By Anders Christian Hjort

My good friend Erik Barker is worth reading. His content and stories are brilliant.

This morning I just read the article below from his blog on how a top FBI hostage negotiator sees the nature of effective negotiations.

The key messages break into many myths on how most corporate negotiators sees and conduct their negotiations.

At Huthwaite International we have done verbal behavioural research for more than 40 years, observing what effective negotiators do differently compared to their average performing peers.

3 key messages from our corporate negotiation research resonate strongly with Erik’s article on how you get movement using the psychology of how people make decisions:

1. Understand the other side first: Put yourself into the other party’s mind and shoes to understand their positions, interests, needs and emotions deeply.
2. Sell First – Negotiate Late… if you have to: Effective sellers are curious and listens to the other parties needs and interest with the intend to understand, persuade and influence first by askining SPIN® questions to enable reframing of value and perceptions of  Decision Guidelines, make strong Benefit Statements and handle fear, uncertainty and doubts proactively. Effective negotiators are outstanding sellers that create and capture value, an they negotiate only if needed – to retain value.
3. Have a win/win mindset – do not compromise and make unilateral concessions – Oustanding negotiators bargain to retain value.

More on our negotiation research here.

For now though, do yourself a favour and read Erik’s interview here, on how a Top FBI negotiator act and think.

Enjoy! 😊