Sorry, Star Trek fans, there is no Mr. Spock. The idea of dealing with someone with a lack of emotion and who only makes decisions based on logic is much more science fiction.
Don’t be fooled by the title of the article, what I mean is to negotiate like a human being.
Whether we like to admit it or not, we all make decisions based more on emotion than logic. It is well known that we make decisions emotionally and then try to justify them intellectually after the decision. “The new car I bought gets great gas mileage and the financing interest rate was at the lowest point for the year.”
We really know that the car was bought for many other reasons, mainly related to the way the buyer imagined feeling after owning the new car.
So if people buy based on emotion, does it make sense to trade based on logic alone? Of course, no. If you try to give the impression of being a business, simple and unemotional, you will soon discover that people do not enjoy dealing with you.
People like people. People like to deal with those who feel they have “human” qualities. Be realistic, approachable, friendly, and interesting. Also, be interested in the human qualities of the person with whom you are negotiating.
It is much easier to take a difficult position against a negotiating opponent that you do not like. But, if you like yourself, you can win. However, it has to be genuine and not just a bargaining tactic.
The fastest way to become likeable is to show interest in the other person. Find out a few things about them, ask them questions, and show them that they have something in common. From this common ground, you will be able to work more quickly toward a successful negotiation.
Some people think that the higher you move up in an organization, the less human people become. Surely the CEO of a billion dollar company is above this idea of humanity and emotion, right? Incorrect. Through all my interviews and conversations with leaders in business and marketing, I have found that the higher you climb the ladder, the more people become human.
So don’t try to spend your time developing a faceless negotiating personality based solely on logic. Become human and you will gain the upper hand in your dealings with other humans.