To find out how we might help you scout the terrain to prepare and conduct negotiations at the highest level, let’s talk.
Tag: change management
-
Dealing with a stubborn person
How do you deal with a stubborn person?
We’ve all had to face people who simply wouldn’t budge. It happens in all walks of life. In a negotiation, facing an immovable counterpart can be particularly daunting.
So how do you create movement? Here are three levers to break through the resistance:
↔️ Shift the dynamics
Sometimes the fastest way forward is sideways. Build alliances within the stakeholder landscape. It can compel engagement — or sideline the troublemaker.
🔍 Understand what’s beneath the surface
Resistance often masks something deeper: personal insecurities, unmet needs, or fear of backlash from internal constituents. Addressing those can open doors more effectively than pressure ever could.
🌱 Model the behavior you want to see
Demonstrate constructive collaboration. Or reference similar constellations where progress was made. This can serve as a powerful example that inspires movement.
Tactics to get unstuck include:
→ Reframing
→ Offering a graceful exit
→ Highlighting shared consequences
→ Changing the environment
If you’re facing a tough situation and want to get unstuck, happy to exchange ideas.
#Negotiation #Leadership #StrategicInfluence #StakeholderManagement #ConflictResolution #CrowlightPartners
-
Book Spotlight: Negotiating Rationally (Bazerman & Neale)
Ever wondered why smart people sometimes negotiate irrational deals—or walk away from deals that would benefit everyone?
In “Negotiating Rationally,” Max Bazerman and Margaret Neale unpack the psychological traps that cause negotiators to deviate from rational decisions and provide strategies to counteract these biases.
Key insights include:
✅ Overcoming the Winner’s Curse When negotiators rush to win, they often overpay or make unnecessary concessions. Rational negotiators detach emotionally, focus on data and realistic valuation, and know their alternatives.
✅ Avoiding Anchoring Bias Initial offers have outsized influence. Prepare systematically: establish your own targets and reservation points first, rather than reacting to the other party’s anchor.
✅ Managing Confidence Levels Rather than relying on gut instinct when it comes to strengths and weaknesses, rational negotiators seek outside perspectives, plan for multiple scenarios, and ground their strategy in evidence.
✅ Sunk-Cost Fallacy Past investments can irrationally influence your negotiation strategy. Rational negotiators recognize that decisions should be guided by future potential, not past commitments.
✅ Framing for Mutual Gain Rational negotiators reframe conflicts as opportunities — seeking integrative solutions that create value for all sides, rather than settling for suboptimal compromises.
A recommended read for anyone who wants to sharpen their negotiation skills by recognizing and avoiding common psychological pitfalls.
#Negotiation #CognitiveBias #StrategicThinking #BookSpotlight