Week 8 - Negotiation Power and Persuasion Flashcards
Sources of power (how people acquire power)
- Informational sources
- Power based on position
- Relationship-based sources
- Contextual sources
Informational sources of power
Information is the most common source of power
- Derived from the negotiator’s ability to assemble and organize data to support his or her position, arguments, or desired outcomes
- Power derived from expertise is a special form of information power
Power based on position in an organization
Two major sources of power in an organization
- Legitimate power, grounded in the title, duties, and responsibilities of a job description and “level” within an organization hierarchy
- Power based on the control of resources associated with that position
Power based on resource control
People who control resources have the capacity to give them to someone who will do what they want, and withhold them (or take them away) from someone who doesn’t do what they want
Some of the most important resources (power based on resource control)
- Money
- Supplies
- Human capital
- Time
- Equipment
- Critical services
- Interpersonal support
Power based on networks (relationship-based)
Power also comes from location in an organizational structure, but not necessarily a hierarchical structure
In this case, power is derived from whatever flows through the particular location in the structure (usually information, and resources, such as money)
Without a lofty position or title, individuals can become powerful because of the way that their actions and responsibilities are embedded in the flows of information, goods and services, or contacts.
For example, before China modernized in the 1980s, automobile chauffeurs held enormous power even though their title was not prestigious. If a chauffeur did not like a passenger or did not feel like driving to a certain location, he could make life very difficult and impose consequences
Contextual sources of power
Power is based in the context, situation, or environment in which negotiations take place
BATNAs: Offers a negotiator significant power because she/he now has a choice between accepting the other party’s proposal or an attractive deal
Culture: often contains implicit “rules” about use of power
Agents, constituencies, and external audiences
Dealing with others who have more power
- Never do an all-or-nothing deal
- Make the other party smaller
- Make yourself bigger
- Build momentum through doing deals in sequence
- Use the power of competition to leverage power
- Constrain yourself
- Good information is always a source fo power
- Do what you can to manage the process
Persuasion in negotiation
It is important to keep in mind that you do not need power to be persuasive
There are numerous techniques negotiators can use to change their counterparts’ attitude and behaviour
Two routes to persuasion
Central route: A type of influence using direct behaviours and statements that quite literally convince the other side that your arguments are valid and worthy of consideration
Peripheral route: A type of influence relying on indirect behaviours and manipulation of subtle cues that lead the other party to change his or her behaviour or attitude almost subconsciously
Central route: framing and delivering a message - what are the three major issues to consider when construction a message?
- Message content: facts and topics that should be covered
- The structure of the message: arrangement and organization of the topics and facts
- The delivery style: how the message should be presented
The central route: message content
- Make the offer attractive to the other party
- Frame the message so the other party will say yes
- Make the message normative - by following a course of action he will be acting in accordance with both his values and some higher code of conduct (e.g. save a tree)
- Suggest an “agreement in principle” - getting agreement on a general principle, such as a ceasefire, may be the first “yes” statement for both parties.
Central route: Message structure
One-sided messages: ignore arguments and opinions that might support the other party’s position
Two-sided messages: mention and describe the opposing point of view and show how and why it is less desirable - more effective
Message components: negotiators can help the other party understand and accept their arguments by breaking them into smaller, more understandable pieces
Delivering a message: Use vivid language and metaphors
- Have a major effect on persuasiveness
- People under stress are more receptive to low intensity language and more inclined to reject those using high-intensity language
- Excessive use of metaphors or overly vivid descriptions mays lead the other party to believe you are filled with hot air
Peripheral route to persuasion
- The receiver attends less to the substance of persuasive arguments and is instead susceptible to more “automatic” influence through subtle cues
- Usually occurs when the target of influence is either unmotivated or unable to attend carefully to the substance contained within a persuasive message
- Persuasion that occurs through the peripheral route is less likely to bring about real attitude change, more likely to last a shorter time, and more vulnerable to counterinfluence.
Our discussion of peripheral routes to influence will consider three sets of strategies: message aspects, attributes of the persuader, and elements of the influence context.
