How would you negotiate a raise if your performance last year was less than perfect? Or, how would you handle a confrontation with a co-worker you suspect is working against the goals of the team?

Kathleen Reardon, a professor of management and organization at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California, says that by approaching negotiation through the framework of language, we can better learn how to influence and win over the person on the other side of the conversation. Reardon believes the conversations of negotiation—both the verbal and nonverbal discussions—are often overlooked, and failure to understand these cues may compromise any negotiator's success.

Some of her recommendations for using language techniques in the negotiation process include:

• Versatility: Ask lots of questions so there are no surprises.
• Define goals and include a contingency plan.
• Set the agenda and remain focused on the goal at hand.
• Create a persuasive opening and try to know what your counterpart is bringing to the table.
• Handle conflict. Know how to respond and react especially if you've hit an impasse; try to bring things back to the defined goal.
• Learn to cross cultural divides. Don't forget global differences, especially among cultures with different styles of communication.

With these basic communication tools mastered, anyone can become a skilled negotiator.—Sara Grant