In an experiment where Kellogg and Stanford’s students negotiated by email, those who shared unrelated personal details over the course of the negotiation hobbies, hometowns, etc. ended up getting significantly better results than those who kept things to name, email, and the dry monetary details. A study from Columbia Business School professor Adam Galinsky found that emotional inconsistency from negotiators leads to greater concessions from the other party because they feel less in control of the situation.
Key Takeaways:
- According to Malia Mason, the author of the study, kicking off a negotiation with exact-sounding numbers leads the other party to think that you’ve done research to arrive at those particular digits — and that, in turn, makes them think you’re likely correct.
- Using precise numbers doesn’t mean using single precise numbers. In a separate study, Mason and her Columbia Business School colleague Daniel Ames found that presenting a salary range — including and above your desired target — is the best way to get results.
- In the past, organizational psychologists thought a range would work against you — wouldn’t people just fixate on the lower number? — but Ames and Mason found that’s not the case.
“The team looked at five different negotiation strategies: accommodating, avoiding, collaborating, competing, and compromising.”
