ASKING

Simply asking or requesting for what they want is the preferred way to achieve an outcome for about 1.8% of the benchmark group of over 2500 international middle and senior managers.

Asking, requesting and pleading are the less assertive counterpart to pushy sales and persuasion techniques. These approaches are typically based on appeals to emotion and the goodwill or social obligation of the other side, rather than on effective argument.   In certain contexts, that can be highly effective.

 Requesting an outcome can be useful when:

  • You have no negotiation power

  • You are comfortable creating an obligation

  • Appealing to the other side’s emotions is likely to be successful

  • There are social or political factors that might compel the other side to grant your request.

 Upsides of Requesting:

  • In the right scenario, it can be effective and comparatively low cost

  • No skill required to execute

  • Can be a useful first approach as well as a measure of last resort.

 That said, requesting has a range of potential downsides...

 Downsides:

  • Surrenders power and creates appearance of weakness

  • Relies on goodwill or collateral benefits for the other side

  • May create obligations on your part that could outweigh the original favour

  • Rarely effective on substantial or high-value issues.

 

The old adage: “If you don't ask, you don't get” is true for negotiators also.Providing a cooperative and professional relationship has been established, a mixture of asking and persuasion at the start of a negotiation can yield surprisingly positive outcomes.Of course, the goodwill of the other side does have limits.Skilled negotiators will recognise when to change tack and deftly switch to other techniques in order to ensure a mutually satisfactory outcome. Asking is not enough, but a valuable technique to delay in the right circumstances.

Matt Lohmeyer