POWER ( Part 1 )
Dear Readers, Today we will try to cover the Most Important thing in this Topic “Power“.
Power, In addition to all this, there’s the problem of power. Power, in this instance, manifests itself in two forms:
A. The Power of Precedent. Most people firmly believe that they can’t negotiate with a Store. If I ask them why, they’re likely to reply, “Why else would they call it a High-End Departmental Store? This Results in the following chain of Cause and Effect.
- They’re convinced they can’t negotiate with a store….
- Therefore, they don’t try to negotiate with a store…
- … which results in their inability to negotiate with a store, proving they were right to begin with.
This is a Prime Example of creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. Have you ever observed someone make a half-hearted attempt to bargain with a store? The approach itself contains the seeds of failure.
The customer walks up to the sign indicating the price and points to it timidly. Of course, the salesman knows the customer’s intent, since he’s been through this scenario many times. But he wants the customer to say the words.
The salesman finally asks, “What’s the Problem?“The customer just points to the sign and mumbles, “You Know.“The salesman says, “Is something wrong with the sign?” The customer stammers, “No, no… it’s just the Pr.. Pr…” The salesman innocently asks, “The what?” and the customer finally blurts, “The Price!“
At this point, the salesman adopts his righteous indignation pose and states, “Please, sir, this is Sears!“
If this ever happens to me, I respond apologetically, “Oh…I’m Sorry. I didn’t realize where I was!” at which point my wife turns on her heel and starts to walk out of the store, remarking over her shoulder, “I’m never going shopping with you again!” – which, by the way, is not all that bad, because I’ve accomplished a collateral Objective in the Process.
There’s a way to break out of this bind: Don’t act as though your limited experience represents universal truths. It doesn’t. Force yourself to go outside your own experience by vigorously testing your assumptions.
You’ll discover, to your astonishment, that many of them are False. Raise your aspiration Level. Avoid the negative attitude portrayed in the following Jingle:
They said ’twas a job that couldn’t be done; He half-heartedly went right to it. He tackled that job that “couldn’t be done“… And by George, he couldn’t do it.
As a Negotiator, take some Risk, Break free from the precedent of your Past Experiences, challenge your assumptions, Raise your Aspiration Level, and Increase your expectations.
While you and your spouse are confronting that $480.75 sign in the store, there’s another form in which Power is Manifesting itself:
B. The Power of Legitimacy. The Power of Legitimacy is Power derived from perceived or Imagined Authority – often authority that’s represented by something inanimate, such as a sign, a form, or a printed document – normally, authority that isn’t questioned.
For Instance, if I were to suggest that you do something, you would evaluate my Request based upon your needs. If my request and your needs matched, you might comply. But if a sign directed you to do something, your chances of complying would be virtually guaranteed. Let me emphasize that point with an example.
If you Travel at all, you’re familiar with a little sign behind each Holiday Inn’s Registration desk, plus a still smaller sign posted on each room’s door. Both signs read: “Check-out Time is 1 P.M.“
What percentage of guests do you think inconvenience themselves by literally checking out by 1 P.M.? Someone once asked me that question. I pondered for a moment and replied, “40 % ” . I subsequently learned, from Holiday Inn executives, that the figure is Roughly between 90 and 95%, depending on the Motel’s Location.
Does that figure startle you? It did me. 55% of Americans vote in a Good Year, but 95% check-out by the Holiday Inn check-out Time. The question is, what causes this lemming -like migration of ordinarily independent people to the cashier at the appointed hour?
5 Years Ago, i happened to be at a Holiday Inn. Because i had to catch an early Afternoon Flight, I walked toward the cashier at 12:30 P.M. in order to pay my bill and leave. The lobby was empty. At that moment I felt a slight Hunger Pang, so I decided to get the buffet Luncheon, put it on my bill, and Return. After eating, I glanced at my watch. The hands indicated 1 P.M. Since there’d been no one at the cashier’s cage before, I assumed there’d be no more than 3 people there now.
When I got to the lobby I noted 28 People Lined up before the cage, Like Prison inmates waiting to be fed. I couldn’t believe it. How was it possible to progress from 0 to 28 in a Half hour? I mused:
” These probably aren’t guests checking out. Chances are, from their appearance, they’re out -of-towners on a guided tour of the area’s facilities. Part of the tour must consist of showing them this Holiday Inn.”
That being the case, I wasn’t going to wait in a line that obviously was not mine. I decided to bypass the sightseers, walk up to the cashier’s cage, and from the Real check-out line.
As I moved Forward, passing these “Tourists,” several of them glanced at me – but not with love. Awareness hit me. Slightly embarrassed, I tried to appear nonchalant as I positioned myself at the rear of the line.
Once there, I tapped the shoulder of the person in front of me and asked, “What’s the line for?”
He replied, “Check-out.“
“How come?“
“Check-out Time, that’s how come,” he mumbled.
“How’d you know about it?” I asked.
“I read it on my door, that’s how I knew.“
That was a very significant comment. He saw it emblazoned on a door, and that’s why he was there.
This was the First Example of the Power of Legitimacy.
Well, We will discuss Further about this Topic in Our Next Part.
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