The Negotiation Book: Your Definitive Guide To Successful Negotiating

6.6. MANAGING THE EMOTIONAL NEED FOR SATISFACTION

We touched briefly on the need for satisfaction in Chapter 1 (page 8). The need that individuals have for 'satisfaction' – meaning getting a better deal than what was originally available – is so strong that many negotiators use relative positioning and inflexibility at the start of a negotiation with the aim of letting the other party achieve what they thought at the beginning of discussions to be difficult if not impossible. Open your tough negotiations at a position you know they will reject and it is the start of the process of 'give and take', which will allow you to start managing the other party's need for satisfaction. Many inexperienced negotiators start with a figure that they know the other party can accept because of the fear of hearing the word 'no'.

Get used to the word 'no'. When you open with a position which is extreme and yet realistic, you are going to hear it a lot. It is part of the process and you should expect it. Keep the dialogue open and they are less likely to walk away. If they tell you they can't or won't agree to your opening offer, invite them to tell you how close they can get to your offer. It keeps the dialogue going and it gets them to talk about your position. Rather than allowing them to get emotional, ask them what they would agree to rather than what they will not agree to. Then stop and consider your next move.

The whole purpose of opening in negotiation is to provide an anchor, a position ...