Maybe You Should Just Say No to Negotiating
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Leonhardt says the first two situations are easier to recognize than the third. If your client is desperate to put this issue behind him or her or in need of money that could come from a settlement, you should advise the client of the dangers of the situation but ultimately it’s the client’s decision what to do. If the other party is suddenly interested in negotiation it should not be a big deal to ask for a little time to prepare.
In the third situation not all of us have minds with airtight compartments for all the things going on in our lives. Given the energy and focus needed for a successful negotiation it may be best to try it when the rest of your client’s life is in relatively good shape. Leonhardt shares the story of a successful industrial designer who ended up getting the short end of the stick because he entered into negotiations during a tough stretch in his life.
- Jesse and his partner of almost twenty years were getting into almost daily arguments.
- An extra glass of wine could relieve or worsen the situation.
- Work helped him feel better but he was making mistakes. Longstanding appointments were missed, phone calls weren’t returned and he felt exhausted in the afternoon.
- A robotics firm wanted him to design a new product. A trip out of town and some time away seemed just what he needed.
- He submitted a $100,000 budget and booked a flight.
- Things went well initially. They liked his ideas and the conversation was positive.
- “I was pretending I didn’t have a care in the world,” Jesse said, “and I almost believed it.”
- Jesse admitted to being nervous and glad to be away from home so he went overboard with wine that night.
- The next morning he sat down with the CFO to negotiate the contract. Jesse was hung over, his head was fuzzy, the state of his relationship hung over him and while the CFO went over contract details, Jesse couldn’t focus.
- “It wasn’t until I was signing my name that I realized she had trimmed 30% off the budget. We lost our shirt on that deal.”
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