Are you snapping at every hook?

Negotiators are masters at sidestepping questions by dangling baited hooks in front of their opponents. One minute we are setting out our demands, the next minute we are off topic, arguing about something unrelated that does not matter. We have all been there. Why does this happen, and how can we stop ourselves from snapping at every hook?

One of the biggest determinants of success in negotiations is clarity of purpose. It is surprising how often seasoned negotiators go into negotiations unprepared with a ‘let’s see what we can get’ attitude. Going into negotiations with this mindset is a sure way of not getting a good deal.

By lacking a clearly defined objective, we leave the initiative to the other party. We permit the other party to control the focus of the negotiation because we do not have our own agenda. We get to negotiate what the other party is willing to negotiate.

A lack of clarity on what we wish to achieve creates the risk that we expend too much energy on negotiating things that do not matter. It creates the risk of us getting sucked into point scoring behaviour because we do not have a clear goal.

We must, therefore, start negotiations with a clear understanding of our objectives. This is not to say that our objectives for a negotiation cannot change; flexibility is essential, but without a clearly defined mission, we will drift aimlessly, snapping at every hook that is dangled in front of us. Even if we win a few battles, a lack of mission focus is likely to cost us the war.

If, however, we have a clearly defined mission, we will not be tempted by baited hooks and stay focused on what really matters. We will be able to direct the spotlight ourselves, focusing the negotiation on topics that matter to us. We must, therefore, keep our eyes on the prize and off the shiny distractions.