Effective Negotiators Have an Eye for Body Language

I don't overrate this skill. There is a great deal of complexity about body language, so much so that in my experience, training in depth rarely helps, because of that complexity. In other words, there is so much to learn and remember that negotiators rarely use it effectively. And it is not a perfect science; there are different interpretations for the same body movements.

There are some simple applications, however, and the effective negotiator has learnt them. The classic ploy of some negotiators is to sit their counterpart in a chair that is lower. It can very easily make you feel less important, less confident, and it is a ploy to watch out for. The same negotiators may well position your chair in a disadvantageous manner. They may have it a long way away, or at an awkward angle. Your response is simple. If you don't like the chair - simply say, 'I am uncomfortable, do you mind if I stand?' If you don't like the placement of the chair, move it with confidence and say, 'I would like to move closer if that is OK.'

Avoid sitting down in reception. You are nearly always offered low, uncomfortable chairs that do not prepare you properly for the negotiation ahead. I always stand up and walk around even in the smallest of reception areas. The reason is that the receptionist cannot forget me and will do her best to get me to my appointment. I feel confident, in control, and consequently build my authority. In the process I read their brochures, look at certificates and read their in-house newsletters. I have more information.

Watch out for significant movement at critical moments in the negotiation process. I was retained by a Swedish printer to negotiate a large printing contract worth in the region of £1.25 million. When we were in the final stages of negotiation I went through the proposed pricing structure, expecting resistance. But at that point the buyer jumped up and in animated fashion started walking up and down. The price was in fact a very pleasant surprise, and he could hardly contain his emotion. It told me that I could have asked for more. It gave me a very strong position when it came to trading concessions.

Tightly folded arms at the start of the negotiation and again at the beginning of the bargaining phase are normal indicators of mild stress or intensity. Don't worry about them, but do watch for the moment when those arms relax and slide onto the table or on to their lap. They are relaxing, and you can be increasingly confident that your requests are acceptable - there is probably a positive disposition towards your approach.

Watch out for a negative shift. Negative shifts can include 'wandering eyes', meaning that they will not look you in the face. Irritated breathing sounds, tapping fingers, leaning back over-casually in the chair, an apathetic air - all these are normal signs that you have lost their interest or that they have made up their mind not to agree. You can still recover from this position with your statement-question, for example: 'Something does not appear totally clear here. Can I ask, what are your feelings about the total agreement at this point?'



How to Negotiate Effectively
How to Negotiate Effectively (Creating Success)
ISBN: 0749448202
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 111
Authors: David Oliver

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