The Smallest Negotiators


Kids are naturally great negotiators. They'll trade peanut butter for American cheese or a toy truck for a frog, and everyone comes out a winner. They know what they want and they go after it.

But what happens when you want to negotiate with your children? Then it's not so easy. They've got it all figured out. Every parent (and child) in the world knows the high-low strategy: "Daddy, can I have 10 cookies?" "You can have one." "Come on Dad, eight cookies." "You can have two." Usually, they settle for four.

When you really want to negotiate with kids, however, you have to make them understand the meaning of commitment. That's what my father did with me. When I was about eight years old, I was fascinated with reptiles. We were studying them in school. All I wanted was a boa constrictor. My father said I could have a boa if I would sign a contract saying that I would take trumpet lessons for the next five years. It was a big commitment, and it made me really stop and think about how much I wanted that snake.

I got my boa. And for the next five years, even though my father occasionally had to chase me around the house to get me to practice, I took trumpet lessons. I can still play today, and I never forgot the meaning of commitment.

Of course, you can't use this tactic too often. You can't have your children sign contracts for everything. But when it really counts, it may just be the help you need to make them understand that "winning" a negotiation can be a long-term commitment.




Diamond Power. Gems of Wisdom From America's Greatest Marketer
Diamond Power: Gems of Wisdom from Americas Greatest Marketer
ISBN: 1564146987
EAN: 2147483647
Year: 2003
Pages: 207
Authors: Barry Farber

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