Are you ready for the \"hardest question\"? To be truly prepared to negotiate, a

Question

Are you ready for the "hardest question"? To be truly prepared to negotiate, anticipate questions you don't want to answer. Imagine being blindsided in the midst of a critical negotiation with a question like one of these: - A prospective funder and co-developer of your new invention asks: "What are your other offers? Let's discuss them, and I'll see if I can help you make the right decision." In fact, you have no other offers, and you suspect the other side knows it. During an interview, a potential employer asks you: "How can we be sure that your family responsibilities won't get in the way of the total commitment required for success in this unusually demanding job?" You and your spouse

Explanation / Answer

Preparation for negotiation of the hardest question requires accessing each side’s interest and no deal option, thinking through moves and countermoves, imagining possible agreements, and factoring in personality and culture. Our preparations often neglect the hardest question that may be confronted. These hardest questions are manipulative tactics that deceptively pretend to be disguising oneself as innocent queries about one’s deeper interest or commitment. Avoid giving an answer that put a negotiator in a tricky situation. the ways in which this can be done are 1) identify in advance the hardest questions to answer, tactically, emotionally, and/or ethically; 2) brainstorm a range of possible answers, drawing on several classes of response and choose the best; 3) practice verbalizing the most promising answers in a concise, confident manner; and 4) use the "hardest question" as a gateway to fuller tactical and strategic preparation. Factors that contribute to the success of those who are hard bargainers include: 1) bargaining as a group instead of individually leading to greater returns; 2) now escalate the dispute in a way that shows care and thought for the future; 3) taking advantage of all the time available to work out a mutually beneficial agreements rather than waiting for the time of negotiation to end.

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