In every negotiation in life, there’s ample room for bravado.
The thrill of the hunt can be exhilarating.
The thrill of the WIN be be even better.
UNLESS . . . You cross that line!
Everyone has that line!
I liken it to starting with a basket full of patience and good will, and as the negotiation unfolds, that basket empties . . .
If the basket gets empty before reaching agreement, things very well end abruptly in an unfavorable way.
This serves NO ONE well. It’s excruciating for everyone involved to get one decision away from a deal only to have the whole thing crushed by a sudden door SLAM.
I see this unfold in real estate transactions when the negotiation of the Purchase and sale agreement are especially contentious, and the deal is finally glued and patched together. These are the deals that MOST fragile during the contract to close phase because all of the good will baskets are EMPTY.
Any blips pertaining to the Home Inspection or appraisal or emergent loan issues can blow the whole thing apart . . . and then everyone has a whole lot of NOTHING (bit bitterness and ill will).
So . . . play the game . . . but be attentive to the tone on the other side of the table and throttle your bravado when you sense their basket is getting empty.
Final thought . . . failure to communicate is NOT a very effective negotiating strategy. When things start going sideways/weird, it may be time to slow the pace and communicate MORE.
We start these negotiations to MAKE deals not break them
🙂
Polite but firm!