Two interesting articles came through my RSS reader today posting the results of a study regarding gender and negotiation skills. The first noted the following:
Women more skilled at business negotiations than their male counterparts.
I can buy that, being a woman. However let’s look at the study results based on simulations of business negotiations among 554 Israeli and American management students at Ohio State University, in New York City, and in Israel at the Leon Recanati Graduate School of Business Administration. Dr. Yael Itzhaki who conducted the study (a woman as well) stated, “Women are more generous negotiators, better co-operators and are motivated to create win-win situations.” Women offered better terms to reach an agreement than men. And women were good at facilitating interaction between the parties, she found. The study also indicated that women are great listeners, they care about the concerns of the other side, and they’re generally more interested in finding a win-win situation – a statement coined by Herb Cohen, our upcoming seminar speaker – to the benefit of both parties than male negotiators.
Then just posted today…
When it comes to negotiating, men and women change gender stereotype
A study from MIT’s Sloan School of Management and University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business assigned 190 MBA students to same-sex groups to represent either a high-status recruiter or a low-status job candidate engaged in a standard employment negotiation simulation. The study noted that when incentivized to make a positive impression on their counterparts, men and women in the high-status role acted in ways that contradicted gender stereotypes. Women negotiated more aggressively and men negotiated in a more appeasing manner.
Business schools are looking for ways to ensure graduates are given all the skills necessary to compete in an ever increasingly aggressive and competitive business environment. That means graduates entering the workforce are even more prepared to dominate in business. It’s not going to be whether you are a man or woman, but how well trained you are to negotiate and make the sale.
I could have told them to save their money. Women are the better negotiators. Just ask my husband!
So let’s hear from the men and women out there…who do you think dominates when it comes to negotiating the sale? Are you even prepared for the battle?
By the way, as far as men go, the master of negotiation is Herb Cohen. I’ll have a chance to go head-to-head with him this coming September. Will you be there?
Just wanted to say HI. I found your blog a few days ago on Technorati and have been reading it over the past few days.
Women ARE better negotiators. We have to be to compete against the perceptions that we are not “equal” in the business world…a perception that exists still in 2008, I’m sad t say. That’s why women are doing these studies to prove that we are equal – if not better in the art of the deal!
I do admit that Herb Cohen is a master and have read his books (as well as listened to audio versions) and have learned much from him. I’ll be at the event in September! He’s way too entertaining to miss. Saw him at a recent event in Toronto with Gitomer and others. He was great. And this is way cheaper at $99!