For a new negotiator, it is advisable to familiarize oneself with some essential aspects of negotiation to conduct effective and interest-driven bargaining. First of all, it is important to manage one’s emotions when establishing negotiating contacts. For a beginner, it might be challenging to cope with anxiety and uncertainty, as well as the pressure of responsibility when negotiating, especially if the opponent is a more experienced and more influential individual. Therefore, it is important to concentrate on the substance of the negotiation and not on one’s personal feelings. This advice is closely linked to the second tip, which is the necessity to separate people from the problems. As Fisher et al. (1991) state, it is essential to separate people as individuals who interact from the problems they articulate and try to solve. Thus, it is important to remain objective and non-judgmental when trying to find a solution to the problem at hand. The beneficial outcome is the priority, not the satisfaction of one’s personal ambitions.
In accord with the first two pieces of advice, the necessity to concentrate on interests and not the positions are another important issue for a new negotiator. Indeed, it is important to align one’s communicational tactics so that the interests of both sides become evident and approachable. Therefore, the next tips are aimed at facilitating the process of negotiation. They include creativity, flexibility, and patience in communication with the other side. It is expected that there will be many inconsistencies and disagreements, but an effective negotiator will apply these skills to manage a challenging situation. In addition, using active listening skills, properly reacting to the words of others, and asking the correct questions might facilitate the process of information exchange. When both parties have enough information about their interests and cooperate to achieve a mutually beneficial agreement, the negotiations will be successful. Thus, a new negotiator should establish cooperative relationships with an opponent to ensure the achievement of a win-win solution.