Deceptions in
negotiations are relatively common. I immediately think of the used car
salesmen and the wretched reputation that is carried along with that
profession. To this day I still do not trust a single one of them, for no
apparent reason as I’ve had great experiences. I believe that negotiations are
directly associated to reputations and to be successful at one you have to be successful
at the other.
The single most important element
during a negotiation is to establish trust first and upfront. As soon as your
credibility is in question every statement or fact you present is considered
tainted. I can recall during the buying
of my first house, I backed away from the deal, at cost due to deceptions from
the previous owner and his realtor. Regardless of any concessions they offered
afterwards it wasn’t enough to sway my decision. The second element to focus on
during negotiations is to ask direct questions. During my last annual proficiency
and readiness test, which can in theory turn into a negotiation, my
standardization pilots ask me, “Do know your engine torque limitations?” I
answered “yes.” Nothing more was said until he smirked and asked a different
question.
Listening is critical skill, maybe
not my best but during a negotiation you must listen carefully to both what is
said, or not said. Deceptions can be comprised of straight lies, or in the form
of omissions. Omissions can sometimes be considered a “white lie” but is
equally dishonest. Lastly, I recommend that you always, always, always keep records
and get things in writing. Even the most noble of business man can turn on you
if the market swings. Don’t get caught with your pants down. The latest negotiation in which I was misled came from a college. We were tasked to conduct a training class and we split up the duties. He would do the research and put the training material together. I would brief the products, or not since they didn’t exist. I believe I actually went too far on this negotiation to concede oversight of the project. A good learner point for me but the cost was more than I would have wagered otherwise. Generally I like to balance concessions to a win-win situation. There’s no need to be greedy. A happy transaction will hopefully lead to repeat business. Worst case, it will help establish your reputation.
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