Why listening is your strongest negotiation tactic

Research shows that successful negotiators engage in information-seeking behavior 40% of the time. Unfortunately, however, most negotiators are so preoccupied with their own arguments that they miss what the other party is actually saying. But then you miss something extremely important:

You can never change someone's position until they feel both heard and understood.

The research:

As mentioned above, a good negotiator spends almost 40% of their time in information-seeking behavior - they ask open-ended questions and actively listen to the answers

Why does it work?

✅ When people feel understood, they let their guard down

✅ You get access to their real interests - not just their positions

✅ They become more willing to understand your point of view

Common misunderstanding:

Many people think that listening and asking questions means accepting the other party's position.

Nothing could be more wrong. Understanding the other party's perspective is the basis for influencing it.

How to do it:

🎯 Ask open-ended questions: "Can you tell me more about it?"

🎯 Paraphrase: "If I understand you correctly, you mean that..."

🎯 Be quiet and actually listen to the answer

🎯 Confirm understanding: "Is that right?"

When the other party confirms your understanding, you are much more likely that they are now ready to listen to you.

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