The Law of Reversal says: Putting yourself in the situation of the other person enables you to prepare and negotiate more effectively.
Before any negotiation that involves a good deal of money or a large number of details, use the “lawyer’s method” of reverse preparation. This is a great technique that dramatically sharpens your negotiating skills.
In law school, student lawyers are often given a case to either prosecute or defend as an exercise. They are then taught to prepare the other lawyer’s case before they begin preparing their own. They sit down and examine all the information and evidence and they imagine that they are on the other side. They prepare that side thoroughly with the full intention of winning. [quotes]Only when they feel that they have identified all the issues that the opposing lawyer will bring up, do they then begin to prepare their side of the case.[/quotes]
You should do the same. Before you negotiate, write down everything that you think may be of concern to the person with whom you are going to be meeting. Writing things down clarifies them and enables you to see possibilities that you might otherwise have overlooked. When you have identified the major concessions that you think the other party will want, you can then think what you will offer in exchange. You can see where you are strong and where you are weak. You can identify possible areas where agreement or compromise is possible. [quotesright]This type of preparation by reversal is the hallmark of the superior negotiator.[/quotesright]
A powerful tactic that you can use at the beginning of the negotiation is to open with this question: “Why do you feel we are here and what would you ideally like to accomplish in this discussion?”
This question will demonstrate to the other person that you are reasonable and open and interested in achieving a mutually satisfactory result. Just ask, “Why do you feel we are here and what would you ideally like to accomplish in this discussion?” The other person will usually be quite willing to answer this question and you will often be amazed at how quickly the two parties get down to substantive discussion.
How you can apply this law immediately:
- Think through, discuss and write out every concern or demand that you feel the other party might have before you meet with him or her and begin negotiating. Test these assumptions by asking the other party about his or her concerns and requirements.
- Think of a current situation where you not happy with an existing agreement. How could you examine this situation from the other person’s viewpoint and make suggestions to change the situation by offering him or her something that he or she wants but is not currently getting today?
from "THE 100 ABSOLUTELY UNBREAKABLE LAWS OF BUSINESS SUCCESS" – Brian Tracy
