6 Ways Engineers Can Become Better Negotiators

Good negotiators tap into many of the same skills that good engineers rely on, including planning, research, preparation, and logic. Yet, many engineers struggle with negotiations.

Scott Braley, former managing partner for Heery International’s A/E Division (now CBRE-Heery) and principal consultant of Braley Consulting, explained that the language of negotiations is different from that of engineering. “Negotiation is a fact of life,” he said. “Everybody does it every day. We negotiate with ourselves as we make decisions. It’s simply communicating. But it’s in a different language than engineers are used to.”
 

Ready for negotiations

Braley explained that engineers, when faced with a difficult problem, often instinctively attack it from the straightforward perspective of determining the best way to solve it in as little time as possible. Negotiations introduce nuance that requires more than fundamental logic. It requires creative exploration of approaches that may not always be simple or purely ‘efficient.’ Engineers are asked questions that sound deceptively simple, such as “What can you do for this amount?” and “Can you do it by this date?” Finding the optimum answer adds complexity that can be uncomfortable for people unfamiliar with or intimidated by the negotiation process.

How can hesitant engineers who dislike and avoid negotiations overcome this apprehension? Here are some of Braley’s suggestions:

1. Know the landscape

Before entering into a negotiation, be fully aware of what the ultimate desired outcome is, as well as what would be considered an acceptable, if not ideal, resolution. “If you’re negotiating on behalf of the company, you have to know what its values are,” Braley said. “Take compensation, for example: Is the goal to make a profit? Is breaking even okay as long as it keeps people busy? How flexible are we? What’s the priority?” 
 

2. Do your homework

Knowing the landscape often requires research and asking questions. “The rule of thumb is that for every hour of negotiations, you may need four hours of research,” Braley said. He adds that it’s important to understand the perspective of the other party. “Where are they coming from? What constraints are they under? What are their hot buttons? If it’s for a job, what’s the competition doing? Most importantly, how do they define success?”
 

3. Recognize they need you

“A lot of engineers with five or 10 years of experience make the mistake of thinking that the client has more power than they do,” Braley said. “They don’t realize that the client probably needs them as much or more than they need the client. The engineer may worry that if the negotiation isn’t successful, they don’t get to design a bridge. But it is critically important to keep in mind that the client needs someone to design their bridge. If they  consider hiring you, and your negotiated approach will solve their problem, it’s really difficult for them not to hire you.”

4. Negotiate as a partner

Looking for ways to achieve a mutually beneficial outcome is critical, but so is adopting a tone that conveys this message. “I see this all the time in my experience with others: people thinking, ‘I have to beat them’ or ‘We have to win this.’ But it’s not about winning and losing. It’s about solving the problem together. You benefit from adopting an approach based on ‘you, the client, and I, the engineer, are going to work together to make the project a success.’ To make sure the budget and schedule work, that quality is achieved, and that the client succeeds personally. Even if you don’t use the word partner, talk as if you are. Because that’s essentially what you are,” Braley said.

5. Stand your ground

Braley said that in too many negotiations, one side tries to ensure its own success by diminishing the likelihood of success for the other party. “Communicate and emphasize that you both have the same goal, so if you’re not successful, they’re not likely to be successful either.” He offered the example of a project in which the client demands that the engineer meet a specific schedule and scope that isn’t possible for the fee insist upon. “You have to say, ‘I can quote you a lower price, but then I have to find ways to be successful at that price. This means I’m going to give you the bare minimum in every case. And that’s no way for you to be successful.’ It’s not fair to me, to you, or to the project.”
 

6. Train by doing

“Think about how you learn to fish,” Braley said. “You read about fishing a little bit, but you learn best when you watch someone fish before you actually fish yourself. So ask your boss if you can go to their next negotiation to watch. If it’s a video negotiation, sit off to the side and observe. If you can’t do either of those, ask if they’ll give you a debrief from their next negotiation. Have them walk you through their strategy going in and show you how it went. Then practice internally, where you learn from mistakes with less risk. Finally, not unlike learning to sing in a choir or play sports, negotiate with your “coach” present. Skilled negotiators frequently work in teams and use signals that will help during the process. They can also assess how you did afterward and give you advice on how to improve.”

Braley, who successfully negotiated contracts representing hundreds of millions in fees and has been a long-time trainer and mentor, highly recommends that anyone who does any negotiating, or who would like to, read Getting to Yes: Negotiating Agreement Without Giving In by Bruce Patton, Roger Fisher, and William Ury. 

Jerry Guerra is an independent writer in Lynnfield, Mass.