Don t Dig Your Heels In

Don't Dig Your Heels In

Remember to focus on the overall interest. Don't take an intransigent position. Don't allow one element or one feature or one particular position to obscure the overall interest. Keep talking about that general interest. Keep the whole deal in mind, get their entire shopping list. Use a phrase like 'What other points did you want to discuss?', or 'What are the other issues that are important to you?'

If you dig your heels in on one particular issue, the chances are that push will become shove and you will end up with breakdown or deadlock. Sometimes the intransigent position is a reflection of greed. That smells as rotten as any bad fish, and your counterpart will rightly turn up their nose at it!