Check the facts

Disciplines > Negotiation > Negotiation tactics > Check the facts

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Bring out some actual data to confirm your point, discredit the other person's facts or discredit the person's character.

Add emotion to your statement, for example being shocked that the other person has done something reprehensible. Highlight their guilt in some way.

Research well beforehand to allow you to drop such killer comments into the conversation. The higher the stakes, the more time you should spend on digging for powerful information.

Example

Hmm. Let's just check the facts about that.

If I look at what you have actually done, I can't say I'm impressed.

Well, I actually went to see myself and I found that it has not been completed. Why are you claiming that it is completed when it has not?

Discussion

Facts act as unchallengeable evidence, in the manner of a courtroom, and are far more powerful at persuading than wants or opinions.

Bringing up facts that the other person does not know about or which they think you do not know will surprise them and cause the uncertainty of confusion.

If you can make them feel shame, then they may concede to you as an act of contrition.