Negotiation Tips Part IV:
Responding to Competitive tactics

What do you do if the other person refuses to engage in interest-based bargaining, and insists on using positional negotiation tactics? Here are some ideas:

  • Ignore them: “your offer is extreme and I am not going to use it as a basis for bargaining.” And carry on as you would otherwise.
  • Call them: “I see you are using a competitive tactic: is that how you want to conduct this negotiation? I don’t think we will get too far negotiating that way.” Use humour!
  • Reciprocate: make an equally extreme counter-offer.
  • Be well prepared: if you know the strengths of your own case, you will be able to negotiate with confidence. If have done your research on the other party and on their alternatives, you may be able to know when they are making false demands or misrepresenting their position, and will be able to call them on it.
  • Be prepared to walk: by letting them know you are willing to walk away they may retreat from unreasonable demands, or threatening behaviour.
  • “Go to the balcony”: take a break, ask for a time out or end the negotiations for the day to give them time to cool off and you time to think about what to do.
  • Use objective criteria: if you have a credible third party source of information, use it to reduce the effectiveness of the bullying associated with competitive negotiation.
  • Try to get them to identify interests: What is it that is really important to you? Why? Try to change the game.
  • Tit for tat:to counter intimidation, manipulation, sudden mood changes, threats, or extreme demands, you may have to respond in kind.
  • Stay focused on reasoned justifications supported by objective criteria: to respond to arguments supposedly based on values or “principles”, or to emotional arguments. Sometimes people will use “the principle of the thing” to justify an unreasonable position, and you can derail this by countering with supportable facts.
  • Be patient: do not have deadlines and be willing to wait it out; or, when necessary, be willing to walk away from pressured negotiations.