Negotiation Lessons from Brexit
Over almost three years the world has witnessed some of the brightest minds in Europe try to negotiate a settlement for Britain’s exit from the European Union. To the keen observer, this has provided a classic case study of some of the basic principles of negotiation.
1. Base Your Position on Specific Interests
The side with the clearest understanding of what they hope to gain from a negotiation (their interests) will always negotiate strongest. In a simple negotiation, this may seem to be so obvious it requires no thought; but in a complex negotiation, this clarity is empowering.
Europe’s interest was always crystal clear – make the British suffer as a lesson to any other wavering EU members. Britain’s interests seemed numerous, confused and vague. They wanted greater control of immigration. They wanted to be free of regulations emanating from Brussels. Their membership of the EU was costing Pounds that should be spent at home. For every reason given for leaving, there was a strong counter-argument supported by many.
This teaches us that when entering into a negotiation we must have a very clear vision of what we are trying to achieve. This allows us to:
- Be strong in our resolve
- Be flexible, with the ability to quickly assess any offer
2. Your Authority in Their Eyes is Power
Throughout the years of negotiation, the negotiators for the EU have never had their authority questioned. On the other hand, Britain is on to it’s third ‘Brexit Minister’ and every time Theresa May makes an offer, they counter with, “But, do you have the authority to make that offer?” You have to feel for the British PM. Imagine trying to negotiate with someone who has seen every aspect of your offer argued in the parliament and analysed in the media while the tabloid press spends its time calling the other side names like “two-bit mobsters” and “dirty rats”.
This reinforces the importance of establishing your authority strongly with the other side. Certainly do this before making any offer because one of the most common ploys in negotiating is for the other side to try to undermine your authority.
3. The Best Offer Needs a Deadline
Brexit was decided in June 2016, yet at the start of March 2019 – about three weeks out from the deadline – it was still uncertain whether any agreement was possible. The same has been seen in the US Congress where decisions have been made literally minutes before the deadline.
This just reinforces the power of deadlines. It only makes sense that the best offer will only appear when the deadline is in sight. Use deadlines to your advantage. Sometimes deadlines are imposed from outside; but, if not, research has shown that setting deadlines is good for both sides of the negotiation. Perhaps your first step should be to negotiate a deadline – if we can’t agree by this time we’ll go our separate ways. This way, both sides take responsibility for the negotiation to progress in a timely manner.
4. Saying What You Don’t Want Is Often Easier
British negotiators were continually hampered because the House of Commons was very strong on saying what it didn’t want; but could not agree on what it did want.
The lesson is that it is generally easier for someone to say what they don’t want to what they do. Give the other side an opportunity to talk about what they want to avoid. You could bring this up by asking about their last experience negotiating or dealing with your profession.
Negotiation lessons are all around us and, at the moment, they are prolific in the media. Learning from others pain can make you a better negotiator!