How the Devil’s Advocate, Caucus, and Planning Can Move Things Your Way

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger once said, “My job as a negotiator is to know what I want and to discover what the other party is capable of giving me.”  This requires planning.

Planning is essential to move talks in the direction you want.  Common sense indicates that the better you understand what you need, the better your chances of saying and doing those things that will get you there.  A good plan is like a compass setting.  The winds of negotiation are bound to change from time to time.  You cannot anticipate every storm and every obstacle.  Without a plan, the best you can do is react to the other person’s moves and arguments.  To succeed, you have to know where you want to go and how to get there.

One aspect of planning is especially important to maintaining the initiative.  One person on your side should play the Devil’s advocate and act as the opposing party.  For example, if you are buying a car, let your spouse or friend play the role of the car salesperson.  Go through a practice negotiation with your associate.  Present your reasons for a lower price, additional services, and free or lower priced accessories.

Afterward, let your associate rebut your reasons, just as the real salesperson is sure to do.  Then come back with further reasons and actions in response to those objections.  This approach is sure to help you anticipate the opponent’s arguments and improve your own as the talks progress.

One more thing that will help maintain the initiative throughout the negotiation is to caucus frequently.  As the discussion moves toward agreement, differences heat up.  Demands, offers and options are presented which require careful analysis.  There is rarely enough time to think things through at the table.  Under this pressure, the key to moving the talks in your direction is to spend less time in talks between parties and more time in caucuses with your own people.