We’re deep into autumn, which means it’s time to fall back. So, if you haven’t adjusted your clocks yet, take a moment to do so — we’ll wait . . .
Done? Great. Days are getting shorter, meaning less time in the sun. It reminds me of how time flies during a negotiation. Sometimes it seems like there’s a time warp when we negotiate and everything appears to go faster.
When deadlines loom, we often find ourselves in a position when we start to argue. We do this because we may be faced with accepting a just OK deal as we run out of time.
Here are 3 tips to help you slow down time to get your best possible deal. (Well, you’re not really slowing down time. That would require an Einstein-level grasp of the Theory of Relativity. Look, we’re not physicists, but we can help you use your time more effectively.)
- Trade — don’t persuade. When persuasion becomes ineffective, talks devolve into circular arguments and no progress happens. Change tactics. Take time to ask open-ended questions and gather information to create the best proposal that meets your counterpart’s needs.
- Summarize and clarify regularly. One of the biggest wastes of time in a negotiation is negotiating without clarity on each other’s positions and priorities. Ongoing clarification and summaries to record progress keep the deal moving forward and prevent issues that surface from derailing a deal.
- Be flexible. If the other side doesn’t accept your proposal, don’t try to simply convince them. Instead, stay focused on your desired outcome and work with your counterpart to determine under what circumstances you can arrive at it together.
Don’t let time be your master. Make the negotiation time warp your ally by using interactions with your counterpart effectively. Brainstorm. Ask questions. Create collaboratively. Take the minutes you need to craft a mutually valuable agreement.
We Can Help Put Time on Your Side.
Make the negotiation time warp an ally in your deal. Rely on Scotwork’s nearly 50 years of experience. We’ll help you use your time effectively to craft mutually valuable agreements.