How To Overcome Gridlock In Your Professional Relationships
- Dec 28, 2020
- 4 min read
Updated: Aug 5, 2024
Written by: Jillian & Jan Yuhas, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
You are both experts in your field, highly respected, yet you can’t agree to close the deal.
You both want the agreement to be on your terms.
The meeting is a ping pong game of back and forth. Both of you are throwing out numbers, patiently waiting for the other to cave. However, neither one is budging to agree.
The discussion is getting pretty heated while one partner is beginning to stonewall because they feel overwhelmed. The other is feeling ignored as their emotions are becoming heightened, leaving little room for negotiation.
So, how do they go from a stalemate to a successful negotiation with an agreement?
5 Ways To Overcome Gridlock
1. Operate From A Place of Value
When operating from emotion and ego, not much can be resolved in a business deal. This naturally exacerbates the disconnect and eventually becomes more about personality complexities than about the business agreement itself.
On the contrary, if you operate from a place of value, the conversations will take a heart-centered approach and become more productive. Business relationships value maybe, but not limited to: time, integrity, mutually beneficial, teamwork, and open communication. Using values to express the lack of communication or why the business deal isn’t fair use will allow you to confidently hold your ground and create an open dialogue. Your position is more likely to be received well by the other party when there is mutual respect and understanding for the other person’s viewpoints or counter offer.
2. Use The 3Cs of Communication
The 3C’s of communication are Calm, Concise, and Constructive. Not much can be understood, heard, or agreed upon when you're not using the three Cs. When communicating, your tone of voice overall accounts for 38% of what is being said and how well it will be received. If your tone is heightened or aggressive, this alone can deter the other party from actively listening to what you have to say. Using a calm tone of voice will be crucial to creating alignment, as your tone of voice is responsible for 90% of conflict, where 10% is only words being said.
The second C, concise, is significant in keeping things clear. If you tend to go on tangents or use long-winded messages to explain your position, it can be confusing and lose the other party's attention. This will most likely lead to a power struggle and make it challenging for them to agree to your terms if it is unclear. Being concise and sticking to the fact allows you and the other party to fully grasp all the deal sides.
And lastly, being constructive in your messaging is essential. It can be almost impossible to create a win-win outcome if neither party’s solution includes benefits for each person. Having the other party’s best interest in mind is a sure way to establish an alignment as a unified team. People enjoy doing business with those who are like-minded and desire a similar outcome.
3. Stick To The Facts
The facts don’t lie, manipulate, or make the other person feel they are being taken advantage of. Sticking to the facts will allow all parties to clearly understand what they agree upon without feeling threatened or defeated. If you are in negotiation with another highly intelligent individual, they will likely see through anything that is not legit. It's better to be straightforward and factorial to eliminate potential roadblocks, or worse, a complete loss of business.
4. Negotiate For A Win-Win
The number one skill that is most forgotten in a negotiation is active listening. One can tend to get carried away stating their position and giving lengthy explanations as to why it is the best solution to a problem. However, this is where things can get sticky if you lay all your cards on the table, as it can work against you if the other party sees your weaknesses.
The most skillful negotiators listen intently to uncover all positions while saying very little to prevent distraction or confusion. They ask open-ended questions to gain insight into the other person's position and tap into their critical thinking skills. When one party knows more information than another, they better understand all the facts. This allows them to position a counteroffer that will benefit themselves and what the other party wants while addressing their concerns and any closing factors.
5. Sign The Agreement
The final step to reaching an agreement is where both individuals mutually benefit without one party being shorted. Reaching a win-win outcome requires having an open mindset and thoughtful consideration of what works best for both parties involved. If you value your professional relationships, then agreeing shall be simple for your business.
When signing business agreements, it is highly recommended to implement relationship intelligence skills to support a healthy working relationship. Ultimately, this requires a WE mindset. It’s the relationship you build that will close every deal with ease, as trust is a must in any business deal.
Jillian & Jan Yuhas, Executive Contributor, Brainz Magazine
Jillian Yuhas and Jan Yuhas, MA, MFT, CPC.
When their needs with past romantic partners were ignored and clients requested services beyond their contracts at their first company, they knew there had to be a better solution to resolving differences in their relationships. Being empaths came with some hard lessons, which fueled their passion to create a method on how to resolve opposing views and evolve relationships to the next level. With Masters in Psychology, Certificates in Professional Coaching and Mediation, their professional and personal transformation led to them developing their signature coaching programs, Relationship Intelligence Method and Boundary Badass Program. Today, Jan and Jillian are International Relationship & Lifestyle Coaches and Boundary Specialists at Entwined Lifestyle who coach driven men and women on how to cultivate personal and professional relationships.
