In any negotiation, we’re better equipped and poised for success when we prepare for all the ways our requests could be shot down before the conversation even begins.    Walking into a negotiation unprepared puts us at an immediate disadvantage - and in the worst position to advocate for ourselves. By deliberately and strategically crafting our responses ahead of time, we’re more likely to get the package we want.    In the things that you’re asking for, what are the reasons the other side could say no, and how can you turn that into an opportunity for mutually beneficial solutions that work for everyone?    In this episode, I discuss how to work through the most common negotiating hurdles, and how to quickly pivot when we don’t get the answer we want.   Three Things You’ll Learn In This Episode    Why it’s smart to prepare for obstacles ahead of timeIt’s human instinct to get defensive when someone says no. Why is this response counterproductive to what we want to accomplish in our negotiation?    How to enhance your package by negotiating for non-monetary benefitsMoney isn’t the only valuable outcome of a negotiation. If the other side says no to more money, how can they still show that we’re valuable to them?    Why we shouldn’t be discouraged when we hear “no”A “no” isn’t a complete loss if we can pivot the conversation to a mutually beneficial solution. How can you turn an obstacle into an opportunity?