Negotiation

5. Tactics

You can use a variety of tactics to try to swing things your way.

5.1 Use the power of silence.

Many people cannot bear silence, and will fill the space by agreeing to your terms.

• If you are getting the silent treatment, start making notes in your diary.

5.2 Make deadlines work for you.

• Linking your concessions to a deadline can pressure the other party into agreement.
• If you are told a deadline, test how serious it is: 'So, if I do not agree by the deadline, there is no point in talking any more?'

5.3 Explain that you have budget limits.

You want to pay £5,000 for advertising. They are asking £6,500. Try 'I've got no more money.'

5.4 Make sure the other side invests more time and effort than you. This makes it hard for a negotiator to walk away empty-handed.

• For every action you agree to take on, get the other side to commit to two.

5.5 Threats are usually counterproductive.

People threaten you back, and you end up in a no-win situation. Instead, negotiate.

• Avoid making threats, especially if you lack the will and the means to carry them out.
• To disarm a threat, show you are indifferent to it.

5.6 Ignore psychological gamesmanship.

• Some negotiators try to gain a psychological edge. For example, by displaying status symbols (eg smart car), name dropping, or arranging staged interruptions (eg phone calls which make them look good).
• Recognise these for what they are: tactics.
• Blank them out and focus on what is actually being said.