Delays

Disciplines > Negotiation > Negotiation tactics > Delays

Description | Example | Discussion | See also

Description

Use time to stretch out the negotiation, especially at critical moments.

When you feel you are being pressured or hurried, take a break or otherwise put off making any decisions until you have thought things through.

When the other person is constrained by deadlines, delay right up to the wire.

Dangle something under their noses that makes them salivate and then do not talk about it until later.

Example

Excuse me, I just need to go the to the bathroom.

Well, we could look at the things you want. But it's time to stop for today.

John will be very unhappy if this does not happen. I think I will call him in later.

Discussion

Introducing delays can be helpful for you to regroup and rethink.

When you have increased tension of some sort in the other person, whether it is desire for something you may give them or some negative consequence of not agreeing, then a delay can serve to heighten that tension as they focus on the good and bad possibilities.

The tension of delay is increased with uncertainty, when the other person cannot predict what will happen.