If you
have a good story about a tactic that was used on you or by you, drop me a
comment or link and Here is a list of 25 common tactics -
1.
Exploding Offers
(artificial deadlines) – an
exploding offer contains an extremely tight deadline creating pressure on the
other party to conclude quickly. The purpose of the exploding offer is to
limit the time the other party has to consider alternatives.
2.
Russian Front
– Presented with 2 options, A and B,
one worse than the other. Designed to pressure you into choosing the
lesser of two evils. Remember two wrongs don’t make it right, attach your
own considerations as condition of acceptance.
3.
Defence by
Committee – After a deal has been
concluded one side will insist that it still needs to be ratified by some
steering or executive committee. Low and behold after the committee
hearing, several concessions are required for approval. This may continue
for several iterations each time nibbling concessions.
4.
The Chicken – Combining a huge bluff with a threat of action –
Strike or Lockout etc. This high risk tactic increases the probability of
deadlock, and if the bluff is called and the threat is not carried out, both
credibility and power are lost.
5.
Intimidation, The
Bully – Using either actual physical threat
or implied physical threat to intimidate the other party into concessions they
would not otherwise agree. Sometimes emotional intimidation is used
(anger, disbelief, crying, etc.).
6.
Snow Job – When negotiators overwhelm the other side with
facts, demands and figures. The other side has difficulty determining
which are real, which are important, and which are distractions. Lawyers
and Governments often employ this tactic.
7.
Boulwareism – Name comes from Leo Boulware, Former VP for Labor
Relations at General Electric. Boulware despised traditional negotiation
methods and created the “Best-offer-first” or “take-it-or-leave-it”
ultimatum. Difficulty is this type of negotiating increases the
probability of deadlock because of the decreased satisfaction on the receiving
end of such a tactic.
8.
Wolf in Sheep’s
Clothing – some negotiators try to lull
the other side into a false sense of security by praising their opponent’s
skill and downplaying their own abilities only to continually request further
concessions. They will praise the other parties offer as reasonable and
fair, but often claim they are not authorized to accept such and offer, if only
it could be improved marginally in several areas.
9.
Higher
Authority – Negotiator’s will purposefully
dis-empower themselves from making decisions. I’m not authorized to agree
at that level. I’ll need to review this with the CFO/Manager/Director
etc.
10. The Mock Threat – indicating that such a position will have monumental
consequences on ALL business between the 2 companies and not just the matter at
hand. “We will have to do a line review or product rationalization
etc.” Often combined with higher authority. “it’s not me, it’s from
Corporate”.
11. Good Cop Bad Cop – based on law enforcement interrogation
techniques. One party opens with a tough position often accompanied by
threats, arrogant behavior, and unwillingness to consider anything else
(parental). After leaving the room, a second negotiator attempts to
secure major concessions before the return of the first Bad Cop.
Sometimes disguised and used only when certain issues are brought up or certain
thresholds are crossed.
12. Yes equals No –
agree to a ridiculous proposal by attaching equally ridiculous demands as
condition of acceptance. Can be effective countering the Russian Front
tactic.
13. Off the Record – using informal discussions to test and gauge
potential responses to positions. Testing the waters. Sometimes
informal discussions are necessary when an impasse has been reached.
14. Highball / Lowball – when your extreme opener is beyond the realm of
realistic outcomes. The idea is to cause the other party to reconsider
their own opening position and move closer towards their breaking point.
Danger is the increased risk of deadlock before the negotiation even begin,
crossing the “Piss Off” point.
15. Bogey –
presenting a relatively minor issue as one of huge importance. Later
during the negotiation, the bogey will be conceded for major concessions on
issues that are of real importance. Danger is the other party may
actually structure proposals to give you the bogey or worse yet, you may lose
credibility when conceding on the bogey.
16. The Nibble –
after considerable time has elapsed during a negotiation and a level of
commitment has been reached, an issue not previously discussed is used as
a way to close the deal… “And one last thing”. Example – just
before agreeing to purchase a new car the buyer says – “Ok I’ll agree provided
you throw in the extended warranty for free”.
17. Personal Favor – Be careful about using the personal favor,
because one good turn deserves another. If you request a favor you now
owe someone a favor in return.
18. The Auction or Dutch Auction – designed to tap into the competitive nature of 2
or more individuals pitted against each other, causing them to lose sight of
the actual value of the item being auctioned.
19. Deliberate misunderstanding – using intransigence to buy time. “Can you
take me through that proposal again”, usually followed with very specific
questions about some of the issues. “I’m having a hard time following
you”, “I’m not sure I understand”.
20. Incorrect Summary – When one side while summarizing what has been
agreed will purposefully add or change an issue in an attempt to slide it by
the other side. Will cause a deterioration of the climate and loss of
credibility.
21. Bait and Switch – When the item you where negotiating for seems to
be different then what you thought you were negotiating for. Car dealers
may claim, “Oh look, the serial number is for the black jeep and not the green
one. My manager can’t agree to this price on the green jeep, it has all
these extra options, if you are able to take the black one we have a deal”.
22. Sow the Seed – Used by opening extreme and insisting the other
party think about the offer before they respond. Allowing the other party
to go through the six stages of acceptance, minimizing the impact of the
extreme offer by combining it with time to think about the proposal.
23. Denied Access – used to increase the time pressure on one
party. All forms of communication are cutoff in an attempt to create
desperation from the other party.
24. The Flirt –
an appeal to one parties ego through sexual flirtation or compliments.
Appeals to the social need “wanting to be liked”.
25. Peer Pressure –
stemming from the days of the playground. All your competitors will be
carrying this product, or using this technology, etc. and you’ll be the only
one missing this opportunity.