The threat of disagreement… though most likely not as life threatening as being chased by a bear, your natural physical reaction may be the same. Your heart races, your muscles tighten— you go into “fight-or-flight” mode, and may actually lose access to the rational-thinking part of your brain.
In negotiations (pretty much the most disagreement-riddled activity you can sign up for, short of walking the sidewalks of NYC), it can be critical to your outcome to outsmart this invisible bear and control it before it gets you in trouble. And this HBR gem has some great tips for doing so.
Truly great negotiators can see when the threat of disagreement is affecting others, and are able to carefully “force” the other side to deal with it before it becomes an issue. Some techniques for this include using humor, active listening, calling breaks, and active empathy.
What do you do to cage your bear? Feel free to comment and share!
