418 / CONDUCTING NEGOTIATIONS
Managing emotions
Understanding the approaches
There are three types of emotional
approach in negotiations: rational
(having a “poker face”), positive (being
friendly and nice), and negative (ranting
and raving). Of the three emotional
strategies, the positive and rational
approaches are more effective than
the negative approach in achieving
targets in an ultimatum setting.
The positive approach is more helpful
in building a long-term, constructive
relationship than the rational or
negative methods.
In the heat of a negotiation, the emotions you display can significantly
influence the emotions of the other party. Effective negotiators try
to synchronize their behavior with the other person’s, developing
an interpersonal rhythm that reflects a shared emotional state.
POKER FACE
Some negotiators believe that
exposing their emotions to the
other party makes them vulnerable
and will result in them giving away
too much of the pie, and so try to
always keep a “poker face” when
they are negotiating. They also
believe that emotional displays
may result in an impasse or in
defective decision-making, or
cause negotiations to end.
US_418-419_Managing_emotions_1.indd 418 30/05/16 3:07 pm
MANAGING EMOTIONS / 419
STRATEGIC USE OF ANGER
Some negotiators successfully use displays of anger strategically to try
to encourage the other party to agree to their demands. They aim to gain
concessions from their opponent because the other party takes their
anger as a sign that they are close to their reservation point. Inducing fear
in their opponent pushes that person to cave in and agree. It sends the
signal that they would rather walk away from the table without reaching
an agreement than settle for less than what they want. The opponent may
also wish to end the unpleasant interaction by giving in.
In focus
BEING POSITIVE
Some negotiators believe that displaying positive
emotions enhances the quality of the negotiated
agreement, because a good mood promotes
creative thinking, leads to innovative problem-
solving, and smoothes out communication.
Negotiators with a positive approach use more
cooperative strategies, use fewer hard tactics,
engage in more information exchange, generate
more alternatives, and come to fewer impasses
than negotiators with a negative or rational mood.
BEING NEGATIVE
Negotiators who use the negative approach
display anger, rage, and impatience to influence
the other party. Anger is sometimes used
strategically, but negotiators who are genuinely
angry feel little compassion for the other party,
and are less effective at expanding and slicing
the pie than positive negotiators. They tend to
achieve fewer win–win gains when angry than
when they experience positive emotions. Angry
negotiators are also less willing to cooperate
and more likely to seek revenge.
US_418-419_Managing_emotions_1.indd 419 30/05/16 3:07 pm
420 / CONDUCTING NEGOTIATIONS
You need to
find ways
to empathize
with the
other party
of our success is
based on our ability
to understand human
behavior
85%
Monitor and regulate
your emotions
US_420-421_Managing_emotions_2.indd 420 30/05/16 3:07 pm
MANAGING EMOTIONS / 421
Using emotional intelligence
When negotiators are emotionally
overwhelmed, their mental capacity
to negotiate effectively is impaired. To
overcome this, you must manage your
emotions intelligently. You need to
be aware of the emotions you are
experiencing and be able to monitor
and regulate them, and you need to find
ways to empathize with the other party.
When negotiating with any other group
or individual, it is important to make a
conscious attempt to modulate your
irritation. For example, while it might be
frustrating if your counterpart retracts
from an earlier commitment, you could
disguise your irritation and use the term
“misunderstanding” instead of openly
displaying your anger.
ASK YOURSELF…
YES NODo I use emotional intelligence when negotiating?
1 Am I able to make an emotional connection with my
counterpart, even if I do not know them very well? .......................
2 Am I able to judge when my own emotions threaten to
affect my ability to make rational decisions? .................................
3 Can I manage my emotions to ensure that I am
always effective? ..............................................................................
4 Am I able to react in a measured way, keeping my emotions
under control, even if the other party is using value-claiming
tactics or behaving in a manner that I do not agree with? ..............
US_420-421_Managing_emotions_2.indd 421 30/05/16 3:07 pm
..................Content has been hidden....................
You can't read the all page of ebook, please click here login for view all page.