In business, skilled negotiation can be the difference between making a million dollar contract and being fired. Here are some effective pointers to help you come out on top in the negotiation process.

Starting on a positive

The people who you are negotiating with may be business competitors. To have productive negotiations with competitors it's important to set a positive tone early on, establishing that you can both overcome your differences. For example, "The United States and Russia, England and France, and Germany and France are all former competitors who became allies. If they could do it, so can we."

Dealing with unethical negotiators

It's possible that you'll come up against people who will try every nasty negotiation trick in the book. Deal with such unethical behavior not by aggressive confrontation, but in a dignified manner. For example, if you feel that you are being lied to or deceived, you could say, "I've come to trust you completely, but on this issue I sense some holding back."

Using effective questioning

Effective questioning forms the backbone of successful negotiations. They give both sides an opportunity to gauge each other's attitudes on key issues as well as set goals and expectations. Asking open-ended questions early on will give both sides an opportunity to gather this information. For example, you could ask, "What are you hoping to achieve today?"

Recovering from offending someone

Causing offense will happen at certain stages of the negotiation process, so it's important to know how to recover from such incidents. One way to do so is to take the offensive comment and put it in a positive light. For example, "If I seemed sharp a few moments ago, be assured that it was only due to my determination to make this work."

Showing humility

Negotiations are a two-way communication, so it's a good idea to avoid getting stuck in a series of, "I'm right, you're wrong," situations. Show humility and respect to the people you are negotiating with, do not pretend to have all the answers, and openly allow them to take control of some issues. For example, "That's more your area of expertise than mine, so I'd like to hear more."

Recovering from negotiation breakdown

When negotiations break down due to anger, resentment or simple unwillingness to listen, pay careful attention when getting back to productive dialogue. Admitting mistakes and showing that you are still willing to proceed will help the negotiations regain a more civil atmosphere. For example, you could say, "What happened last week was unacceptable as it was unintentional. Shall we move on?"