Right On Time
Use the art of timing to your advantage in negotiations.
When you negotiate a deal, know when you have the most leverage
and when you have the least. That's how you put time on your
side.
The pulse: Power can ebb and flow. Note the pace and tone
of the other side's responses. Are they fast because
they're effective or because they're desperate? Are they
acting disinterested to manipulate you, or do they really not care?
Some strategists recommend change-of-pace tactics. Whether it's
an accelerando or a decelerando, you best play it well, lest your
audience boo you off the stage.
Deadlines: Negotiations tend to accelerate at the
eleventh hour. Having a deadline is like having an efficiency
expert right at the bargaining table. Discover that your opponent
has real time constraints, and you take the high ground. Torque up
that leverage by dragging your feet-artfully, of course.
Content Continues Below
The phony deadline is a classic negotiating gambit used to hurry
one side into a quick close. If you suspect it, test it: Get an
explanation. Ask for an extension anyway. Do they fold? If you can,
get expert or inside info. Or if you're up to it, just call
their bluff!
Stop signs: Every negotiation must come to an end. No
deal is perfect. Reconsider the big picture. If it's not worth
any more of your time, try to shake on it or move on. As they say,
sometimes your best deals are the ones you don't make.
A speaker and attorney in Los Angeles, Marc
Diener is author of Deal Power.