Cool Down a Heated Negotiation

April 04, 2016

Cool Down a Heated Negotiation

Emotions can get heated during a high-stakes negotiation. But there are a few ways to defuse a tense conversation:

• Focus on your physical reaction. Breathe deeply to send a message to your brain to remain calm.
• Listen to what your counterpart is saying. Don’t always feel you need to respond to an outburst. If you can, let it go and move on.
• Show you’ve heard him. Calmly paraphrase your counterpart’s argument. Sometimes people just want to be heard.
• Show some empathy. Acknowledge that this is a tough situation.
• Find out more. If you’re the cause of the other person’s frustration, dig deeper to find out why.
• Take a break. If you’re the one getting angry or emotional, step out, go for a walk, and come back when you’re feeling more grounded.