You can approach business conversations or negotiations as a battle, or you can approach them as a process of discovery. We want to learn and understand as much as we can about the other side and then use that to strike a mutually beneficial agreement.
One way to settle yourself down before negotiation is to focus on the other person and spend your time looking at the issue from their point of view.
Then, when the talking begins, you slow down and let them speak. Even if you think you know what they are about to say, don’t say it for them. 1. You might be wrong. 2. You’re not saving anyone any time or effort. 3. You’re only going to make them feel like you’re not listening and you don’t care that much about what they have to say.
When you let other people talk, you help them feel listened to and you allow them to reveal information which they might not have revealed otherwise.
Reframe negotiations as "information discovery sessions" and seek to understand the other side by having empathy and letting them talk about what they know/feel–while you sit and listen.