Negotiating
- General Strategies
- Going for a win-win outcome every time.
- Tactics
- If it's a win-lose, ensure you are in the win column.
- Your Demeanor
- Acting and appearing like a perpetual winner.
- For Lovers and Non-Fighters
- Finding and capturing all the good in the world.
- Disputing a Contract
- Making a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
- Regulators
- Convincing others to be reasonable and nice.
In Whose Pocket is the Money?
When money is involved in a dispute, it's important to ask yourself, "Who controls the money?" When the dispute is with a bully a dialogue remains open as long as you possess the money...
Better the Devil You Know
Few people and deals are perfect, consider the risks of dealing with the devil you don't know compared to the devil you do know...
Arm Yourself for Battle
If you are confronting a difficult person or person in authority, arm yourself for battle! Your battling arms can be a document, person or even a pre-arranged event....
Preparation Will Win the Day
The business world is not unlike a courtroom. One of the marks of a successful litigation lawyer is preparation. Preparation is essential if you wish to receive a favorable result...
Establish a Position at the Outset of Bargaining
A first step of bargaining or negotiating is to try to get into a position where you don't have to bargain...
Don't Fight With Pigs
You'll both get dirty only, the pig will enjoy it...
Honesty is Culturally Determined
Trying to strike an honest deal can be difficult if you are relying upon diametrically opposed standards of honesty...
Understanding is not the Same as Accepting
Bureaucrats will patiently explain how their system works. Most times they can get away with this sounding like the final solution to your problem. Just because you understand their position, does not mean you have to accept it...
Outnumber the Opposition
Outnumbering the opposition, when negotiating in a face-to-face meeting, can be done with volume or with influence...
Don't Get Mad - Get Even
Getting mad is unhealthy for you and others. Sometimes it may be healthier, and more productive, to have fun getting even...
Be Smarter Than the Dog
In the process of training a dog you will soon realize conditioning relies on praising and rewarding expected behavior. How do you condition the people you meet?
Use Modus Operandi in Your Investigations
Modus Operandi in English means method of operating. It involves describing a distinctive behavior pattern, often repeated by a person. A manager can employ this technique to classify business contacts...
Make an Offer They Can't Refuse
You may not have people in your organization who can deposit a horse's head in a bed while someone is sleeping, as was portrayed in the movie, The Godfather. But, there may be times when you can make an offer someone can't refuse...
Reconcile Rough Tactics When You're a Nice Person
If you have an ample supply of clean, justifiable and fair tactics, you will have less reliance on 'dirty' tactics...
Use the Synergy of a List
Mentioning one event is not as powerful as mentioning two or more similar events. Arm yourself with a list of complaints...
Practice your Good Guy / Bad Guy Routine
Since you've seen this routine played out on many TV dramas, please excuse us as we explain how it works...
Nil illigitimus non carborundum
Loose translation: "Don't let the bastards wear you down". This is a humorous slant to the motto, "Bug them before they bug you." A great strategy for swimming among the business sharks...
You're not the Only Victim
I've been searching for years to find a business colleague with sufficient knowledge to understand my problems without hearing, "That's nothin' let me tell you what happened to us!" Chances are that if you are having difficulty with someone, others are having the same experience...
Nobody's Picking on You
As a small business manager or owner it can sometimes be difficult to believe that nobody is picking on you...
Listen for the Pause that Signals You've Scored a Point
In a confrontation with someone who is effectively countering your arguments be sure to listen for the pause that signals you've scored a point...
Reversing Tables on a Collection Agent
It's almost impossible to operate a business for any length of time without encountering a bullying collection agent. When your operations are well-above board you can be quite inexperienced at the game collectors play, but you can learn to play their game...
Dig in on Your Main Issue
When negotiating it usually pays to dig in on the main issue early on. This influences the other party's expectation of the final deal...
The First Few Minutes Are Critical
Deals are often won or lost in the first 15 minutes, so prepare yourself to begin a negotiation before the other side does...
Adopt the Habit of Due Diligence
Negotiating a deal is glamorous and fun. Whereas, due diligence requires a lot of painstaking time and energy...
Apply Your Power Gently At First
Having power in reserve allows you the ability to increase the intensity should push ever come to shove...
Keep Asking until You Get a Favorable Response
This tactic, in its extreme, is to ignore the answers being received and vehemently continue to repeat and rephrase the question. The intent is to wear down the other person until they relent and accede to your request...
Verbal Promises Aren't Worth the Paper They're Written On
Business plans constructed upon verbal promises are as stable as sand castles built at low tide. Most promises are made by well-meaning people with integrity...
Truth and Honesty Are Rare in Larger Cities
It is a fact of business life in a large metropolitan community that many business persons engage in various tactics that lack truth and honesty...
Be Right and Fear No Man - Don't Write and Fear No Woman
This venerable maxim from another age, probably has less to do with gender qualities than it has to arrangements and relationships that may become broken...
Mirror People from Unreasonable to Reasonable
Mirroring is the use of words to simulate the holding of a mirror for a person to see (or hear) their own actions. The objective is to cause a person to alter their position...
Walk Softly and Carry a Big Stick
Walk softly and you will be friendly to others, but carry a big stick to win battles against people meaning to do you harm...
Appear Important But Don't Say You Are
'They' say appearence is everything but Uncle Max says appear important but don't say you are...
An Iron Fist in a Velvet Glove
... or is it an ace up your sleeve? Whichever, be prepared...
Say You're a Nobody
Instead of trying to impress someone with the great power and influence you possess, use the opposite tack...
Listen Don't Talk
You can't influence another party unless they interact with you. The best interaction is to allow them to talk...
Silence is the Best Answer - Sometimes
Most people have difficulty accepting silence. However, remaining silent allows you to retain or regain your composure and control...
Talk Slowly and Think Quickly
Despite all our efforts to be well prepared, we occasionally get caught off guard or surprised at times when we need some time to think...
Asking a Lot of Questions Makes You Appear More Intelligent
Ask a stupid question and you remain a fool for a few minutes - don't ask the question and you could remain a fool forever...
It's Ok to Have High Hopes
It pays to make high demands and then stick to them. It also pays to have an excuse available if you do have to retrench. Go for the most you can get...
Maintain Your Integrity
Good negotiators do not reveal all their facts, tell the complete story of what they want, or why they want it...
When You Lose, Keep the Lesson
Every business transaction teaches us some lesson, if we remain alert enough to recognize it. It seems there's more to learn when we lose...
Don't Let a Little Dispute Injure a Good Relationship
When negotiating, it is sometimes better to preserve a good relationship than to receive the best deal...
Act Not at Other's Expense
How do you reconcile the act of being assertive and aggressive in business affairs while retaining a caring and benevolent persona in private life?
Avoid Litigation
Litigation is very expensive, especially, when both parties seem to have a reasonable case. The Japanese place great importance on establishing a harmonious relationship with business clients and partners. They believe this helps to avoid expensive litigation later when things go wrong...
Bureaucrats are Nice People
Bureaucrats must follow rules to survive. Small business operators often must bend the rules to solve a problem. This can immediately create a difference of opinion on how things should be done. Despite this, Uncle Max says bureaucrats are nice people too...
