The other party is using strong-arm tactics in a negotiation. What’s your next move?

Going into negotiation can sometime be stressful. It is always important to stay grounded to facts, making preparation that will boost your confidence. When someone strong arms you, sometimes breaking the problem down into smaller piece and explaining your thought process can be helpful. This can demonstrate that strong arming is not going to work. Sometimes aggressive behavior can be very discouraging, in such situations when a conversation crosses a professional limit, taking a step back and coming back to the table in a while can be super helpful.

In our daily discussions we interact with different kinds of humans and everyone is unique. It becomes crucial to understand what drives the decision making for the person in front of us. For example, if someone is data driven, presenting evidence can be useful tactic to negotiate strategies. Aligning your preparation based on your audience remains the key.

Calmly and firmly communicate that threats, ultimatums or aggressive behavior are not acceptable ways to conduct the negotiation. Emphasize your commitment to finding a mutually beneficial agreement through respectful dialogue. Be willing to enforce consequences if the other party continues their strong-arm tactics, such as pausing the negotiation, escalating to a higher authority, or re-evaluating your participation altogether. Avoid issuing empty threats. Reframe any personal attacks or provocative language the other party uses to redirect the conversation back to the substantive issues and shared interests. Model the professional behavior you expect in return.

If a conversation goes out of topic to the point it becomes a contest, make sure to take a break. Walk away from the table and specify the reason why you're walking away. This helps you in two ways, 1. It sends a message that you're ready to wait and not going to be strong armed 2. It gives you some time to check your own ego and see if you can understand what the person in front is saying. In any negotiation, going with an open mind is very important. Otherwise you will find yourself in such conversations frequently whenever someone disagrees with you.

Enlist an experienced mentor, legal counsel or negotiation coach to help you roleplay different scenarios and prepare effective responses. Practice assertive communication skills and maintaining composure under pressure. Bring in a trusted colleague or neutral third party to join the negotiation as an observer or mediator. Their presence can temper aggressive behavior and provide witness to any inappropriate tactics used. Document all communications and interactions with the other party, especially any unethical or unprofessional conduct. Having a clear paper trail can be valuable if you need to raise concerns to decision makers later.

I always enter into negotiating with a strong understanding of value. Fear is negotiating from a position of weakness. If you understand the value of your position then defending it becomes easy. I will walk away from negotiating if I cannot see value in the proposal. After all you access the value of your position. In summary, do your work up front before starting negotiations. It's always better to walk away from a bad deal then to be pressured into accepting one.

Assess whether the strong-arm tactics are a temporary outburst or indicative of the other party's overarching negotiation style. Decide if you're willing to engage with someone who operates from a hardball mindset. Revisit your underlying interests, priorities and BATNA (Best Alternative to a Negotiated Agreement) in this deal. Get clarity on what terms you're willing to accept and where your walkaway point is. Avoid getting pressured into an unfavorable agreement. Explore alternative ways to achieve your objectives if this negotiation fails. Brainstorm creative options, identify other potential partners, and strengthen your negotiating position so you can deal from a place of confidence rather than desperation.