Some Additional Comments on Negotiation

Storytelling and Negotiation

Introduction

As humans we love a good story.
"...We love sharing them and hearing them from others. Our stories share our successes, failures, adventures, lessons, morals and the values we hold dear......stories have an unique way of stimulating in the listener the desire to think as well as to feel something about what you are saying......stories play an important role in negotiations and can help in many ways to accomplish objectives......at their best, stories create a sense of connection, build trust, allow the listener to enter the conversation where they are, and often can contain more than one lesson..."
Gail Odeneal, 2022

Four tips for using storytelling in negotiation

i) stories convey lessons and provide examples that are easily understood and relatable (using stories rather than using logical arguments is more effective in shifting people's way of thinking as it is usually something people can immediately connect with.)

ii) stories are easier to recall in tense moments than theories or concepts (stories can be a fall-back position when in a difficult negotiating situation; they can provide space and time to emotionally settle and get back to your overall negotiation approach.)

iii) stories are very useful as a tactic to disarm the other negotiator (they are an alternative means of persuasion; even if personal stories, they can create an outsider's perspective; they are a way of disarming the other party and naturally drawing them in)

iv) use stories to shift the conversation to a more productive realm (can help shift negotiation from a competitive approach to a more cooperative, collaborative one)
Summary
"...Whether it's making a point in negotiation, helping you manage direction, disarming your counterpart, or getting the other negotiator to shift from competition to cooperation, think about how to use stories at different junctions in the negotiation process..."
Gail Odeneal, 2022