The fundamentals
Power in negotiation
We tend to think power is handed out once and for all. In reality it is built, and the side that believes itself weak often holds levers it has not seen.
The sources of power
Power number one. Whoever has the better alternative depends least on the deal, and therefore resists best.
Knowing the other side's interests, constraints and deadlines shifts the balance far more reliably than a firm tone.
Whoever is least in a hurry holds the stronger position. Patience is a form of power.
Leaning on objective criteria, precedent and rules gives weight without resorting to force.
The paradox of power
Displaying your strength pushes the other side to dig in and resist. The best-used power is often the quietest. Improving your BATNA beforehand beats raising your voice at the table: it changes the balance without a single extra word.
Sources
- Roger Fisher and William Ury, Getting to Yes (1981): the BATNA as a source of power.
- Thomas Schelling, The Strategy of Conflict (1960): credible commitment and constraint.
- Richard Emerson, social dependence theory (1962): power as a function of dependence.