Episode 243 - Dark and Dirty Influence Techniques
\xa0Psychological Power: The Mind Game
Psychological Power is the ability people have to influence you while disguising their true intentions. People who are adept at using Psychological Power seek to alter another individual\u2019s perceptions. Two (the other 10 are on the podcast) of\xa0 the most common Psychological Power techniques are outlined below.
# 1: Time Pressure\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0\xa0
People are slow at making decisions because they\u2019re afraid of making mistakes. Negotiators hate to leave deals open-ended too long because the more time passes, the more time their prospects have to think of all the reasons why they should walk away. The reverse is also true: The more quickly you get a commitment out of your prospects, the more likely it is they\u2019ll follow through. Basically, people who utilize this psychological tactic are leveraging the moments when emotion is high and judgment is suspended. It\u2019s the \u201cget \u2019em energized, seal the deal while they\u2019re still soaring\u201d mentality. It is from this mentality that we get promotions like \u201cThis offer only good for next hour\u201d and \u201cThis offer won\u2019t last long.\u201d
\xa0I remember once negotiating a contract for the marketing department of a big corporation. I had a million other responsibilities weighing on me, so I felt rushed to hammer out the details of the contract that morning. The person I was negotiating with, on the other hand, was in no hurry whatsoever and had nowhere else to go. We bantered back and forth for six hours and still had not reached a resolution on a contract we were both happy with. My urgency to leave the meeting affected the terms I was finally able to get.
#2: Unpredictability
Sometimes, negotiators try to use unpredictability to throw the other person off. Humans are creatures of habit; we love the familiar and predictable. We love routine. Hence, when something unpredictable happens, we feel out of control. Think of a person you know who has an unpredictable personality. You never quite know if s/he is going to be happy or angry, thankful or resentful, elated or depressed.
\xa0How do you feel when you\u2019re around this person? People sometimes do this on purpose to intimidate your or to feel a sense of control over you. Some negotiators will work through lunch, yell, lose control or be seen tearing down a colleague. These examples will often throw rookie prospects off guard. Be aware of these psychological negotiating tactics that could make you feel intimated or out of control.