never taught how to listen. Let’s work on that. Most people listen to respond. The best listeners? They listen to feel. Let me show you what that looks like: Prospect: “We’ve been trying to fix onboarding for months. Every new hire still gets lost.” Typical rep: “Yeah, onboarding’s a challenge for a lot of companies.” Pro rep: “Sounds like you’ve thrown everything at this and people are still slipping through the cracks.” That’s called emotional echoing. You’re not parroting. You’re reflecting the emotion behind the words. And when you do that, something powerful happens: The prospect exhales. Because now, they’re not talking to a seller. They’re talking to someone who gets them. When people feel understood, they trust you. And in a world of similar products, trust is the reason people choose you. The skill? Listen for the emotion underneath the words. Not just “stress,” but overwhelm: “You’re carrying more than you can handle and don’t see a way to lighten the load.” Not just “frustration,” but lack of recognition: “No one sees how hard you’re working.” Developing ears that hear more than words? That’s a superpower in sales and in life.

I Stopped Pitching. My Revenue Went Up..... The day I stopped pitching was the day my numbers started growing. Sounds backwards. Let me explain. For years I was a pitch-first seller. Deck loaded. Value prop rehearsed. First meeting = product demo. That’s the American way. It worked in the U.S. It bombed in Asia. So I tried something different. I walked into my next client meeting in Jakarta with no deck. No product slides. Just questions. “Walk me through your biggest challenge this quarter.” “What have you tried that hasn’t worked?” “If you could fix one thing in your customer experience, what would it be?” Forty-five minutes of listening. That’s it. At the end, the client said: “This is the first meeting I’ve had with a vendor where I didn’t feel sold to.” That deal closed 3 weeks later. Zero slides. The framework I use now: first meeting is for them. Second meeting is for us. Never the other way around. Here's my prep: • For your next first meeting, leave the deck in your bag. Prepare 5 questions that demonstrate you’ve done research on their business. Open with: “I’ve done some homework but I’d rather hear it from you. What’s keeping you up at night?” The shift from presenting to listening changes the power dynamic entirely. • Time your talking vs. listening. Use your phone’s timer. In the first meeting, aim for 80% listening. If you’re talking more than 20%, you’re pitching. You’re not there to impress them with your product. You’re there to understand their world so deeply that when you DO present, everything you say maps to something they told you. • Take notes by hand, not on a laptop. It signals attention and respect. And write down their exact phrases — not your interpretation. Use their language back to them in the proposal. When a client sees their own words in your solution, they feel understood. That’s trust you can’t fake. • After the meeting, send a summary: “Here’s what I heard. Did I get it right?” Two things happen: you demonstrate you actually listened, and you give them a chance to correct your understanding before you invest time building the wrong proposal. What’s the biggest deal you’ve closed without a traditional pitch? What did you do instead? #SalesLeadership #APAC #saleslife

“Giving Junior Vibes?” Here’s How to Fix It. A client recently called me, a little rattled. Someone told her she was giving junior vibes—and she had no idea what that even meant. Honestly? Neither did I at first. After 30+ years in sales, I’ve seen top performers who don’t always sound like it. They do the work, hit the numbers, but something about their presence signals “not quite senior.” If that’s ever been said about you, here’s how to shift the perception: 1️⃣ Own the Room (and the Zoom) Executive presence isn’t about talking the most—it’s about speaking with intention. Slow down, breathe, and pause instead of filling space with um, like, just. Silence isn’t awkward; it’s powerful. 2️⃣ Listen More Than You Speak Junior reps talk to prove they know their stuff. Senior professionals listen to understand. Empathetic listening builds trust, authority, and deeper relationships. Instead of thinking about what to say next, focus on what’s being said now. 3️⃣ Master the Power of the Pause One of the best questions you can ask isn’t a question at all—it’s just “And…” followed by silence. Count to four in your head. I promise you, your client or prospect will step into that space and tell you more. Or simply ask: • “Tell me more...” • “How do you mean?” Listening at this level doesn’t just make you a better salesperson—it makes you a trusted advisor. 4️⃣ Shift from Order-Taker to Trusted Advisor Juniors respond. Seniors lead. Instead of waiting for direction, take control of the conversation. Guide your clients by connecting the dots between their challenges and your solutions. Position yourself as an expert, not just a vendor. 5️⃣ Think (and Talk) Like a CEO Whether you’re selling to the C-suite or aiming for it, your language matters. High-level decision-makers don’t care about features—they care about business impact. Tie everything back to revenue, risk, and results. 6️⃣ Breathe. Slow Down. Own Your Space. Ever notice how the most confident people don’t rush? They pause. They let their words land. You don’t have to fill every second with speech. Breathe, collect your thoughts, and trust that your presence speaks volumes. The good news? Junior vibes aren’t permanent. Confidence, presence, and strategic thinking can be learned—and mastered. And it all starts with listening. #Sales #SalesLeadership #1MillionWomenBy2030

