The Negotiation Guru

“I don’t even call it violence when it’s in self defense; I call it intelligence.”
- Malcolm X

Experienced negotiators know hundreds of tactics and strategies. However, when under pressure they will instinctly do whatever that works. In a real world negotiation situation, unethical tactics are very common. These tactics come in all direction and you won’t have time to think.

The skilled negotiator is able to deal with unethical tactics quickly with high level of control. With dedication and consistency, we can slowly learn how to deal with unethical tactics.

Here are 5 ways to deal with unethical tactics:

1. Probe! Probe! Probe!

“A miser and a liar bargain quickly.”
- Greek Proverb

Very often, we have to deal with liars in our negotiations. If you have a hunch that the other party is lying, find out if it’s the truth. In such a situation, the best way to deal with a liar is to probe.

Probing will allow you to find out if whatever he’s saying make sense. As you probe further, you might discover loopholes in his story. If you are not convinced with his story, probe until you are able to understand what is going on. Challenge them .

A word of caution: When dealing with liars, do not use harsh words . Anger and harsh words only lead to even more distrust and hatred. Avoid embarrassing him directly by calling out on his lies.

2. Bring in a third party

“The glue that holds all relationships together is trust, and trust is based on integrity.”
- Brian Tracy

When the other party refuses to play it play, bring in a third party to assist in the process of the negotiation. Consider bringing someone who is totally impartial with no links to any side of the negotiation. The advantage of bringing a third party helps to shift the negotiation to a fairer space. With a third party, the person you are negotiating with will have more to lose if he starts to behave unethically.

3. Be firm and resolute

When you are dealing with someone using unethical tactics, be firm and resolute. Keep your voice down and avoid using severe words. Losing your temper will not make things better. By not fighting back, you are protecting yourself and help to maintain a mature level of communication at the negotiation table.

4. Remember you have alternatives

You must be able to walk away from any negotiation. If unethical tactics are used on you, consider if you are able to simply walk away . Let it be known to the other party that by deploying unethical tactics, you do not feel they are being sincere. Make sure they are aware of the possibility of you walking away from the deal.

Surely, it’s a drastic last resort measure to walk away from the negotiating table. Sometimes, it is the best way to get the other party to ditch his unethical tactics and play fair.

5. Be Principled

Threats are very common in negotiations. Threats are only useful if they are credible. Skilled negotiators rarely use threats. The way to deal with threats is to be principled.

Maintain to your own standards. You can also ignore the unethical tactics and treat them as irrelevant. Tell the other party that you negotiate on merits and you don’t respond to threats. When they discover that you are not responding to their tactics, they stop using them.

When faced with unethical tactics, avoid playing tit for tat. If you retaliate with unethical tactic, you are unable to voice your objection against the other party’s behavior. More importantly, you will lose your own reputation.

Play your own game, not theirs.

—————–
Jens Thang
Negotiation Skills for Everyone

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Email: jens@thenegotiationguru.com

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Related Links

1. 4 Simple Habits to Power Up Your Negotiation

2. How to Win in Negotiation: 4 Key Steps to Help You Prepare

3. How to be a classy negotiator?

4. What do people lack most when they negotiate?

Tags: adr, business, conflict resolution, influence, mediation, negotiation, psychology, strategy, tips

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 5th, 2008 at 10:57 pm and is filed under Business Negotiation, Contract Negotiation, Credit Card Negotiation, Cultural Negotiation, Debt Negotiation, Difficult Characters, Psychology, Resistance, Salary Negotiation, Sales Negotiation, Tactics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.