Negotiator overconfidence

A tendency to believe in your ability to be correct and accurate more often than it is really true – has a double-edged effect. It leads you to discount the worth of others’ judgments, and it can solidify the degree to which you support a position that can be incorrect.

The law of small numbers.

The law of small numbers has to do with the tendency to draw big conclusions from small-sized sample. Negotiators learn from their experience. If that experience is limited in scope and prior negotiations have been win-lose the tendency is to project those norms and behaviour on future negotiations. The remedy here is to broaden your experience and be careful in using only your experience.

Responding when the other side is being difficult

Ury’s ‘breakthrough approach” suggests a five-step process. His approach operates on the principle of acting ‘counter intuitively”. It requires you to do the opposite of what you might naturally do in difficult situations.

1. Don’t React – Go to the Balcony

The natural tendency is to strike back, give in or break off negotiations.But you should trygoing to the balcony or psychologically remove yourself from the interaction. Become an observer.

Disarm Them – Step to THEIR Side

Attack in negotiation tends to bring more of the same and tension increases. Disarm the other party through positive constructive communication.

Change the Game – Don’t Reject: Reframe

Framing of a problem can be a trap for negotiators. Change the game by reframing their tactics by:

· Asking open ended problem solving questions;

· Openly negotiating rules of the game.

4. Make It Easy to Say Yes – Build a Golden Bridge

· Satisfy as many of their needs as you can;

· Be empathic to personal and organization demands they face;

· Involve them in the actual design of an agreement;

· By working step by step without rushing.

5. Make it Hard to Say No – Bring Them to Their Senses Not to their Knees

· Help them about the consequences of no agreement.

Negative (hardball) Tactics in Negotiations

Extreme Demands

The element of the extreme is what identifies this tactic. It is the situation where at the outset the other negotiator makes a very high demand.

The extreme opening position is an attempt to force you to lower your expectations. The weight of an extreme demand pushes us towards making concessions.