A Long-Term Head

One of the important things police negotiators learn is to go into every negotiation as if it will be a long-term event. Having that attitude right at the beginning of the process helps set up a successful negotiation. And if you think you’re going to be at it for a while—if you’re taking the negotiation seriously, as all negotiations should be taken—then you’re going to start by making sure you’re physically comfortable and mentally ready to work.

Dumb example time: Few years back, a negotiating team responded to a domestic-type dispute in a suburban neighborhood. It turned out that a man had barricaded himself in a house for some trivial reason and was refusing to come out. No weapons had been observed, and in fact there seemed to be some question among the police officers responding to the scene whether the man was really barricading himself in there at all.

“This is bullshit,” said the negotiator. “I can deal with this easily.”

It was an early fall afternoon in the Northeast, one of those gorgeous 70 degree days just before the leaves start changing colors. The negotiator figured he’d have the guy out in a few minutes and get back in time to knock off early for dinner.

Except that the person in the house turned out to be pretty serious about not coming out. And he turned out to have a weapon no one had known about.

The afternoon turned into the evening, and the evening to nighttime. The temperature dropped to 50 degrees, then dipped to 45. The negotiator, still in shirtsleeves, froze his body parts off. By the time the man inside the house finally agreed to come out, the negotiators were suffering from hypothermia and the commander looked like one of those ice sculptures you find at fancy weddings.

I’m kidding about the hypothermia, but it was damn cold.

You’re not in a position to negotiate unless you’re comfortable, and unless you’re prepared. Don’t start negotiating until you’re ready.