Editing Negotiation (section)

=====Reading non-verbal communication=====

Being able to read the non-verbal communication of another person can significantly aid in the communication process. By being aware of inconsistencies between a person's verbal and non-verbal communication and reconciling them, negotiators can come to better resolutions. Examples of incongruity in body language include:
* [[Nervous Laugh]]: A laugh not matching the situation. This could be a sign of nervousness or discomfort. When this happens, it may be good to probe with questions to discover the person's true feelings.
* Positive words but negative [[body language]]: If someone asks their negotiation partner if they are annoyed and the person pounds their fist and responds sharply, "what makes you think anything is bothering me?"<ref>{{cite book |last=Donaldson |first=Michael C. |title=Negotiating For Dummies |date=2011-04-18 |publisher=Wiley Publishing, Inc. |isbn=978-1-118-06808-3 |location=Indianapolis, Indiana |pages=125}}</ref>
* Hands raised in a clenched position: The person raising his/her hands in this position reveals frustration even when he/she is smiling. This is a signal that the person doing it may be holding back a negative attitude.<ref>{{cite book |last=Pease |first=Barbara and Alan |url=https://archive.org/details/definitivebookof00barb |title=The Definitive Book of Body Language |publisher=Bantam Dell |year=2006 |isbn=978-0-553-80472-0 |location=New York |pages=131}}</ref>
* If possible, it may be helpful for negotiation partners to spend time together in a comfortable setting outside of the negotiation room. Knowing how each partner non-verbally communicates outside of the negotiation setting helps negotiation partners sense the incongruity between verbal and non-verbal communication.