Negotiation Techniques and Third-Party Intervention

Some of the techniques that can be used to lessen a person’s reluctance in order to avoid the need for a third party to intervene and manage negotiations are: not negotiating or postponing negotiations until there is an indication that there is something to gain that may not be possible to be gained through other alternatives. Reluctance is at times considered reversed psychology and it is recommended not to fall victim of this trap, one must prepare well and take comfort, and not appear to be anxious in the face of your counterpart.These techniques are consistent with the negotiation process in the sense that if the other person’s attitude does not change to coincide with yours, negotiations should be terminated, by simply refusing to negotiate in the style dictated by the other side. Negotiations can be terminated completely or postponed, with the condition that your requirements regarding approach or process will be met. Using these techniques and knowing your altern atives during the negotiation process can pay off big.Considering the event of this situation, I would let the other company know of my concerns regarding the tone, and attitude of reluctance from a member of their team. If the matter if not corrected within reasonable time, I would postpone negotiations for a later date (if time permits) while also designating the location for the meeting and provide the conditions regarding the current issues.If by then the person’s attitude still does not coincide with mine, I will analyze how important achieving this goal is and if there are any other alternatives to gain the desired results. Depending on the outcome of the analysis I can then decide to accept the changes without involving a third party or refuse to negotiate until requirements are met. If the attitude of reluctance changes to a more cooperative attitude, negotiations can proceed, while still maintaining a close eye on the person that was previously reluctant. There is a high possibility that the person, who earlier displayed an unacceptable attitude, can now view the situation as a contest.Therefore, one must have to control responses to the various intimidating and manipulative tactics that may be used against you. In such case, a concentrated effort should be made to use counter tactics designed to emphasize that you have what the company needs . Lastly, it should be confirmed at the outset that the goal is for a complete  agreement and that each issue or solution is tentative until the entire matter is addressed and agreed upon. This will provide all parties the flexibility to find solutions and trade-offs at the end of negotiations. It also protects parties from unscrupulous tactics by the other side . Regardless of the outcome, one must always know when and how to control the negotiation process to avoid the involvement of third parties.