Hendon Negotiation Tactics Model

Hendon Negotiation Tactics Model

Hendon Negotiation Tactic Model corresponds to a group of negotiation tactics identified and developed by professor Hendon at the University of Hawaii. These tactics should be used in the distributive negotiation, in which the aim is “split the cake” and the question is to be who will take the bigger piece. Negotiations about prices or about salaries are clearly two typical cases of distributive negotiation.

Negotiation Tactics

• Act as crazy: should put on a good show, showing emotional effort with the position that defends. This allows increasing credibility and can contribute to give the opponent the justification to agree with the presented terms;
• Great intrigue: allow himself less space to negotiate, making bigger demands at the start as a way to, even after some concessions, will chive a superior compensation than if he had started from lower;
• Prestigious ally: should find a prestigious ally, who can be a person or a project. This way, it’s tried that the opponent accepts less because the person or the project with which is involved is considered of prestige;
• The well is dry: at a certain time should be made a strong position, informing the opponent that there aren’t more concessions to make because “the well is dry”;
• Limited authority: all negotiable process is performed in good faith with the opponent but, when everything is ready to finish the contract, should be said something like “I have to speak with my superior”;
• Auction: should be made known to the several competitors that it’s being negotiated simultaneously with all of them;
• Divide and conquer: if it is negotiating with a team, the idea should initially be sold to only one team member in order that after that person helps to sell to the remaining;
• Periodically a break: should be given time to the negotiable process. Negotiations can be interrupted sometimes and retaken later, attempting to renegotiate. This time can be long (an outside the town, for example) or short (a simple going to the bathroom);
• Firmness: should not be given an emotional or verbal answer to the opponent, neither should be given a response to its strengths or pressures. Should be assumed a firm and quiet posture;
• Patience: if it waits for the opponent, probably will have better results than if it’s attempted to impose the rhythm;
• Devil’s attorney: consist in defending the opponents’ proposal with a statement such as: “before a decision is taken, let’s think about all eventual negative aspects of our decision”. This allows showing the opponent the best way to achieve the goals without opposing directly to the opponents’ perspective;
• Test balloon is revealed the decision through a designated “trust source” before the decision has been in fact taken. This technique allows testing the opponent’s reaction;
• Surprises: the opponent should be kept unbalanced through a sudden and drastic change of the used tactics. It should be sought to never be predictable, as a way to avoid that the opponent anticipates movements.