TERRORISM AND NEGOTIATION
by Steven P. Cohen
“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.” John F. Kennedy
Terror is an enemy of civilization. It is a means of attempting to force others to do your
will. In the workplace, bosses who are martinets may be able to terrorize subordinates
into following orders, but they have not succeeded in convincing people to agree. When
people agree out of fear, the long-term results are negative.
News stories keep bringing us examples of how some people or groups use terror as a
tactic in their strategy to get other folks to change their minds. The aim of terror is to
break down the underpinnings of civilization by bringing fear to target groups and
undercutting civilized means for resolving differences.
Terror is not negotiation. There is no ‘give and take’ bargaining between parties. It is a
matter of ‘you give and I take.’
All too often the way someone or some group responds to terror has an impact on how
they are perceived by others.
Sophisticated terrorists sometimes make reasonably accurate predictions about the
actions of others, then orchestrate their terror tactics to make it appear as if their actions
have forced those others to take a step or make a decision they were going to take
anyhow. The train bombings in Madrid in the spring of 2004 are an excellent example of
that; a preponderance of Spanish voters wanted to elect a new government to end their
military participation in the Iraq war. Terrorists created a tragedy just before the Spanish
election – and that action gave outsiders the impression that planting bombs could force
the electorate in a democracy to change their minds – and change their government.
Less sophisticated terrorists bombed the Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City –
and achieved the objective of causing death and destruction – but nothing in the way of
convincing people to take them seriously.
When the barbarians who use terror are able to convince private citizens or governments
to take a particular action, the terrorist threat destroys public confidence and leaves
normal people exposed to chaos.
Dealing with terrorists can only work if the process brings terrorists into a civilized
negotiation that leads to willingly accepted mutual agreements.
Successful civilized negotiation is based on the understanding that one can better serve
his/her interests by collaborating with other parties who have the capacity to provide
resources or services that make the whole greater than the sum of the parts. Negotiation
is about making the future better, gaining buy-in from the interested parties, and adding
value to the situation each party faces. Negotiation is a constructive process.
Many parties to negotiations fear other parties because of their reputations, their
perceived power, or their use of sneaky tactics. Countering these obstacles to a
successful collaborative process requires looking for answers to several questions and/or
using a variety of techniques including the following:
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Would I choose to work with this other party of my own free will? Do they have
the capacity or the resources to address my interests?
What interests of mine do I wish to serve in the bargaining process? Who can add
value to the situation I face?
What is my BATNA (Best Alternative To a Negotiated Agreement), that is, can I
get my interests served better by dealing with other parties or focusing on other
possible outcomes?
How should I react if the party with whom I have to negotiate threatens me or my
company? What kinds of threats might they raise? If you think about these issues
before negotiation starts, you will be far better prepared for whatever they might
throw at you.
When a party’s offer or proposal to you is seriously off the mark or inappropriate,
don’t explode. Sit there with a poker face, stay silent, don’t react. They’ll get the
message.
Remember to keep asking yourself, “What is the point of this interchange?” Why
is the party with whom you’re negotiating saying or doing something particular?
What is the point of what you say or do?
Never never say something that is contrary to your interest. Don’t let someone
force you to say something you’ll regret later.
If someone tries to bully you, tell them “I’m afraid we may fail to reach
agreement.” Bullies are afraid of failure.
Copyright © 2004, Steven P. Cohen and The Negotiation Skills Company, Inc. All
Rights Reserved.