Black Belt Negotiating: Become a Master Negotiator Using Powerful Lessons from the Martial Arts

Tactics

Now that we have examined some of the advanced concepts that martial artists and negotiators alike use, we can move on to advanced tactics.

Using Silence to Your Advantage

It’s a natural tendency for westerners to make an offer and expect an immediate response. When they don’t get it, they jump in with a prompt such as “So what do you think?” If you’re on the receiving end of this pressure to respond, don’t give in. Simply look the other person in the eye with confidence; smile without saying a word. To novices, initially this seems a little too passive. “Shouldn’t I be doing something more than this?” they ask. Actually, it is quite a proactive tactic because you are creating a vacuum that the other party can’t stand and feels compelled ...