Exceeds expectations
- Prepared the vendor's likely position in advance and closed a better rate without souring the relationship.
- Traded a longer contract for a lower price, so both sides gained rather than one just conceding.
- Held firm on price by showing the value, rather than discounting the moment the buyer pushed.
- Listened for the customer's real concern, which was delivery time, and solved that instead of cutting cost.
- Knew the walk-away point going in, so a bad deal was declined calmly rather than accepted under pressure.
- Split a stuck negotiation into separate items and settled the easy ones first to build momentum.
- Secured a bulk discount by combining orders across branches, without over-committing on volume.
- Kept a firm supplier to a missed commitment by referring to the agreed terms, not by threats.
Meets expectations
- Prepares the key facts and a target range before a negotiation.
- Listens to the other side's position before pushing own.
- Trades concessions rather than giving them away for nothing.
- Stays calm and professional even when the other side is pushy.
- Aims for a deal both sides can live with rather than a one-time win.
- Knows the limits of own authority and escalates beyond them.
- Documents what was agreed so there is no dispute later.
- Holds a reasonable line on price when the value supports it.
Needs improvement
- Discounts at the first push rather than making the case for the value.
- Goes into a negotiation without preparing the facts or a target.
- Gives concessions without getting anything in return.
- Focuses on winning the point rather than a workable deal.
- Accepts a poor deal under pressure for want of a walk-away point.
- Lets emotion into a tense negotiation, which hardens the other side.
- Leaves terms vague, so disputes surface at delivery or billing.
- Commits beyond own authority and has to walk a deal back.
Self-review phrases
- I prepare the other side's likely position now before I go into a negotiation.
- I trade concessions rather than giving them away for nothing.
- I want to hold on price by showing the value instead of discounting at the first push.
- I set my walk-away point in advance, so I decline a bad deal calmly.
- I listen for the real concern behind the customer's position before responding.
Tips for writing this feedback
- Judge negotiation by the outcome and the relationship: a good deal that keeps the other side willing to deal again.
- Value preparation, since most negotiations are won or lost before the conversation starts.
- Watch for the habit of discounting at the first push, which trains buyers to push harder next time.
- Credit trading concessions over giving them, and a clear walk-away point that prevents bad deals under pressure.
- Check that terms were documented, since a vague agreement becomes a dispute at delivery or billing.
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How do you review negotiation skills?
Judge negotiation by the outcome and the relationship together: a good deal that leaves the other side willing to deal again. Look at preparation, since most negotiations are decided before the talk begins, and at whether concessions were traded rather than given. Strong signs are holding on price by showing value and knowing the walk-away point going in.
What makes a strong negotiator in the workplace?
Preparation, listening, and discipline. A strong negotiator learns the other side's likely position first, listens for the real concern behind a demand, and trades concessions rather than giving them away. They hold a firm line where the value supports it, know their walk-away point, and document what was agreed. The aim is a workable deal, not winning every point.
How do you coach someone who discounts too quickly?
Show the pattern with a real deal where an early discount thinned the margin, and explain that quick discounting trains buyers to push harder. Practise making the value case before any price move, and set a rule of trading, not giving, concessions. Agree a target range and walk-away point before each negotiation, and review whether margins hold better next cycle.