“Ask for it” Book Summary + Lessons + Inspiring Quotes

“Ask for it” by Linda Babcock and Sara Laschevor is a career-oriented book that encourages women to work on their negotiating skills. Women have intriguing minds and geat thinking skills, but they still end up underutilizing their latent skills for negotiations. 


The Art Of Negotiation Quotes

-One must realize that everything in life is negotiable. With proper negotiation skills and necessary resources, we can have what we want at the right price.

-“Research stats have proved that while women are better suited for negotiations, men tend to utilize this skill more often to achieve their goals.”

-Women tend to listen to their inner voice, and with the fact that they tend to think too much, this could get disastrous.

-They tend to develop imposter syndromes, feeling like they don’t deserve it or they are taking advantage of others.

-While this may sound moral, they are wasting their immense talent in negotiations by curbing their own progress.

-The art of negotiation has to be trained from an early age, even if someone possesses an innate talent for it.

-Assume that everything is negotiable, then lay the groundwork, choose the right target and then put it all together.

-The key to successful negotiation is considering that everything is negotiable at the right prices and conditions.

-A change in attitude is mandatory for negotiation. A negotiation demands a professional and calm demeanor from both parties involved.

-Continuous improvement comes from continuous exposure and higher aims. So it is advisable to aim higher from the beginning itself.

-To be a skilled negotiator, we need to eliminate any visible shortcomings, to ensure it doesn’t fare up during the negotiations.

-We should thoroughly analyze our strengths and weaknesses. To succeed we must first know ourselves.

-It is advisable to have a role model. Having a good frame of reference helps us measure our growth over time.

-We should know the worth of our services and the worth of products we aim to sell. A good negotiator always ensures he/she is paid according to his/her worth.

-We should recognize the power of subconscious bias. People are mistreated on a regular basis. This is the world we live in. We should ensure that we are fully paid, according to our worth.

-Then the final and perhaps the most important lesson. We should judge properly whether the corporation or institution we work for is fair or not.

-We should ensure that the company we work for fairly pays for the effort we put in.

-Now, we start laying the groundwork. Those are the practical skills that are necessary if we want to be eligible to sit at the table.

-Persuasion and adaptability are two skills that matter the most. A good negotiator is expected to persuade any difficult party and adapt to all kinds of bizarre situations.

-Information is the key to successful negotiations. Like they say ‘Information is Power.

-A professional negotiator should thoroughly research various sources and gain any significant or minor information which could be valuable before we decide to sit at the negotiation table.

-It is expected to have complete information regarding the matter at hand and the nature and the skills of the other party involved.

-Decision-making is a critical part of negotiations, where split-second decisions can determine the outcome. Appropriate timing is critical in negotiations.

-Women often underestimate themselves, ignoring the enormous potential they hold when it comes to war with words.

-Negotiations can take unexpected turns, so alternate plans should be prepared beforehand, to ensure a smooth negotiation.


The Art Of Negotiation Quotes

-A reserve value and a target value should be fixed beforehand. Reserve value is the lowest a negotiator is willing to go and the target value is the price he/she is looking for.

-The negotiator must possess a separate bargaining power. The personality of the negotiator plays an important role in negotiations.

-We should work on our leadership skills. We can start from a low point, like applying for an unattractive project and assume leadership. It can be a good practice.

-A negotiator must pay special attention to how he/she wants to have an agreement. It has to be ensured the agreement is beneficial to both parties, otherwise, the negotiation is doomed to fail.

-With the right mindset and appropriate preparations of how to present the deal, we must then focus on the target. The target should be such that they can give us the price we want on terms we can afford.

-A negotiator must push for the best result. Compromises are necessary but a negotiator must not willingly compromise below a satisfactory price.

-Women are good negotiators. Time has proved that again and again. But they thrive when they negotiate on behalf of others.

-Negotiations require complete commitment from the parties involved. A good negotiator can recognize a good price and we should never, settle for a price lower.

-Co-operative Bargaining can be used as a chip. Other parties involved take the incentive to deal once they realize we have information or certain things beneficial to them and are willing to include them as a part of the deal.

-Experience plays a key role in negotiations. Not surprisingly, adaptability only comes from experience.

-Once the concerned parties perceive we are clever enough and experienced, negotiation can get a lot easier.

-Once the negotiator has the right mindset, right skills, and the right client, it is time to put it all together.

-There are certain specific traits a negotiator must possess.

-A negotiator is expected to have a calm demeanor. He/she should not be nervous. You lose the negotiation, once your nervousness is exposed.

-Goals should be presented in a likable and nonthreatening way. Once the other party feels we respect them, they will be willing to concede to a certain extent.

-Last, but not least, always remember, during a negotiation, if you do not hear a single no, you are just not asking enough.


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