Here's a step-by-step breakdown on how to negotiate with a supplier (a playbook for your next negotiation)   You’re facing a supplier who’s increasing prices, and it’s threatening your margins.   This is exactly what one of my clients — a manufacturing CEO — was up against.   Here’s how I helped him turn it around:   1. Don’t Start with Price – Lead with Understanding   First, I told him: “I understand that you’re facing pressure too. Can you walk me through what’s changed on your end?”   By opening the conversation this way, he got the supplier talking about their challenges, not just about raising prices.   This put the focus on the problem, not the cost.   2. Ask for a Breakdown   You need the specifics on why the prices are going up.   “Can you help me understand the key factors driving this increase? I want to ensure we’re on the same page and can explore solutions.”   This makes it clear you’re not just passively accepting... But actively looking for mutual understanding.     3. Explore Alternative Solutions   Instead of just battling over price, ask about other ways to meet their needs without impacting your margins.   “What other solutions could we explore to offset these price changes?   Could we adjust order quantities, change delivery schedules, or modify terms to maintain the same cost?”   This opens the door to creative problem-solving that benefits both sides.     4. Use MESO (Multiple Equivalent Simultaneous Offers)   This is a powerful tactic where you offer a few alternatives that all work for you, giving the supplier options.   It helps you avoid a deadlock.     “We have a few options to consider:       1. Maintain the current price if we commit to a longer-term agreement.     2. Accept a 5% price increase but shorten the contract length.     3. A 10% price increase with better delivery terms.      Which option works best on your end?”   This lets them choose the solution that’s easiest for them while keeping you in control.     5. Highlight Long-Term Partnership Value   Make it clear that you’re in this for the long haul.   And you’re looking for a deal that benefits both of you.     "We value this partnership, and we want to continue growing it.   Let's work together to find a solution that makes sense for both of us in the long run.”   This builds goodwill and emphasizes your commitment to a strong, ongoing relationship.     My client saved 12% on operational costs and secured a long-term supplier relationship.   The key takeaway:   Don’t negotiate just on price.   Lead with understanding, ask for better terms, and propose a solution that works for both sides.   Ready to negotiate smarter? Let’s talk ---------------------------- Hi, I’m Scott Harrison and I help executive and leaders master negotiation & communication in high-pressure, high-stakes situations. - ICF Coach and EQ-i Practitioner - 24 yrs | 19 countries | 150+ clients  - Negotiation | Conflict resolution | Closing deals

Active listening: key to neuroinclusion in the workplace “When people talk, listen completely. Most people never listen.” ― Ernest Hemingway Active listening is crucial for fostering neuroinclusion in the workplace. For neurodivergent individuals, communication challenges can vary, and active listening helps bridge those gaps. Start by clearly explaining why the meeting is happening. This helps set expectations and reduces anxiety. Also, be mindful of the environment and timing—some people may focus better at certain times of day or in quieter spaces. Use open-ended questions to encourage conversation, and ask follow-up questions to clarify any points. This shows genuine interest and ensures everyone is on the same page. Allow for processing time—some may need extra moments to absorb information before responding. Summarise key points at the end of the conversation to reinforce understanding. Additionally, be aware of your own communication style—some neurodivergent individuals may interpret tone, body language, or even phrasing differently. By recognising and adapting to these differences, we can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment where everyone feels heard and understood. Active listening isn’t just about hearing words; it’s about truly engaging and creating a space where neurodivergent individuals can thrive.