Perspective In Negotiations

Negotiations can be more successful if you take the time to evaluate the perspective of the person you are negotiating with. Often, we enter into a negotiation with an employer, employee, teenager, neighbor, from our perspective. We are so focused on what we want, we might be overlooking an opportunity to actually get what we want by how we phrase the question. Here is an example I heard during a mediation seminar: a deacon asks the priest, “Is it okay if I smoke while I pray?” The priest answers, “No. What a ridiculous question.” A different deacon asks, “Is it okay if I pray while I smoke?” The priest answers, “Yes. Of course.” Both deacons asked the same question, but only the second deacon asked it from the priest’s perspective. A subtle difference with a world of impact. Keep perspective in mind the next time you find yourself in a “negotiation” with someone. You might just walk away a successful negotiator.