Number 2 of our 10 points deals with : "Achieve Desired Outcomes". This is where most negotiators go wrong and settle for whatever they can get in the negotiation process. The number one reason negotiators do not achieve the desired outcome they hope to achieve is because they fail to stick to their negotiating plan, and default to their opponents agenda. The kiss of death to any negotiator is to allow your opponent to take control from you during the negotiating process; it’s better for you to either stop the negotiations or ask for a break! You could use a ploy such as: “ I would really like to postpone this meeting until I have assembled some more information or documentation, so I may provide the most up to date and correct resources or numbers etc……”.
If you would rather just have a break use something like this : ask for a bathroom break, tell them you have to make an important phone call or start talking about something that has very little to due with the subject matter at hand – this in the legal arena is called a “side bar”.
2. Always stay on track with your plan and never give control of the negotiations over to your opponent. Keep these 2 points in mind and you will always achieve your desired outcome.
Be well,
James Gage
