Dealing with the ‘Irrational’ Negotiator

HARVARD BUSINESS SCHOOL—What do you do when the people with whom you are negotiating act in ways that can best be called counterproductive? Before throwing up your hands, take a deep breath and ask yourself 3 questions. Do these people lack good information? Are they operating with constraints you don’t know about? Are they holding onto hidden interests?

According to Deepak Malhotra and Max H. Bazerman, chances are the main hurdle to smooth negotiation is behind 1 of these 3 questions. When you label someone “irrational,” you limit your own options, as they write in Negotiation Genius: How to Overcome Obstacles and Achieve Brilliant Results at the Bargaining Table and Beyond. The following excerpt describes strategies and tactics to overcome another party’s counterproductive behavior and keep the deal on track.

These are ideas that anyone can put to use in multiple settings of business. As Malhotra and Bazerman observe, negotiation geniuses are made, not born. “What appears to be genius actually reflects careful preparation, an understanding of the conceptual framework of negotiation, insight into how one can avoid the errors and biases that plague even experienced negotiators, and the ability to structure and execute negotiations strategically and systematically.” Read article.