Negotiating in Life, Business Negotiation February 4, 2009

Think About It

Hi. I’m the new blogger at Negotiation Space.

I’m using the name Considered Response.

I picked it not only because I hope that’s what you’ll get from me when you chime in or ask a question, but because it’s one of the negotiating behaviors that I consider most important.

When a question hits the negotiating table, is it wise to answer immediately?

(Note: There is no answer to these behavioral questions that is always right in every negotiating circumstance. There are no slam-dunks, no “cookie-cutter” methods in negotiating. Otherwise, we might be able to have computers no it for us. But it’s always the top folks, the important people in an organization or department who make the deals. That’s because negotiation requires critical thinking and discernment, an ability to judge context and behave appropriately in the given circumstances. So you probably won’t see me using the words ‘always’ or ‘never’ very often…)

But let’s look at the question this way: you ask your negotiating counterpart a question, or you lay a proposition out for their consideration. How do you feel if they come back with an immediate answer? Probably like they have an automatic response to that inquiry ready, so you’re getting their stock reply. Or like they don’t care to give the issue any special consideration for some other reason. Either way, your position hasn’t been given much weight in the discussion, and often that doesn’t feel too good. How would most people negotiate if they were dealing with someone they thought didn’t respect them? They would likely become more competitive and entrenched in their own position.

How about if they take some time – overnight or a week, or two weeks- to respond?

Don’t you feel like their answer has more weight, that it’s the product of consideration rather than improvisation? Doesn’t that consideration have some value to you, whether or not the response matches your expectations or desires? And, importantly, aren’t they giving you more time to think about the negotiation and consider possibilities you might not have if they’d answered right away? Such as alternatives or even why their position might not be so bad after all…

Our world is moving faster and faster. Sometimes we trap ourselves into thinking the quickest response to a negotiating question is best. Not always true.

The next time you’re in a negotiation and somebody asks you something or asks you for something:
Think about thinking about it.

Until next time…

Considered Response