By Jackson Henry —-
One distinguishing features of man is the skillful use commercial persuasion to get what we want. Animals, on the other hand, use brute force and aggression to get their way. Palauans do appreciate the value of good persuasion skills since our forefathers negotiated their way to carve a nation out of these islands.
Through out the course of human history, man has discovered that using conquest to achieve our economic ends is neither sustainable nor a moral option
In today’s business, you do not get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate.
“In negotiations, the one who is prepared to lose all, wins”, once said a Chinese emperor. The point is, whenever you negotiate a deal, always be prepared to loose something in order to gain something. Commercial negotiation is all about trade offs.
With the fast commercialization ofPalauand with foreign investors offering business opportunities, it is crucial to have basic skills in the art of persuasion so you can benefit from trophy commercial deals.
First thing to do is be prepared, have your visual aids, financial pro-formas and statistical data ready. Hang your emotions at the door before your enter the room. As Christopher Rowe said, “prepare, prepare and prepare”. Never take “no” as the end of the road. Instead, shift focus to soft areas where you have common ground and restart the discussion to gain new momentum. Be a good listener and watch the other party’s body languages. Speak briefly and get to the point. Do not be indecisive or be petrified by fear of losing all your cards on the table
If the negotiation gets over heated or you reach a deadlock, take a coffee break and agree to meet later. Every time emotions flare up, try Joshua Koshiba’s tactic by opening up your betel nut basket and gently fix yourself a good chew. The few moments of silence and the effects of betel nut juice cools the mind and calms the nerves.
Never be shy in bringing in a professional neutral third party for legal or financial advisory to aid the negotiation, if both parties reach an impasse. Use as much factual data and empirical evidence to support your positions. Numbers do not lie.
Palauans must avoid using tricks or dirty tactics to win over a deal. They will only haunt you in the future and you will be branded as a dirty deal maker. Once labeled as such, your name will be mortified and all sweet deals in the future will steer away from you.
The art of persuasion is about integrity. All parties must feel good that they were not cheated, intimidated or manipulated. Finally, respect and dignity must preserved and comprise is the ultimate tool in cutting a “win-win” deal. Do not beg, steal or borrow. Instead, negotiate your way to success.
