Have you been in a negotiation that you thought was over, only to find out that it wasn’t, there was a little thing that needed to be addressed? It could have been, someone wouldn’t sign the deal. Or, maybe it was, ‘the last one just sold’. His reopened negotiation could have adopted any variation of the last two excuses. Most likely, the excuses were made up, already built into the trading plans of the others. deal maker. if you leave such tricks bother you, they can blow his mind.
The following is how some negotiators use such tricks and how you can protect yourself against them.
The trick: Someone who is dishonest or someone who uses the deal-no-deal strategy
Challenge – Some negotiators are downright crooks. Their main strategy is to find out how they can trick you. They will use tricks such as closing a deal, waiting until the settlement covenants expire, and then backing out or asking for small concessions. You can sue them for breaking the agreement, but that means you’ll spend more time dealing with them.
Answer: This person can be extremely difficult to deal with; if possible, don’t deal with him. As in any negotiation, you must have background information on the other negotiator. Part of that due diligence should be discovering his negotiating style based on his previous negotiations. If you have used cheating tactics in the past, they should be easy to spot.
If you can’t avoid it, watch how you respond throughout the negotiation. These people can be very accommodating when they engage with you – they are setting you up for the trick to come. Use time as your ally: stretch the negotiation. At intervals, have deliverables that you must meet before trading can occur. If at any interval it pours, let that serve as consideration for leaving the negotiation. To better protect yourself, get ahead of your deliverables to avoid spending unnecessary time negotiating.
moving target – That’s not what I/you said.
Challenge: The negotiator using this tactic can use it in different ways. You can play the confused person, “I don’t know what I was thinking, that’s not what I meant.” Or, he may try to paint you as the bumbling idiot: “How the hell could you infer that? I would never make an offer like that.”
Answer: When using any form of this tactic, stop it; explore how the point of miscommunication occurred. Then note to what degree, if at all, it happens again. If so, ask him if he is intentionally miscommunicating with you. If she gets nervous, so be it. Bring the tactic out into the open. By doing so, you will disarm its use.
time delays: I’m sorry. I’m not ready to continue. Can we postpone until next week/month?
Challenge: Every good negotiator knows that the more time they spend on a negotiation, the more energy they will expend to reach its conclusion. There’s the catch. Because the more time passes, the more likely you are to compromise.
Response – Consider the reasoning behind the request to delay trading – check its validity. You might consider raising the question of whether your negotiating partner is seeking other offers, etc. Watch how he responds. The point is to test your extension request to assess its validity and prepare for what may come. Don’t get sucked into the black hole vortex of time. You may regret it if you do.
Conclusion – Protect yourself.
The above strategies are acceptable forms of trading in some settings. So what might be a cruel dirty trick in one realm might be considered a normal way of doing business in another. Therefore, please be aware of the usual trading practices of the environment in which you are located. Doing so will allow you to increase your sense of awareness of that environment… and all will be right with the world.
Remember, you are always negotiating!
Listen to Greg’s podcast did https://anchor.fm/themasternegotiator