Sam Trattles, Director Other Side of the Table has recently launched her second book, Negotiate Your Worth, as a follow on from her brilliant first book I Love Negotiating. Negotiate Your Worth is for business owners who struggle with pricing their services and navigating the complex but vital terrain of client contract negotiations and disputes.
A practical guide, derived from Sam’s own experiences as a specialist corporate deals strategist transitioning to Business Owner and supplier of expert consulting services, Negotiate Your Worth is a must read for all business owners.
Why did you write Negotiate Your Worth?
This is the book I wish someone handed me on the first day of running my own business. As a competent negotiator (thanks to my previous corporate roles negotiating daily on behalf of brands) I was surprised at the difference negotiating my worth as a business owner is. So, I wrote this easy-to-use workbook to help empower people to negotiate with confidence.
Who is Negotiate Your Worth aimed at?
This book is for business owners wanting to improve their negotiation capability, to reduce the anxiety and hesitation associated with this vital part of our everyday lives (that has a direct impact on the bottom line).
The Australian Native Animal framework for self assessing confidence against key negotiation skills is brilliant. What are the key traits of a skilled negotiator, and their equivalent Australian Animal?
Thank you! I wanted to make the learning experience fun and memorable, so once I realised the alignment with Aussie animals and the characteristics of powerful business negotiators, I knew it would help people enjoy the read. There are 8 characteristics in total, these include:
- The Wombat – their greatest strength comes from being a staunch defender of their home. They set strong boundaries that they clearly let others know about. The perimeter of a Common or Bare-nosed Wombat’s territory is marked with square shaped droppings, so you’re in no doubt you’re entering their ‘zone.’ As negotiators, knowing your own boundaries and no-go areas means you can be firm in negotiations, and say no when a deal isn’t right.
- The Emu – Their powers of curiosity can be underestimated, as they boldly explore what they see. They are inclined to get up-close and personal to the things before them, seemingly unafraid to face whatever is in front of them. The Emu offers an invitation for negotiators to be bold and curious, to not shy away from opportunities, to ask questions, to talk about money, or to leave the table with ambiguity.
- The big Red Kangaroo – Known as the iconic symbol of Australia, the big Red represents our young nation of strong characters, who are entrepreneurial in nature. Similarly, as a business owner you are forging your own path; you’re the boss, so stand in your power. By knowing what you want, what you need to do to survive, and who you want to work with, you can walk away from a deal when you know it isn’t right for you.
I had the pleasure of working with Nick Boyle, Divisional Director – Welfare, Conservation and Science at Taronga Conservation Society Australia to ensure the parallels I drew with these animal’s characteristics and business leaders was aligned, he said, “In ‘Negotiate Your Worth’, Sam has brilliantly captured the essence of some of Australia’s unique and iconic wildlife. The traits that have allowed these species to be perfectly adapted to their environment can also be techniques we can employ in strategic discussion and negotiation.”
How can people use the self assessments in your book to build their negotiation confidence?
Let’s face it, business owners are busy – by using the book’s Negotiator Strengths Self-Assessment Tool, readers can quickly identify which of the negotiator powers they have strength in and those that require focus. Readers can fast track their way through the book, jumping to the specific animals to learn from and putting new skills into practice that same day!
However, I do recommend readers work through the activities in the book over time, ideally in collaboration with their business coach. So much confidence at the deals table is derived from being well prepared, the activities within the Business Negotiator Toolkit will take focus but once completed will change the conversation at the deals table.
What key messages would you like people to take away from Negotiate Your Worth?
Negotiating is a learned skill, something that takes practice but does become more comfortable when you become more conscious about your approach and your negotiator language – one that suits your style.
Knowing your current strengths in negotiating will help your confidence at the deals table – knowing the parts you’re competent at will give you strength, as you build up the characteristics that need more attention.
As native Australian animals play a key role in this book, we’ve partnered with Taronga Conservation Society Australia. $1 from each book sold will be donated to support the continued care and conservation of Australian wildlife.
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