Chapter 41The Fait Accompli
Fait accompli is a French expression meaning, “it is done.” If you have ever sent someone a check for less than they’re asking and marked the back of the check “Payment in full is acknowledged,” you have used the Fait accompli Gambit. It’s when one negotiator simply assumes the other will accept the assumed settlement rather than go to the trouble of reopening the negotiations. It works on the principle that it’s a lot easier to beg forgiveness than it is to get permission.
In California and other states, Fait Accompli became so common in the auto repair industry that we passed laws against it. It was common for service stations to fix your car without getting your approval of the estimate, figuring that there wasn’t ...
Become an O’Reilly member and get unlimited access to this title plus top books and audiobooks from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers, thousands of courses curated by job role, 150+ live events each month,
and much more.
Read now
Unlock full access