Some people thrive on chaos, and thus chaos is normal for them. Others may see chaos as disrupting, stressful, or disturbing.
To negotiate better upon life’s path, know who you are in different circumstances and what will cause you to become someone other than your normal self. Even more, know to a greater degree the same about those you engage with. To be more aligned with such individuals, dig deeper per the thoughts and actions that provoke change in their demeanor.
The point is, everyone is triggered to action by what stimulates them, and some will seek chaos for that purpose. The more mindful you are about such stimuli, related to a particular person, the greater will be your opportunity to fight their attempt to use chaos against you. Since chaos is open to perception and interpretation, you have to be mindful of the timing when fighting it. You can combat it better by addressing the cause of it, versus the person that may be attempting to use it.
You can achieve more in life and help others do the same by being more aware of your environment and the environment of those that you wish to assist. Once you raise your sense of awareness to what really directs the actions of those that you wish to lend assistance to, you’ll become more attuned to the level of influence you possess. In so doing, you’ll be enhancing the perception of your leadership abilities. Once you’re perceived as a leader, more people will follow you, and when more people follow you, you will have arrived at a higher station in your life … and everything will be right with the world.
What does this have to do with negotiations?
In a negotiation, reality is how one perceives offers and counteroffers. Some negotiators will use chaos to spend perception. The better you are at identifying the real needs of the other negotiator, the better you’ll be at deciphering his real needs versus wants. Once that’s accomplished, knowing how to shape your offers based on how he’ll perceive them best will allow you to win more negotiations.
What’s your opinion? I’d really like to know. Reach me at Greg@TheMasterNegotiator.com
Remember, you’re always negotiating.