Continuing the discussion of negotiating styles that started here, the second negotiating style is avoidance.

Just as the name suggests, one tries not to negotiate. When using avoidance, one may be perceived as sitting back and doing nothing. Why? Because, as it relates to negotiation, that can be exactly what one is doing.

Pros and Cons of Avoidance

Avoidance allows one to avoid emotional engagement or loss of control. That said, avoidance can increase the emotions because there may not be any outlet through which they can be be expressed. Think about the pressure cooker and what would happen if one put a stopper in the pressure valve…

The party using avoidance is taking control of the negotiation. This can increase the pressure, if the other party does not use an end around or decide to walk away.

Parties who rely heavily on avoidance often miss out on opportunities. Opportunities can be lost because the other party walks away, or reciprocates.

Relationships that are likely to yield the most value for both parties are those in which the parties have open and honest dialogue. Imagine a situation where you know that a friend does not want to talk about a topic. In that situation, you might avoid raising the issue, right? Well, the same thing can happen in a negotiation. When it happens in negotiations, the parties’ interests may be overlooked. A second issue is that minor issues can be turned into lose-lose situation.

Tactics associated with avoidance

Delaying, giving in, and procrastinating are three common tactics associated with this style.

Delaying is a good tactic to use if one does not have all the necessary information or approvals. Sometimes, one decides to delay the discussion of a topic until other issues are resolved.

Giving in if something does not matter, should we spend time and effort negotiating the issue? Of course not. If the provision is not going to matter, the time and effort spent negotiating the provision are a waste.

Procrastinating can be used effectively if the other party is under time pressure. However, if one procrastinates, the other party may explore other options. When this occurs, the deal that was originally contemplated may no longer be available at the time the party resumes the discussions.

Filed by Coleen Davis at 1:59 pm under Business Tips, Negotiations