Failure
is the step towards Success, Never Stop – Keep Moving Forward ”, these are the words
that professional negotiator Mr. William Watkins incorporates into his into his
life daily. (Personal communication, February 23, 2015) Mr. Watkins currently works for Gartner Inc., as a an
IT Strategic Partner. Within a short period, he has managed to standout and gains
tons of recognition as a rising star, within the company.
William’s
way of thinking and strategizing has captured the attention of many, inside and
outside the work environment. Many view him as a leader with extreme knowledge.
In addition, he is reliable, hard working, outgoing, and an optimistic individual
who will not give up until he has his opponents meeting most, if not all of his
demands. I believe when researching any professional in any industry, it is
important to know what kind of characteristics or personality traits one must
have in order to succeed in that field. Pertaining to this field, William explains
it is essential to embody patience, confidence, and boldness. “Possessing the
mentality of being a good business partner while displaying autonomy at all times
are what is most paramount.” (Personal communication, February 23, 2015) Because
he mostly focuses on monetary negotiations, I asked him how he separate the
people from the problems. He said, “First, you place them both into two buckets
and attack them differently. In doing so, both parties would need to express
and share their perceptions. This allows both views to be fully understood and
explained, providing each party the opportunity see why each view is important
to the other. If someone is emotionally attached to a project you are trying to
support you have to, overcome the personal objection before you can work on the
project, in order to move forward.” (Personal communication, February 23, 2015)
As he continued to share valuable tips and wisdom for future negotiators, I
asked him if he could go back in time and give himself advice, what advice
would it be? He responded, “Leverage my mentor(s) and success for consultants I
worked with. Never assume that a yes always mean a yes. Being first allows you
to set the anchor number in your favor because any number after that will be
compared. Lastly, I would say show passion on whatever issue you are negotiating.
Being passionate shows you care about the issue, you are confident in your
decisions, and you have done your research.” (Personal communication, February
2, 2015) There is a lot to be learn and admired about William. He definitely is
a master in his field and says that, “Even though one is good at what he/she
does, it does not mean there still isn’t room to grow and more perfecting that
can be done.” (Personal communication, February 2, 2015)
Meeting
Mr. William Watkins was a pleasure and a great opportunity for me to get inside
the mind of a genuine negotiator.
