Watch Your Head

Common Negotiation Traps
N.B. Synopsis of Mind Battling© An Animal Health focused Negotiation Skills- Copyrights Eyad Harfoush- 2007

Deliberate Deception

• When your counterpart tries to give wrong inputs, aiming to drift the discussions and attain conclusions based on it.
• Always show intention to verify inputs, and always do so. This simple and direct principle saves you from being cheated.
• Arrange matters so that trust isn't necessary.
• Put in provisions to protect yourself that can't be offensive unless the other side is deceiving you.

Ambiguous Authority

• When the other party delegates whoever is not assigned officially to decide on the matter of negotiation.
• Simply ask for “Power of Attorney” statement or what can replace it and verify the delegate is authorized and whatever agreed-on with him shall be granted

Psychological Warfare

• Are they intentionally making you uncomfortable? criticizing your clothing or appearance, making you wait, interrupt negotiations and making you wait again, making you repeat yourself, implying you are stupid indirectly…etc.
• If circumstances are prejudicial, say so (that may be enough). If necessary, first negotiate a better negotiating context.

Dubious Intentions

• Whenever you have doubts about the other party’s abidance by the outcomes of a negotiation, it is better to go for a mediation or arbitration whenever possible.
• If not possible, try to increase the size of social, ethical, and legal liabilities on them in case of breaching and agreement, e.g. industry partners to witness and sign agreement…etc.

Copyrights© 2006. Eyad Harfoush