A good deal maker you know, when you hug the Correct buy, you priest hidden disasters before they can happen.
For almost a year, they secretly planned the launch. They promoted it as a facelift that would change the name and position of the association. Doing so would give it a new look for the 21st century. But when the launch happened, the reaction was severe. All the money, time, expense and effort that went into the new face of the association went down the drain in despair. The question buzzing throughout the association was, how could this have happened? The answer was when you embrace tea correct purchase, for hidden disasters. And this disaster was easily averted.
First, as a negotiator, what do you think went wrong? What buy-in are you looking for when you think about the obstacles you might face in your negotiations? To the extent that you get the right buy-in, you will have a better chance of a successful outcome. To the extent that you get the right buy-in at the right time, your chances of a successful outcome increase substantially.
Problem:
Secret – In the opening situation, the president of that association assembled a team of outstanding members, all of whom were members of the association. His experience spanned the entire spectrum of branding, marketing, and social media. Neither was a member of the vanguard that had watched over the association for decades. And the omission of that group’s entry was a silent blinking red light that spelled doom for the project.
Trading in secret environments can be beneficial. You can prevent unwanted distractions from slowing down the progress of the negotiation. It also serves to garner buy-in from interested parties who might torpedo the negotiation. Therefore, secrecy can be a form of control; it can also be the trigger for disaster if not used correctly.
Forgotten Power Players – The name of the association remained for four decades. And some of the revered founding members were still active in the association. When the new name was revealed, that vanguard was the catalyst that caused the committee’s efforts and the new name to meet a quick death. If the committee had consulted this vanguard, it would have known that its efforts were doomed. They could have prevented a hidden disaster.
Consideration:
If the committee tasked with creating a new name had involved the leadership of the association and accompanied them through the planning stage, at a minimum, the new name would have had a better chance of being implemented successfully. At worst, the committee would have known the new name was in trouble. Losses could have been noticed at an earlier time and resources could have been saved.
The challenge a negotiator faces when employing secrecy is making sure the right people are involved. If they are not involved, hidden disasters may lie in wait.
Always be aware of who might be involved in a negotiation, even if they are not physically or visually involved in it. Seek out those people who may have a stake in the outcome of the negotiation, no matter how small you think their stake is. There will be times when you won’t know the source of energy behind some people’s media; that’s something else to consider. There will also be times when smaller stakeholders will combine forces, presenting a more powerful force to contend with.
Conclusion:
Getting the right buy-in is a vital component of any negotiation, even when it’s just between you and the other negotiator. Doing so when you have multiple participants is even more vital to the success of the negotiation. So when you assess the impact of the buy component during the planning stage of the deal, consider its impact thoroughly…and all will be well with the world.
Remember, you are always negotiating!